Ancient, Medieval, and Renaissance studies Proclamation ! The Trident Vol. XXV Issue 2 November 2016 Upcoming AMRS EVENTS Dec. 1 - Dr. Ashely Powers will be speaking about how conversational French was taught to Englishmen in the Medieval. Join us in Mer- rick 202 at 12:10 pm!

History of the Book: The 1st AMRS Course The Staff of the Trident By: Christopher Shanley has changed throughout histo- Student Editors: Jordan Waterwash The first class taught ry. Each student has picked in the AMRS department is an one of the manuscript facsimi- Contributing Writers: Christopher Shanley, Christine Mendio- utterly fascinating one. The les that OWU has in the Rare la, Matthew Pheneger, Colin McGarry, and Jordan Waterwash aim is simply this: to teach Books department of the li- students about the history of brary to present on. The books AMRS Chair: Dr. Patricia DeMarco books. This course focuses on covered range from the Codex Special thanks to Prof. Powers, Prof. Neuman de Vegvar, and Prof. books as physical objects as Sinaiticus (one of four com- well as how the written word plete books of the Greek Bible Livingston for allowing Trident contributors to interview them! Continued on pg. 2 Want to write a story? Have ideas for the next issue? IN THIS ISSUE Characters of War: the Iliad and the Song of - pg. 3 Shakespeare’s Sonnet 97 - pg. 5 Send them to [email protected]. Vikings and Royal Power on the Dingle Peninsula - pg. 4 Motivated by the Medieval - pg. 7 Ashley Powers: From Marketing to Medieval - pg. 6 Shakespeare’s Winter - pg. 10 The Professors Behind History of the Book - pg. 8

2 15 Continued from interested in the AMRS de- Continued From an end poignantly with the Page 1 partment’s first class, take His- deaths of Achilles and Ro- tory of the Book in 2018! You page 13 land, but without any sense written in the fourth century) won’t regret it. of finality. By The Iliad’s to the Book of Kells (a com- final chapter, the walls of plete Gospel Book from Ire- both his life and the lives of Troy still stand and the land and a national treasure.) his fellow knights is the bind- Greeks have yet to reclaim

There are less famous books ing choice that will seal his Helen. Similarly in The Song some students are working on, fate. Like Achilles, Roland of Roland, the remaining but all are fascinating windows chooses to stand and fight de- Franks predict future bouts of into our past in relation to the spite the impossible odds. conflict with the Saracens. book. The idea of facing Though the stories are over, The course frequently your fate rather than circum- the epic worlds in which they brings in other lecturers, rang- venting it is the most central lived survive as settings and ing from OWU’s own Dr. theme to both The Iliad and backdrops for later poets. It is McOsker to visiting scholars Official Course Description: . Two re- From papyrus scrolls to print- as if the poets themselves in- like Binghamton University’s marks showcase fate as the tended that the words they Dr. Shay Rabineau, an expert ed books, from Egypt to Eng- major theme in these works: land, this course introduces had sung would continue to on modern Jewish history. The ’s remark to Roland — be taken up, in one form or professors also arrange small students to the material forms “Charles will never again re- of books and gives students the another, long after their own events where the students get ceive our service”—and performances had ended. to experience historical book methods needed to read and Achilles’ resigned answer to making techniques hands-on. understand handwritten books, his horse, Roan Beauty, when We were all encouraged to documents, and scrolls from the latter informs him of his write with brushes, quills, and antiquity through the early impending death—“I know, reeds, recreating the way a modern era. It also covers the well I know— I am destined scribe wrote nearly two mil- historical, cultural and social to die here, far from my dear lennia ago. meanings of books. A range of father, far from mother. But The readings in the exercises using the resources all the same I will never stop class are varied, ranging from of rare book archives and digi- till I drive the Trojans to their the physical act of creating pa- tal collections provides hands- bloody fill of war!” It is not pyrus to how the memories of on learning. No prerequisites. only Roland and Achilles Medieval monks worked. We who have to reckon their fates even discussed how early The class will not be offered with their actions; for the printed books were shipped next Spring, but be on the Franks, Saracens, Argives, into London (mostly in bas- lookout in 2018! and Trojans, the unavoidable kets). There are a significant end and the dread of its cease- amount of readings, granted, less approach is never enter- but the majority of them are tained with as much concern absolutely fascinating to any- as how the individual arrives one interested in books. To at it. any freshmen and sophomores Both poems come to

14 3 Looking back, that trol of my studies. I came a Characters of War: summer, I know now that it far way since freshman year, was a turning point. Without and the AMRS department the AMRS department at gave me the freedom and sup- the Iliad and the OWU, I might not have been port to keep growing. able to grow further. I became Even after graduation, song of Roland a major after finishing the mi- what I learned at OWU colors nor. I just couldn’t stop. Every my world. I combed the By: Matthew Pheneger war that began because the class I took, I engaged more Smithsonian Art Museum this We’d expect literary most beautiful woman in the and more with material, and summer for hours, finding works from differing cultures world was abducted, and the like most students transition- five paintings of St. Katherine to mirror that in their writing, presiding king had a rage that ing to upperclassmen, I be- by her symbol, the wheel. I however, The Iliad and The could not be assuaged. In The came more confident and fo- turn my head at every church Song of Roland are more sim- Song of Roland, the historical cused. with Gothic and Romanesque ilar than expected. In their defeat of a Carolingian rear- Soon the AMRS cap- influences. I still read about most basic explanations, both guard during an engagement stone was looming on the saints, despite not being Cath- texts retell deeds—both good with renegade Basques at horizon. While it was daunt- olic. and wicked—that were car- Roncevaux Pass is trans- ing to think about, I was ex- I became a better per- ried out by men who fought in formed into an epic struggle cited about it. I’d fallen in son by pursuing my passions. wars. It is through the innova- between the Frankish forces love with the Medieval saints It’s one thing to find an inter- tion of the poets that their dis- of Western Christianity and after taking Saints and Socie- esting major, but it’s another tinct and fanciful characters the Saracen forces of Eastern ty, and I was happy to be able to find a topic that pushes you took shape, each drawing on Mohammedanism—the cen- to return to it in my own way. out of your comfort zone to the prevailing attitudes of the ter of which is a lesson on Working with Dr. Arnold, I engage with the world. The times in which they were per- how to fight and die well. not only finished the required AMRS department at OWU formed. In The Iliad, what Neither poem shies research paper but also started is a wonderful tool to help was probably a case of raiding away from depicting war as it working on a creative short you grow and explore, but and plundering across the is—brutal and bloody. Ques- story about St. Godelieve. only if you engage with it. Hellespont by Bronze Age tioning the morality of war, This fictional story wasn’t My mother’s last desire was Greeks became the story of a however, is not essential to necessary to graduate, howev- to keep exploring her inter- er, it allowed me to connect ests. Every college student my two majors in a very per- has that luxury, but only the sonal way. Then in my final individual can take advantage semester, I decided to take a of that opportunity to learn directed reading continuing to what they love and under- learn about saints. While I stand what helps them grow. could have taken just another typical class and finished a normal capstone to complete Christine Mendiola graduated my major, the AMRS depart- from OWU in 2015. ment allowed me to take con-

Continued on page 13

4 13 Continued from page 3 Vikings and Royal Power on either poem. What the Homer- ic and Medieval poets are the Dingle Peninsula more concerned with is the human response to an unques- By Colin McGarry nity was tioned reality; that is, how do The southern tip of able to have different characters act in the Ireland is made up of four a large im- face of confrontation, and peninsulas running out to the pact on the what can readers learn from southwest of the island, and political their example? Achilles and back in the Early Medieval landscape of teach us that a period the two northernmost the area. The Vikings could faithful companion will not let of these peninsulas—Dingle effectively control trade, as one die in vain. Oliver and and Iveragh—were ruled over any ship coming from the Nestor show us that the best as a single petty kingdom west of Ireland would have to way to tackle an obstacle is compared to honoring a knows as the Corcu Duibne, pass the island to trade in the with wisdom’s graces. Roland friend—in this case, Patroclus. where the kingship was ex- southern province of Munster and Hector stand as a warning Avenging the death of Patroc- changed between three royal which provides a strong link for brash actions; they not on- lus becomes his new motiva- families. Officially, the king- to the Viking towns, such as ly affect you personally but tion for re-entering the con- ship would rotate between the Waterford or Dublin. This those around you as well. If flict. By committing to this three chieftains of the region, alliance between Dingle and war is the centerpiece upon new goal, however, his death although the historical records the Vikings also granted them which both poems rely, the at Troy is sealed, as it had tell us the families would in- relative safety from raids, but characters are the details that been foretold that Achilles had stead raid and assassinate one could also be used to have a keep us engaged. The stories too choices—stay, fight, and another in hopes that they ready supply of mercenaries are told through their actions, win eternal glory at the price would be strong enough to from other Viking groups on and the wars are conduits of a shortened life, or go hold power whenever the last the island, giving them a through which they are driven home, live long and prosper, king died. This power dynam- strong military advantage to act. but die ignominiously. Like ic changed in the 9th century, over other royal families. Another running theme any good hero, he chose the with the start of the Viking From this new position of in both epics is the respective former. Age, as the chieftains from power, the Ó Fáilbhe were characters’ commitment to In a similar vein, Ro- Dingle—the Ó Fáilbhe— able to monopolize royal some modus operandi. In The land sees the rear-guard action recognized the benefits of power, having an almost un- Iliad, the Achaeans and Ar- as an opportunity to demon- having the foreigners on their broken claim to the Corcu gives view the Trojan War as strate his commitment to the side, and gave an island with Duibne kingship from the 9th an opportunity to win glory for feudal principles that guide the good, natural harbors to a century until the Norman In- themselves, and it is this pre- actions of the Twelve Peers, small group of Viking settlers vasion. occupation with glory and even if doing so means that he in exchange for their loyalty. The Ó Fáilbhe kings fame that leads to Achilles’ will put his comrades’ lives in Even though there were only were based around the stone refusal to fight until his honor jeopardy. Like Achilles’ re- around five households on the forts of Leacanabuaile and is restored. Eventually Achil- fusal to fight for Patroclus, island, which could supply ten Cahergal near the coastline of les will conclude that the per- Roland’s refusal to sound the to twenty fighting men at any Dingle. Leacanabuaile Stone sonal honor accrued by the horn and call for reinforce- given time, this small commu- Fort is fairly typical, matching spoils of war is trivial when ments that would have saved Continued on page 12 Continued on page 15 12 5 the standard design of the standing out because of its Irish Ringforts—enclosed ag- royal inhabitants, Cahergal is Sonnet 97 ricultural settlements that act- much more of an oddity. Vis- ed as home for a single fami- ually, Cahergal is immediate- William Shakespeare ly. Leacanabuaile contains ly set apart from other ring- two structures built into one forts due to the immense another, acting as the main height of the wall: almost 4 houses of the site: a square meters tall and built in multi- structure with a door facing ple terraces, compared to the the entrance of the stone wall, more fence-like walls of the whose rear wall opens to the average ringforts (for compar- How like a winter hath my absence been door of a smaller (and proba- ison, the wall of Leacanabu- bly earlier) circular house, and aile is only 1.5 meters tall), From thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year! three smaller structures off to and it has a large, completely the sides of the house, likely stone house located at the What freezings have I felt, what dark days seen! storage sheds or animal center of the enclosure (even pens. The most interesting the stone houses of Lea- What old December's bareness everywhere! feature of Leacanabuaile is canabuaile, and other stone the souterrain, a very narrow forts, used a wooden or And yet this time remov'd was summer's time, passageway that runs under thatched roof)—neither of the circular house and into the which the Office of Public The teeming autumn, big with rich increase, outer wall of the fort: a com- Works decided to fund mon feature in high status set- enough to reconstruct in Bearing the wanton burthen of the prime, tlements, thought to be used full. Archaeologically, the for hiding if the family was site is even stranger as it re- Like widow'd wombs after their lords' decease: attacked. vealed no artifacts: The only While Leacanabuaile objects found were stones Yet this abundant issue seem'd to me is a fairly standard site, only used to construct the build- ings. The current theory re- garding Cahergal is that it But hope of orphans and unfather'd fruit; was a strictly ceremonial site, used only for rituals such as For summer and his pleasures wait on thee, the inauguration of kings, and would be kept spotless when And thou away, the very birds are mute; not in use. The massive, ter- raced walls would act in the Or if they sing, 'tis with so dull a cheer same way as the Classical amphitheater. People from the That leaves look pale, dreading the winter's near. kingdom would sit on the ter- races of the walls, like bleach- ers, to watch the ceremonies as they took place.

6 11 Ashley Powers: leyan, she attends conferences portant to be able to apply regularly to keep up to date what you’ve learned in col- From Market- with French and the Middle lege to any potential job ra- ing to Medieval Ages. In March, Powers will ther than having all the infor- speak at a conference about mation just sitting in your By: Jordan Waterwash how Englishmen in the Mid- head with no practical uses. For any student, it can dle Ages taught other English- Part of having a liberal arts be difficult to imagine what men how to speak French— education is to expand on life will be like after leaving including dialogues, key what is learned in the class- college. Are there jobs availa- phrases, and curse words. room and push oneself to find ble in the field I studied? How Powers is also speaking at an- the meaning of one’s likely is it for me to get a job other conference in May, knowledge outside of the lec- that relates to my degree? Am where she will do a presenta- tures. I forced to think linearly about tion on the Medieval Trick- “Try to get as ster: “There’s this character in my path in life? much experience Dr. Ashely Powers, one of these poems, and it’s a member of the AMRS and “[My professor] rec- very ambiguous character.” as you can.” MFL faculty, proves that there ommended that I go back to The character’s name, accord- is no one path to success. school, to Bowling Green. At ing to Powers, has multiple Ultimately, what’s Though she has a Ph.D. in first I pushed the idea aside, meanings, and no one has ev- going to set you apart from Medieval French Literature, and then after a while I decid- er explored what each of those the rest will be a willingness she studied French and Mar- ed to apply just to see what’d meanings represent in the to show what you have keting as an undergraduate. happen, and I got accepted.” context of the work. She learned in a variety of ways, “Academia didn’t oc- After that, Powers hopes to find out what exactly something Powers has done cur to me until I was working spent her first as a graduate this character represents. exemplarily. For Powers, it on my Masters,” she says. “I student away in Tours, As for AMRS stu- was a fear of not taking op- wanted to do International , where she studied the dents, Powers suggests getting portunities that pushed her to Business.” French Renaissance author out there as much as one can. continue her education in She worked in market- François Rabelais at the Uni- For her, conferences in gradu- Medieval Literature: “It was ing in Detroit for four years versité François Rabelais. ate school helped her to find definitely a risk, which is before asking an old professor “That’s actually where her footing and reach out the why I didn’t do it right away, I kind of got started, in the Medieval community. She and then finally I was like, “I always had an Renaissance, and I did a Mas- says, “If you just go to the ‘Well, I’m just going to do it, ters thesis on Rabelais. But I classes, that’s fine, but try to because if I don’t do it now, interest in the always had an interest in the reach out and get to other peo- I’ll never have the opportuni- middle ages.” Middle Ages,” she says. ple. Try to get as much expe- ty to do it.’” Powers didn’t official- rience as you can.” The key for advice on how to get back ly work with Medieval litera- take-away Powers got from Dr. Powers will be speaking to France. She had travelled ture until she began her Ph.D. her undergraduate education, December 1st at 12:10 pm in there as a young girl with her However, once she got going was that her degree was not as Merrick! See the back of the grandmother and had an itch in her track, she couldn’t get influential as how she could issue for more details. to get back to the country. enough. Now, at Ohio Wes- apply it. It’s much more im- Continued on page 11 10 7 Winter by Motivated by the William Shakespeare Medieval

By: Christine Mendiola pursuing my Medieval degree, When my mother as well as improving myself knew she was dying, she over the next few years. When icicles hang by the wall, wanted to go England one last After my mother’s And Dick the shepherd blows his nail, time. She’d already been death, I became extremely shy twice with my father, but this and quiet, so much so that I And Tom bears logs into the hall, would be the first time us kids was almost silent in classes went along too. I don’t know freshman year. I knew that I And milk comes frozen home in pail; if my mother wanted to share wanted that to change, but at When blood is nipp'd, and ways be foul, a place she loved with her the time, I didn’t know how to children, or if it was purely overcome my fears. Then, Then nightly sings the staring owl, selfish, but the trip changed sophomore year I was able to the world for me. It was the return to England in the Trav- "Tu-whit, to-who!"— first time I saw pigeons on el-Learning course called Cas- A merry note, castles, walked through the tles and Cathedrals. While it grassy ruins of a monastery, was amazing to better under- While greasy Joan doth keel the pot. and heard the echoes of a ca- stand the new and old sights I thedral. I had already liked saw, I was even more grateful When all aloud the wind doth blow, Medieval history, but this trip to finally have a group of peo- And coughing drowns the parson's saw, only cemented my passion. ple I could open up to, who Five years later, I shared a similar interest. I re- And birds sit brooding in the snow, started looking at colleges ally connected with my class- without my mother, but not mates and that gave me back And Marian's nose looks red and raw; without her impact. On a very some of the confidence I lost. When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl, short list of attributes, I want- The same summer I went to a ed my college to have a Medi- Medieval weapons retreat. Then nightly sings the staring owl, eval program. Only for a mi- Again, while I didn’t mean to nor, though, since I wanted to meet new friends, I opened up "Tu-whit, to-who!"— be an English major, but it to these strangers. That fall, I A merry note, was still very important to was more comfortable in clas- me. My mother had always ses because I was no longer While greasy Joan doth keel the pot. encouraged me to follow my afraid of sharing myself with dreams, so practicality or job others. What motivated me to prospects rarely crossed my open up was Medieval histo- mind. Choosing Ohio Wes- ry, and for that, I’ll be forever leyan was one of many deci- grateful. sions I would make while Continued on page 14

8 9 The Professors Behind responses. the writings of Ian Hodder. NdV: Each other’s company. Primary sources, Tolkien’s History of the Book This is the most satisfying and Lord of the Rings series. Tol- fun class I’ve taught. All the kien’s work convinced me to By: Christopher Shanley Everyone in this class is truly students are really interested become a Medievalist. It was History of the Book interested and passionate about this topic. just becoming available on (AMRS 300.1) is one of the about the material. this side of the pond when I first team taught classes at What has been the biggest was a young adult. Ohio Wesleyan. It focuses on If you were teaching this challenge so far? L: Secondary Sources, the physical aspects of books class next semester, what L: To cover everything in Frances Yates’s Giordano as well as the social and eco- would you do differently? enough detail so that students Bruno and the Hermetic Tra- nomic role of the written word L: Nothing has flopped yet, can understand the issues dition. Primary Sources, The from Babylonian cuneiform to the theming structure works deeply. Letters of Abelard and Hel- our digitized style of writing. very well! NdV: Taking ideas from the oise/The Autobiography of I have interviewed the two NdV: I would look for more organizing committee and Red by Anne Carson. professors teaching the class, videos to employ, more audio- trimming it down. There were Professors Neuman de Vegvar visual learning to the lessons. many readings we wanted to Anything else? and Livingston, about how it Possibly find newer readings include but couldn’t for time’s L: The course will hopefully has been progressing two to keep it lively [some of the sake. be offered 2 years from now, months in. readings are a little dusty.] in 2018, by Dr. Arnold and The readings we have were What has been the most im- Dr. DeMarco. How is the class going? decided by a committee of portant book in your life? Dr. Livingstone (L): It is be- AMRS faculty, which we had NdV: For secondary sources, yond our wildest expectations. to narrow down heavily. The We expected 6-8 people first half of the course is de- would be interested in the voted to the physical con- class [There are 16 people struction of the book, while from many departments en- the second half is devoted to rolled.] the social aspect of the word. Dr. Neuman de Vegvar (NdV): We received signifi- What do you enjoy most cantly more enthusiastic stu- about this class? dents than expected. Most L: It’s great to work together, courses have some students both fun and challenging. I who are disinterested, merely love that I have no idea what taking the class for credit. to expect in terms of student