[1] Association Announcement
[2] Obituary
[3] Positions Available
       (Laval; Queensland, Australia)
[4] Varia
        (Stage for Dionysos)

[1] Association Announcement <Back>

From: Patricia J. Calkin, Dalhousie University
                <pcalkin@is.dal.ca>

Report of the 2001 CAC Sponsored Sight Translation Competitions
Submitted to AGM of CAC, 11 May 2001
University of Waterloo & Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario

The 2001 Sight Translation Competitions were held on January 18 (Latin papers) and January 25 (Greek papers), 2001.  The usual arrangements and the timing of mailings worked  well this year with a few grave exceptions.  Several Departments seemed to lose track of the entry forms or to mislay the passages when they arrived.  Most of these difficulties could be remedied by fax and other technological means.  However, in one case students missed writing a paper altogether.  I am still somewhat puzzled by the number of problems this year: this may be just another indication of the stress under which we all work these days.  One possible solution may be to identify someone at each institution who would be willing to receive the material and return the entries before the end of December.  I would welcome other suggestions for changes in these arrangements that might reduce the number of these problems.  On the financial side, the Sights still receive generous support from a number of individuals and institutions and The Classical Association of Canada is now offering a subvention each year which keeps the books in the black.  The following numbers will witness to the continuing interest in the Sights across the country.

Submissions and entries to both the Junior papers (Latin and Greek) are up this year; the other competitions show the usual variations.  The actual numbers for the 2001 competition are:

JUNIOR LATIN:  189 entries from 20 universities, 0 schools = 58 submissions
JUNIOR GREEK:   135 entries from 19 universities, 1 school  = 50 submissions
SENIOR LATIN:   118 entries from 18 universities = 32 submissions
SENIOR GREEK:   95 entries from 16 universities =  22 submissions
HIGH SCHOOL LATIN: 182 entries from 12 schools = 49 submissions

The passages chosen this year for the Junior and Senior Greek papers seemed to meet with general approval.  The Junior Greek has been particularly troublesome over the past few years and for that reason I chose to take on the task myself this year.  In the end the Lysias passage raised no comment, pro or con.  The Junior Latin passage seemed to one colleague "well chosen in respect to the general simplicity of its syntax, (but that) expectations regarding vocabulary were probably too high for students at that level. . ."  The High School Latin passage again evoked some discussion.  One school pointed out a number of textual problems, one of which I was able to correct before the paper was written.  The other perceived difficulties stemmed largely from the adaptation of the Pliny passage.  As in the past I have respected the work of my colleagues and not interfered with the passages as they present them except to correct typographical errors.  My views on this were expressed in last year's report.  As always, I welcome comments from all colleagues, especially if they are constructive.  But even non-constructive ones are taken seriously and their concerns are always taken into consideration.

The Junior Latin paper, Pliny, Letters 3.7,  was set and marked by Dr Roberto Nickel of Laurentian University.  He writes:

The most frequent mistake was in translating liberis as "books," which usually resulted in the students' inability to make sense of the next sentence.  In the same vein, a surprising number translated ad supremum diem as "to the supreme god," and insanabilis clavus as "an insane tumour" or "a tumour of insanity."   Finally, the majority of students had trouble with valetudo, many of them translating it as a verb, and one student emphatically declaring that there must be an error in the text.  Another area that caused problems was in voice of verbs, particularly in translating active voice verbs in the passive voice.  Likewise, the deponent verb experior in the final sentence was frequently translated in the passive voice.  The function of nouns in the ablative case also caused problems. Not a single candidate understood the function of inedia in the first sentence.  There was also considerable confusion over the different functions of the ablatives in the third sentence.

The Junior Greek paper, Lysias, Epitaphios 79-81, was set and marked by Dr Patricia Calkin of Dalhousie University.  Her report reads:

Most students made some sense of the passage.  The most serious problem was the failure to recognize adjectives used predicatively.  The parataxis of "men . . de" in line 6 and again in line 7 escaped even some of the best papers and prevented them from catching the full sense of the passage while the use of "kai" meaning "as" in line 11 eluded most.

The Senior Latin paper, Suetonius, Life of Tiberius 38 and 39, was set and marked by Dr C.W. Marshall of Memorial University of Newfoundland.  His report reads:

Many entries produced more or less coherent versions of most of the excerpt (Suet. Tib. 38-39). All had difficulties incorporating ad extremum and cum longissime into a natural sentence.  The long first sentence of 39 also proved challenging.  Both sections have something of a punchline at the end, and the winning entries showed an understanding of this.

The Senior Greek paper, Thucydides VII.84, was set and marked by Dr Leona MacLeod of The University of Windsor.  She reports:

On the whole, most of the students performed fairly well on this passage; there were only a few entries which left gaps.  The vocabulary did not seem to pose a major difficulty for most of the students. On the other hand, there were a couple of common problems, mostly having to do with the syntax of the passage: a number did not quite grasp how the hama men . . . hama de  worked (or the hoi men . . . hoi de about seven lines later); second, while many translated individual words and phrases correctly, they failed to put it together so that it made sense.

The High School Latin paper, an adaptation of Pliny Letters 4.3 was set and marked by Dr Kathryn Simonsen of The University of Alberta.  Her report reads:

Overall the results for this year's high school sight were pretty good.  About 80% of the 49 entrants finished the translation; most understood what the gist of the passage was.  Only three or so were completely lost.  Certain too common errors, however, prevented many students from doing better, and these errors appeared in both English and French papers.  Most students translated any quod they saw as "because" or "parceque" - even when the word right in front was id or eius.  Another common error was translating liberos as libros.  nondum was also a problem; most students just translated the "non" part.  A few translated it as novem!  One student managed to translate ego, qui nondum liberos habeo, as "I, who have nine books"!  nuper caused some problems, although most students realized that it was some sort of "time word".  This was fortunate as it meant that 99% got the following cum right.  Only one student who thought that nuper was somebody's name translated cum as a preposition and invented a relative pronoun to go with it.  Other problems, ones that I hadn't anticipated, included discere which few students recognized, huic right at the beginning, emuntur, and a tendency to confuse pater, patria and parens.  On the whole the first part of the translation was handled better that the last three or four sentences.  nihil regularly became nemo and the neuter comparatives were a disaster - in part because few students realized that they were adjectives modifying nihil.  Similarly forms of possum, poteritis in particular, caused massive confusion.  Indeed most of the errors in the translations of verbs were due to misidentification of the subject of the verb - venit in a couple of cases became veni; morarentur and continerentur regularly became -tur or -ris/-mini.  There were two things, however, that only the very best papers got right - cuiusdam and ubi minore sumptu.  Of the 49 papers only four or five negotiated this "Scylla and Carybdis" safely.  I would like to congratulate all the entrants.  They all worked hard on thepassage, and, on the whole, Latin teachers should be proud of the results they and their students have achieved.

As in past years, I wish to record here my own thanks to those who set and marked the passages for this year's competitions; their care and attention to detail and their prompt observance of my deadlines have made my job very much easier than it might have been.  Thanks are due also to those who entered the contests and to their teachers; without their enthusiasm and participation there could, of course, be no contests.  Finally, I wish to acknowledge, as well,  those who support the Sights on a continuing yearly basis with their generous financial contributions.  They remain the pillars of the competition.  I append the lists of the 2001 prize winners.

Respectfully submitted,
Patricia J. Calkin, Dalhousie University.
 

Senior Undergraduate Sight Translation Competition in Greek 2001 Results
First Prize: Luke Bridgewater, University of Calgary
Second Prize: Jim Grant, Queen's University
Third Prize: Brian Monteiro, University of Toronto
Fourth Prize: Michael Griffin, University of British Columbia
Fifth Prize: Daniel McCusker, McGill University

Senior Undergraduate Sight Translation Competition in Latin 2001 Results
First Prize: Daniel McCusker, McGill University
Second Prize: Luke Bridgewater, University of Calgary
Third Prize: Sébastien Rossignol, Université de Montréal
Fourth Prize: Victoria Newman, McGill University
Fifth Prize: Florence Yoon, Dalhousie University

National Greek Sight Translation Contest/Concours national de version Grecque
The Winners of the 2001 Contest and Recipients of the MARGARET H. THOMSON PRIZES are
First Prize: Andrew Stefanelli, Memorial University
Second Prize: Mathieu Parent, Université de Montréal
Third  Prize: Catherine Cleland, Carleton University

National Latin Sight Translation Contest/Concours national de version Latine
The Winners of the 2001 Contest and Recipients of the MARGARET H. THOMSON PRIZES are
First Prize: David Monette, Université de Montréal
Second Prize: Paul Harms, University of Winnipeg
Third Prize: Andrew Stefanelli, Memorial University
Honourable Mention: Jean-Philippe Chartré, Université de Montréal; Benoit Malouf, Université de Montréal

High School Latin Sight Translation Contest/Concours de version Latine pour les écoles secondaires 2001 results
First Prize: Andriei Swidinsky, Centennial Collegiate V.I.
Second Prize: Annika Schwarz, Centennial Collegiate V.I.
Third Prize: Andrew Moller, Centennial Collegiate V.I.; Giselle Gos, The
Bishop Strachan School
Honourable Mention: Attilio Braga, Centennial Collegiate V. I.; François Arsenault-Hubert, Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf
 

[2] Obituary <Back>

From: Ian C. Storey, Trent University
                <istorey@trentu.ca>

Enclosed is a statement from the Dean of Arts at Sydney recording the very sudden passing of Professor Kevin Lee of that University.  His Canadian connexion is that he worked closely with Martin Cropp (Calgary) and also with myself (I met him during a sabbatical at Christchurch NZ, in 1991 where was the Professor), and with Martin was one of the organizers of the Banff Conference (1999) on Euripides.  He was an exceedingly warm and generous human being, a most congenial colleague, and an excellent scholar and champion of the classical world.

Dear Colleagues,

It is with great sadness that I write to inform the Faculty of the sudden death of Professor Kevin Lee. He was in hospital in Newcastle.  Kevin was a much loved and respected member of our Faculty with many years of service to the University and the wider community of classical scholars.  His sudden passing leaves an enormous void in our community.

As you all know, Kevin was a man of outstanding qualities who contributed enormously to the Faculty as a teacher, scholar, academic leader and a dear friend and colleague.  His long association with the university has earned him the respect and admiration of his peers and all students who were taught by him.

More will be said over the coming weeks but I know you join me in conveying our sincere sympathies to his wife Mrs Mailie Lee and children.  A condolence book will be available at the Faculty Office for messages to his family.

Bettina Cass
Dean of Humanities,
University of Sydney
 

[3] Positions Available <Back>

From: Alban Baudou, Université Laval
                <Alban.Baudou@lit.ulaval.ca>

 
Le Département des littératures désire pourvoir un poste en langue et littérature grecques

FONCTIONS
La personne titulaire de ce poste devra :
- Assumer un enseignement aux trois cycles, en langue et littérature grecques
- Assumer la direction de mémoires de maîtrise et de thèses de doctorat
- Avoir des activités de recherche reconnues dans ce domaine
- Participer aux activités départementales et universitaires
- Participer aux activités de l'Institut d'études anciennes.

CRITÈRES DE SÉLECTION
- Doctorat pertinent dans le domaine de la langue et / ou de la littérature grecque
- Expérience de l'enseignement dans ces domaines, au niveau universitaire
- Expérience pertinente de recherche en langue et littérature grecques, publications conséquentes ou subventions à l'appui; une compétence complémentaire dans le domaine de la grammaire comparée et de l'indo-européen serait un atout
- Aptitude à travailler en équipe.

TRAITEMENT ET CONDITIONS DE TRAVAIL
Selon la convention en vigueur.
L'Université Laval applique un programme d'accès à l' égalité à l'emploi qui, à compétences égales, consacre la moitié des postes vacants à l'engagement de femmes.

ENTRÉE EN FONCTION: À DÉTERMINER
Faire parvenir sa candidature accompagnée d'un curriculum uitæ et trois lettres de recommandation d'ici le 24 août 2001 à :

Monsieur Roger Chamberland, directeur
Département des littératures
Faculté des lettres
Pavillon Charles-De Koninck
Université Laval, Québec G1K 7P4

En accord avec les exigences du ministère de l'Immigration du Canada, cette offre est destinée en priorité aux citoyennes et citoyens canadiens et immigrantes et immigrants reçus.

Ce poste reste tributaire des budgets accordés à l'Université pour la création d'une Chaire en études anciennes.

From: Michele George, McMaster University
                <georgem@mcmaster.ca>

This document contains annotations by me to the job description listed on jobsearch, a general employment site: http://www.seek.com.au/users/jobsearch.asp   Check that site for the original, using a search word, e.g. "Classics". Applications are due by 6 July 2001.

The School of History, Philosophy, Religion, and Classics is the largest School in the Faculty of Arts with over 40 full-time staff members.  With 250 research students, it is the third largest postgraduate School in the University of Queensland.  In the role of Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History, you will be expected to teach courses in Classical Art and Architecture, and Classical Archaeology and Museology.  You will be responsible for the coordination and promotion of the University Antiquities Museum.  You will also be involved in teaching Latin and/or Greek up to Honours level.  You should possess a PhD in Classics in Ancient History, together with demonstrated experience or formal qualifications in Museology.  This is a continuing, full-time appointment at Academic Level B.  The remuneration package will be in the range of $59,405 - $70,544 per annum, including employer superannuation contributions of 17%.   Obtain the position description and selection criteria online or contact Mrs Grace Dunn (07) 3365 2154,
<g.dunn@mailbox.uq.edu.au>  or telephone Professor P Almond: 07)3365 2154, to discuss the role.

Send applications to the Personnel Officer, Faculty of Arts, University of Queensland, Brisbane,
Qld 4072, or <margaret.dawson@mailbox.uq.edu.au>

Closing date for applications: 6 July 2001
Please quote the Reference Number (10294830501) and include a covering letter that includes the vacancy reference number your contact address telephone number and the names and contact details of three referees a curriculum vitae, that includes details of education and qualifications, not more than five pages in length; and a statement addressing how each of the selection criteria has been met.

Equal opportunity in employment is University policy.

ADDITIONAL DATA:
University of Queensland Home Page: http://www.uq.edu.au
School of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics: http://www.uq.edu.au/hprc/
Antiquities Museum: http://www.uq.edu.au/hprc/antiq.html
Dept of Classics & Ancient History: http://www.uq.edu.au/hprc/classics.html

[Australian legislation requires intending employers to demonstrate that overseas residents are uniquely qualified for the position.  That is normally done after the offer of appointment.  More information for non-Australian residents on obtaining work visas: http://www.immi.gov.au

For US and other jobs see the listings of

The American Philological Association: http://www.apaclassics.org/

and the Atrium: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AtriumJobs/messages
 

[4] Varia <Back>

From: Keith Courtney
        <greektheatre@hotmail.com>

This evening, before a large crowd of invited guests, Mr. Leonidas Chrysanthopoulos, Ambassador of Greece to Canada, Mr. Spyros Mercouris, of the Melina Mercouri Foundation, Athens, and Karen Haslam, Mayor of the City of Stratford officially opened the only Canadian showing of the major international exhibition, A Stage for Dionysos: Theatrical Space & Ancient Drama. This comprehensive exhibition focuses on the architecture and location of ancient Greek theatres, and the 20th Century revival and importance of ancient drama and its contribution to contemporary society. It will remain open for public viewing at the special exhibition location, 603 Romeo Street in Stratford, from May 26 through August 19, 2001.

At the Gala Opening in Stratford, official opening greetings and remarks were also presented by Mr. Paul Kefalas, President of ABB, lead sponsor of the exhibition in Stratford, Mr. Richard Monette, Artistic Director of the Stratford Festival of Canada, Ms. Eleanor Kane, President of the Board of Trustees of Gallery Stratford and Mr. Robert Windrum, Director/Curator of Gallery Startford.

Curated by Mr. Spyros Mercouris, A Stage for Dionysos: Theatrical Space & Ancient Drama is organized and circulated through the Melina Mercouri Foundation. It is currently on an extended seven-year international tour, with scheduled presentations in Greece, Italy, England, Bulgaria, the United States, Germany, France and Turkey before returning to Greece for display during the 2004 summer Olympic Games in Athens.

Incorporating the dramatic presentation of architectural models, artifacts, costumes and masks, plus large format photographs, video and multimedia presentations, A Stage for Dionysos: Theatrical Space & Ancient Drama takes exhibition visitors into the universally magic and poetic world of ancient Greece and the theatre. Professional exhibition design and theatrical lighting provide visitors with an experience which transports them back to a time when philosophically and socially the roots of our modern civilization were taking hold of the dramatic imagination and the development of public theatre spaces. Accompanied by an extensively researched and illustrated  catalogue, video programs and text panels the exhibition provides in-depth historical information to the visitor while still maintaining the magic of its subject.

A Stage for Dionysos: Theatrical Space & Ancient Drama balances beautifully the provision of information and learning, with engaging the imagination and the invitation to dream.  The poetry of the most influential thinkers and playwrights is exquisitely combined with costumes, masks and production photographs of the work of leading stage designers and directors of the twentieth century.  Occupying approximately 10,000 square feet, the exhibition has toured the world being viewed by millions of visitors, including thousands of school groups engaged in learning activities while visiting the show.

A Stage for Dionysos: Theatrical Space & Ancient Drama is presented by Gallery Stratford at a special satellite location in Romeo Business Court, 603 Romeo Street, in Stratford, from May 26 to August 19, 2001.  The exhibition will be open for public viewing from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. A single admission for A Stage for Dionysos will be $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and students. A combination ticket including admission to both A Stage for Dionysos and ABCs of POP Art: America, Britain, Canada at Gallery Stratford, 54 Romeo Street, Stratford, will be $18 for adults and $14 for seniors and students.

The presentation of A Stage For Dionysos: Theatrical Space & Ancient Drama in Stratford is generously supported by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund, the Ministry of Culture, Greece; the Ministry of External Affairs, Greece; ABB Engineering; N. A. Engineering; the City of Stratford, The Victorian Inn on the Park, Cinespace Studios - Mirkopolous Brothers, R. Ritz- Architect; Cullitons Security Limited: Hellenic Heritage Foundation; Fairway Canadian Express - Angelos Demangos and Olympic Airways.

A Stage For Dionysos: Theatrical Space & Ancient Drama Exhibition Highlights:
A back-lit map measuring 6m x 3.20m, documenting all the sites of ancient Greek and Roman theatres that existed in antiquity.  The first of its kind and the most comprehensive, the map illustrates locations that are still active today, sites that are being excavated and sites that are no longer evident but have been documented as theatre sites.  A video presentation and original masks from the 1927 production of Prometheus Bound performed at the first Delphic Festival.  A multi-media computer presentation on the histories of many ancient and modern theatre designs.  Beautiful, theatrically presented costumes and masks from productions of the ancient Greek dramas throughout the 20th century.  Large-scale photographic documentation of the costumes and masks being used in performance bring them to life for the viewer. Examples of designs and costumes from Stratford Festival productions of the works of some ancient Greek playwrights are included in the exhibition.  Stratford is the home of the renowned Festival Theatre stage, developed by Tyrone Guthrie and designer Tanya Moiseiwitsch in 1953. This thrust-style design became the model for 20th century theatre design.  The Stratford Festival Theatre stage design is included in the exhibition catalogue as an internationally significant example of contemporary architecture influenced by the ancient Greek amphitheatre.  A 215-page full-colour catalogue with essays by eminent scholars and historians

Upcoming Presentations:
Germany, France and Turkey, October 2001 through 2003; Athens, Greece, during the 2004 Summer Olympic Games

For further information please contact:
Keith Courtney (519) 271-5271 or <greektheatre@hotmail.com>

Next regular issue 2001 07 15
Send submissions to <bulletin@unb.ca>