DECEMBER 2010—15TH EDITION CLASSICS AT GUSTAVUS

IN THIS ISSUE Will Freiert Retires

Will Freiert Retires...... 1 William K. Freiert’s retirement this spring One of his signature courses was the Myth News of Old Main ...... 2 marked the end of an era. Over the course and Meaning course, which enrolled 160 of 38 years, Will has enriched Gustavus with students and always had a wait list. Students The Class of 2010 ...... 4 his inspiring teaching, his rich vision for the who had anticipated a narrow focus on the Alumni on their liberal arts, and his leadership by example. genealogies of the Olympian gods soon Along with his wife, Patricia, and colleagues became fascinated by Will’s expansive vision Classics Major...... 5 Stewart Flory and the late Marleen Flory, of myth as a way to understand the universe. Honors and Awards...... 7 Will built a classics department that enjoys He broke the class up into six sections for national esteem. weekly discussion sessions so that students Current Classics Majors. . . . 8 Will came to Gustavus in 1972, with could have an opportunity to engage News of our Alums...... 9 B.A. and M.A. degrees from St. Louis more intimately with the material. A firm University and a Ph.D. from the University believer in active learning, Will regularly had News of the Faculty ...... 12 of Minnesota. Will was the sole classicist students in his Latin and Greek classes take Update on the Flory-Freiert at Gustavus at that point (though Greek turns at teaching their peers. When students and Latin had been taught by members of were unsure about what major to choose, Fellowship Fund ...... 16 the religion faculty at various points in the Will would tell them to “study what you Fashion Forward ...... 16 history of the College). But Will has never love.” Will gave his students the freedom to let disciplinary boundaries limit his interests. follow their interests, and the confidence to New Ways to Stay Abreast Wherever curious minds converge for a do so without knowing where they might with the Ancient World. . . 16 symposium of ideas, Will is present at the eventually lead. His inspirational teaching banquet, often as host. His appointment was recognized by Gustavus with the Edgar Apollonius’ Argonautica to the Hanson Peterson Chair of Liberal Carlson Teaching Award in 1986; four years (by Seán Easton)...... 17 Studies officially recognized Will’s lifelong later, the American Philological Association interest in the connections between the awarded him its Excellence in Teaching disciplines. Will has been responsible for Award. some of the most intellectually stimulating Will’s breadth of interests has also been events on campus. Just last year, a packed reflected in his scholarship. He has given auditorium listened spellbound as world- papers and written articles on a wide range renowned physicist Arthur Zajonc of topics: Platonism and classical myth in discussed his participation in the Mind contemporary American fiction, African and Life Conference hosted by the Dalai American woman writers, the classical Lama, in which five leading physicists influences on the famous contemporary discussed current thought in theoretical dancer Martha Graham, to name just a quantum physics in the context of Buddhist few. His articles appear in such journals philosophy. This is the kind of intellectual as Classical and Modern Literature and feast that Will has regularly put on for the International Journal of the Classical campus community. Tradition, which explore the legacy of Editor: Eric K. Dugdale Will’s innate curiosity is one of the classical thought and the intersections attributes that makes him a great teacher. between classics and other disciplines. His Layout: Andy Biedermann

gustavus adolphus college | St. Peter, Minnesota | 1-800-GUSTAVUS | gustavus.edu scholarship shows a sustained interest in the Throughout his career, Will has continued countless committees and “blue ribbon” mythical treatment and literary afterlife of his professional development. He participated taskforces. In 2005 the College recognized Odysseus and Oedipus. Those who attended in NEH seminars on myth and contemporary these contributions by awarding him the this year’s Festival of Dionysus “got” the theory and criticism, and on Japanese Faculty Service Award. He has also served in-joke when the parodic figure of William philosophy. He did research at the American the profession tirelessly, including terms “Socrates” Freiert in the Clouds adaptation School of Classical Studies at Athens and as president of the Classical Association of exclaimed, “I was born on the day Odysseus at Harvard University as a visiting scholar. Minnesota and of the Minnesota Humanities sailed for Troy . . . I introduced Freud to He taught at Kansai Gaidai University in Council, and service on the executive board of Oedipus!” Certainly “Odysseus of the many 1992, then returned to Japan on a Fulbright the Minnesota Council of Teachers of Foreign ways” and Oedipus the truth-seeker are Lectureship in 1997, teaching in the Graduate Languages and as chair of the CAMWS kindred spirits to Will. Will not only speaks School of International Cultural Studies at Teaching Awards Committee. He has been Latin and Greek, Japanese and Italian, he Tohoku University. A lifelong learner, Will is invited to serve as the external reviewer of is also conversant in the languages of other increasingly interested in the potential role major classics departments across the country academic disciplines. His book on the for meditation in education; this semester he as well as consultant to the Minnesota celebrated sculptor Paul Granlund (Paul T. has been co-teaching a course on mindfulness Council on Quality Education. Despite his Granlund: Spirit of Bronze, Shape of Freedom, with Chaplain Brian Johnson. heavy commitments, Will is never too busy to 1991) is a powerful testimony to how a deep Will is a servant leader who puts the needs take time to converse. Students and college understanding of the liberal arts can bring of others above his own. He makes those presidents alike have valued his perspective meaning and pleasure to our interactions with around him shine. Those who attended his and sought him out for advice. Generations art. One reviewer described it as “an erudite retirement banquet were not surprised that of classics majors have enjoyed Will and Pat’s interpretation of Granlund’s art” offering in his remarks he deflected the attention onto warm hospitality and Greek culinary delights a “thoughtful literary and philosophical his family, colleagues, and friends. Will has over conversation that continued into the context.” Will’s appointment to the board no interest in the glory of office and little night. Knowing Will, we can look forward to of directors of the Minnesota Humanities tolerance for busy work; it is people and picking his brain and hearing his stories on Commission in 2004 is an indication not ideas that most interest him. But his sagacity, many future occasions. only of his stature in the academy but of his industry, and collaborative spirit are attributes visionary leadership. that have conspired to get him elected to

News of Old Main

The academic year began pede dextro with a in Rome at the time of Augustus. Dr. Boyd’s barbecue at the house of Yurie and Seán. That talk helped explain, among other things, they were able to welcome hordes of hungry why so many Roman patricians were given humanists to their home amidst decorating the same family names, and why adoption of the nursery for the arrival of their first-born adult men (e.g., Julius Caesar’s posthumous was remarkable. Yes, it is hard not to get adoption of his great-nephew Octavian) ahead of myself: babies trump lectures any was prevalent. In November, international day! In October, we celebrated the arrival film expert Martin Winkler (George Mason in the tenure process. Dr. Gamel also gave of Alexandra, the daughter of Stewart and University) came to campus on a visit a talk to the Theatre of Greece and Rome Ellie. And then in January, Emmet joined the organized by Mary McHugh. Mary’s tireless class in which she argued that in staging household of Seán and Yurie. Their winning work and organizational skills brought a modern productions of ancient drama there smiles add a whole new radiance to our record number of departments and programs are many other ways to be authentic to gatherings: certainly the cuteness quotient of together to sponsor the visit: Art and Art the original besides trying to recreate the the classical community in St. Peter is now History, Communication Studies, Curriculum original conditions of performance, as some sine pari. II, and English/Film Studies all participated! historicizers do. We also welcomed a number of visiting Over the course of his week-long stay, Dr. In January, Matt Panciera and Eric classicists into our midst over the course Winkler visited classes, met with students and Dugdale co-led a travel course titled Rome: of the year. In October, Anne Groton and faculty, and presented a rare Italian film of the City and its Legacy. The 21 students who her troupe of Latin students from St. Olaf Vergil’s Aeneid to Eta Sigma Phi. His main accompanied them came from a range of brought their traveling show to Gustavus. We lecture, The Last Days of Pompeii, delivered to majors. It was interesting to see their varying were treated to a hilarious performance of a large audience in Alumni Hall, analyzed how interests reflected in their journal entries: Plautus’s Aulularia, complete with Latin sing- Pompeii’s cataclysmic destruction has been a poem evoking the haunting splendor of along songs. It was the fourth performance portrayed in literature and film over the years. Roman ruins, a structural analysis of Roman in a single day, but they still had the vim to In the spring we had visits from three construction techniques, or discussion of bring down the house. Later in the month, more classicists (Cynthia Damon, Mary-Kay ways in which the Roman political system was Barbara Weiden Boyd (Bowdoin College) Gamel, and Marilyn Skinner) who served as reflected in the layout of the forum. gave a lecture analyzing how traditions were external evaluators for the third-year reviews In March, Will organized a symposium at passed down and shared identity construed of Mary, Seán, and Yurie, an important step which some of the most insightful thinkers on 2 campus reflected on the role of the liberal arts. Cabin and to the accompaniment of the by Mary McHugh, had 19 new members You may already have seen the write-up in the mandolin. Partly Cloudy was an adaptation inducted in March, which may well be a summer edition of the Gustavus Quarterly. of Aristophanes’ Clouds, in which Socrates record. The activities they organized ranged The speakers treated Socrates’ reflections and his students are parodied for their from a trip to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit on the art of living, plan-driven behaviors in ethereal interests in life, the universe, and at the Minnesota Science Museum to a kickball computer science, and everything in between: everything; in their reworking, the Gustavus match against the philosophy department good fodder for liberal arts appetites at cast (Shannon Holland, Kait Peterson, Nick (which, to keep traditions alive, we lost). gustavus.edu/kendallcenter/symposium2010. Prince, and Dan Rohlf) chose as the target The officers this year were Emma Ellingson pdf. for their lampooning Will “Socrates” Freiert, (president), Jericho Westendorf (vice president In the spring semester, Larry Myer classics, and the liberal arts in general. You can and treasurer), Katie Jorgensen (secretary),and taught two Greek courses for us as a visiting catch the video of this hilarious show on the Karl Boettcher (sergeant at arms). Full details instructor. Larry is in the Ph.D. program department webpage at gustavus.edu/classics are provided in a separate report on p. 7). at Harvard and is completing a dissertation Will came in for more ribbing at the Two students wrote honors theses on the rejection of blood sacrifice in late lecture given in his honor later in the (advised by Eric Dugdale). Emma Ellingson antiquity. Students appreciated his patience, afternoon by Daniel Levine (University of presented an honors thesis titled Praesidium humor, and high expectations, and we all Arkansas), one of Will’s very first students. et Dulce Decus Meum: the Literary Patronage enjoyed his presence in the department. The title of his talk (Shaky Hands, Misty of Gaius Cilnius Maecenas, in which she We also welcomed back alumna Amy Gratz Eyes, and Weary Limbs: Greek Poetry of investigated the dynamics of Maecenas’s ’06 in the spring semester; she was hired Retirement) may already tip you off to the patronage of the poet Horace and argued that by the college as a librarian for a sabbatical fact that Will would not get off lightly! In his the Medici in Renaissance Florence modeled replacement. She must have impressed her inimitable style, Dr. Levine had his audience their patronage directly on their Etruscan colleagues, as she was hired back this semester simultaneously laughing and crying as he predecessor. Paula Wiggam, in a thesis titled for another leave replacement position. treated the portrayal of old age in ancient The Battle of Himera: An Examination of sources and Cultural Identity and Interaction in Sicily, explained why examined a wide range of literary and retirement was not archaeological evidence to analyze how really an option Greeks understood their relations with other for Will. The people groups in this cultural crossroads. Both lecture was a living students’ research interests developed directly example of the out of their semesters spent studying abroad, power with which in Florence and Catania, respectively. humor can convey serious ideas. Here is an image of Will as herm that Dr. Levine used as evidence of Will’s fecundity. The evening ended with a banquet Jericho Westendorf performs in a scene attended by several dozen alumni and their from Plautus’s Amphitruo at the Festival of guests along with many of Will’s colleagues, Dionysus (here she teaches the audience students, family members, and other friends. some Latin!). Photos of the day’s events are displayed on the back page. In the after-dinner toasts, one The year came to a fitting climax with speaker after another paid tribute to the many the May 8 celebration of Will Freiert on the ways in which Will has enriched our lives Paula Wiggam and Emma Ellingson occasion of his retirement. Alumni descended individually and as a community, and to the on St. Peter from both coasts and everywhere intentionality and generosity that characterize At the Celebration of Creative Inquiry, a in between to recognize and thank Will as all his interactions. Will was embarrassed to campuswide forum at which students present well as to toast and roast him. The festivities the core, but we savored the moment. Our their research, a number of classics students began with the fifth iteration of the Festival of thanks go to all of you for helping to make featured. Thanks go to Yurie Hong, Mary Dionysus: audience members braved a raw day the occasion a success, both those who were McHugh, and Seán Easton for having served to watch ancient drama brought to life. The able to attend in person and those who sent in as faculty sponsors for these projects. Students venerable judges (Clara Hardy, Mary Jaeger their well wishes. Will and Pat rounded off the who presented research on classical subjects ’82, and Daniel Levine, classicists at Carleton year with a barbecue at which Yurie presented included Lyra Anderson (investigating the College, University of Oregon, and University Will with the album. biography of Sappho); Quinn Arnold (a study of Arkansas, respectively) awarded first prize Our students were also busy. Two classics of Euripides’ Medea as a play challenging to two productions. The House of Atreus was majors (Karl Boettcher and Paula Wiggam) gender norms); Jackie Braun (on the an adaptation of Aeschylus’ Oresteia set in were elected to Phi Beta Kappa; Emily Kuenker origins of evil and gender construction); the Civil War era (cast Allie Buchnis, Sarah was elected to the Guild of St. Angsar. The Yulia Ludwig (on class and politics in Late Graver, Alex Legeros, and Bryan Pelach) and Gustavus chapter of Eta Sigma Phi (the Republican Rome; separate presentation on played against the backdrop of the Borgeson national classics honors society), advised 3 parallels between Near Eastern mythology has been accepted into the prestigious reports at the back of the newsletter to sample and Greek mythology); Jacob Lundborg, Sotheby’s Art Institute program in London some of the many interesting careers that our Robert Miner, and Lance Switzer (“Roma/ to study art business. Sarah Hulke has just alumni go on to pursue. Amor: Roman Representations of Love in started an M.A. in Medieval and Renaissance This year we began a series of department the Age of Augustus”); Dan Mellema, Haylie studies at Durham University, England; she teas, a chance for majors and faculty to gather Neitzell, and Nick Prince (a study of luxury in was recipient of the Hild Bede Scholarship, informally over a steaming mug and catch up. Petronius’ Satyricon and Roman society); Joey awarded to one medievalist each year. Paula These seem to be a big hit (with free food that Nowariak (a comparative study of the forum Wiggam has begun the Ph.D. program at is perhaps not surprising!), and offer another in London and Rome); Sovanchampa Yos (on the University of Wisconsin. Recent graduate venue in which Latinists can meet Hellenists masculinity in ancient Greece). From Seán’s John Albertson ’06 has begun graduate and vice versa. At one of these, Matt Panciera Peace Studies class, projects were presented studies in the nautical archaeology program gave a short talk on Latin in Harry Potter, a by Phoebe Breed and Jen Fox (on the role at Texas A&M. And alumnus Jonathan topic that generated a lot of interest and even of NGOs in peace initiatives) and by Colleen Peasley ’08 joined the faculty at Trinity more Latin spells uttered from the audience! Peterson (“Water: Creating Conflict or Peace School in Eagan, where he is teaching Latin, In other new developments this year, classics in the World?”). ancient history, composition, and literature. faculty contributed to the Peace Studies and We had another large graduating class In case readers get the wrong impression Gender, Women, and Sexuality curricula, with of majors. Several of our students have that becoming a classics major automatically Seán Easton teaching the Introduction to been accepted into graduate programs. Dan consigns students to a lifetime of graduate Peace Studies course and Yurie Hong offering Barthell has begun a Ph.D. in classics at the studies and a career as a professional classicist, a new special topics course on Sex and Gender University of Minnesota. Lauren Guzniczak we encourage you to browse our alumni in the Ancient World.

The Class of 2010

From left to right: Bryan Pelach, Colin Smith, Emma Ellingson, Abbey Feenstra, Paula Wiggam, Lauren Guzniczak, and Emily Kuenker. Pictured below are fellow graduating seniors Colleen Javorina and Tesia Kubat.

4 What Can You Do with a Classics Major? Our Alumni Weigh in

Often students are intrigued by the ancient Sara Chapo Rippe '97 writes: I do not use lacking in our age. world and wonder about majoring in classics, my classics knowledge in day to day activities/ For Christians, the classics are but are unsure how this will prepare them for work. I do use it to engage and converse with foundational to theology and moral doctrine, later life. So we asked our alumni how they a wide variety of people. It is a topic many and this fact is central to why we can have used their classics major. Here are what people can connect over! My education in the condemn fideism and the voluntarism of some of them had to say: classics has been invaluable, but difficult to other sects. How else could the Apostle John measure! I was very lucky to find my fit in the proclaim, "In the beginning was Logos: and Julie Miller Schmidt '89 writes: My classics department at Gustavus. Logos was with God: and Logos was God"? classics background has not only given me a We as humans have access to the Truth wonderful linguistics background (I currently Michael through natural reason—best exemplified in teach a world language), but also the skill to Adkins '02 the classics—but to arrive at the fullness of thoroughly analyze text. Analyzing text well writes: First Truth we must encounter the Divine Logos. has served me in all areas of my life. of all, I must For me, a B.A. in classics from Gustavus argue that landed me a job as a teacher, and I guess that Kate Bentz '92 writes: Majoring in classics a degree in was pretty useful, but whatever! helped me find my way around language the classics is study and research methodology in graduate not "useful" Margaret Broz '02 writes: My first term school, introduced me to study abroad and according to here, a professor was describing the terms travel, and gave me the independent study the shallow hydrophilic and hydrophobic. He said, experience to succeed in academia. I still use definition of "Coming from the Greek for water-loving, my (rusty) Latin in exploring the archives of the word. and water-hating." I luckily did not shout this Renaissance Rome for my research, and the We classicists out in class, but I immediately noted his error: material culture of ancient Greece and Rome cannot ever phobos means fear, not hate! I was heartily figure prominently in many art history courses fall into the mistake of dubbing the classics amused, nonetheless. I teach. as "useful" in the same way that utilitarian As a teaching assistant I was in charge subjects often do. Defining the classics as of grading students' lab reports. There are Lars Hammar '95 writes: I use my classical "useful" sells the study short of its greater numerous variables in chemistry and physics training all the time, from just knowing the value as something universal for human life. that employ Greek letters, and I was getting background to the Biblical texts, to translating Nietzsche predicted this: once classicists tired of seeing students use e instead of epsilon the New Testament from Greek, to being relegate their study to "utility" and self- (in this specific case,e and epsilon meant two able to think critically about the Bible and the serving hyper-textual criticism, it's dead (see very different things!). I made up a sheet of all world. Lately I have been using my classics The Grammar of Civility by Lee T. Pearcy the Greek letters and how to type them using knowledge in my community college classes— and Victor Davis Hanson's barn-burner the Symbol font and distributed it to the class. having had to refresh myself on Plato, Aristotle, Who Killed Homer?). However, if classicists There was a marked increase in correct letter and Epicurus for my philosophy class. proclaim unabashedly the unique achievement usage. of the Greco-Roman world as a way of My most recent research involves encountering the best of human reasoning, synthesis of nanoparticles, which are then and only then is it "relevant" and notoriously unstable in solution. The term "useful." This is what we need so desperately used to describe the process of the particles in this age of fundamentalism and ideology. falling out of solution is “flocculation.” This is why we need the classics. (Ironically or Every time I hear that word I giggle inside not, the only prominent intellectual to point my head, because it makes me think of this out is not a classicist, but the current floccinaucinihilipilification... Bishop of Rome. It would behoove classicists to set aside their biases and consider Benedict Bryan Rolfes '02 (ENT intern, Cleveland XVI's Regensburg address on this very topic.) Clinic) writes: My decision to major in classics The classics help form a way of being and was not as much a question of why, but why not. thinking about reality: a habitual vision of I have a friend who went a big university greatness; such a "utility" as this is essential to and majored in fluid dynamics with a Amanda Rose '96 writes: In my job human flourishing but has no quick and easy concentration in osmotic membranes. After handling contracts, employment law, and "cash value" such as fixing an engine. The value graduating he got a degree working for GE other legal topics, the writing and language and utility of the classics is far more intrinsic. osmotics division. He's a “one percenter”; 99 skills I gained as a classics major are Will the auto mechanic who has studied the percent of us will barely use any of the facts significantly helpful. Also, I'm applying what I classics be a better auto mechanic? Absolutely. we learn in college in our careers. I knew learned studying classics (and art history) by He will be more patient, discerning, efficient, from the beginning that I wanted to work in bringing the MIA's Art Adventure program and virtuous. He will be able to read the signs the medical field, and that I would end up to my kids’ classes. Look it up, it's a super of the times, appreciate beauty, participate using almost nothing from a biology major as cool program. My classics background also thoughtfully in the public square, and a surgeon. I decided to major in something didn't hurt a few weeks back when I saw comprehend the inter-connectedness of all that would broaden my horizons It's not the Gluck’s Orfeo and Euridice opera at the areas of life and study. Likewise, he will be information I learned in my classics major Ordway—it was awesome. able to thoughtfully acknowledge the unity of that I use, but the skills that I developed while faith and reason, which is something painfully learning it. Classics taught me to multi-task, 5 bring together diverse disciplines, and to think finds that her well rounded education on the into one: religion, history, philosophy, instead of memorize. I learned to write and to world's cultural and historical development languages, poetry, drama, and more. Hence, speak. I learned how to dye Chinese textiles help her understand how modern society to understand classics is to understand the (thanks, Pat). I use these skills every day as a works today. So what can you do with a world. That sort of universal sympathy has clinician, an inventor, and an entrepreneur. classics major? Baulisch states, "The sky is many benefits. [Dan Barthell is in his first the limit!" Baulisch currently works as a year of graduate studies for a Ph.D. in the Tasha Genck Morton '04 writes: The Bible social media public relations manager for Department of Classical and Near Eastern was originally written in Hebrew and Greek. EvolvHealth, a health and wellness company, Studies at the University of Minnesota.] Therefore, as a pastor, I use the language and attributes her creative writing and portion of the classics major on a regular communication skills to a firm education in Sarah Hulke '09 writes: With one year's basis, whether it's reading through a passage the classical works of Homer, Aeschylus, Ovid, training in ancient Greek, I was able to in Greek and translating it to English, doing and more. She finds that classics have not only identify a few bits of the Rosetta Stone a word search on a rare word in the Bible so helped her better understand the world we recently in London, and my Latin has I can better understand what it means, or live in today, but also offers a really cool ice- been extremely useful in reading cathedral simply knowing how to work with a language breaker when meeting new people. inscriptions and medieval manuscripts. There so I can better understand a passage whether are so many references to classics in literature, it's written in Greek or Hebrew. That part Amy Gratz '06 writes: As for how the art, and in films that would not be significant of the classics major helps me on a weekly major's been useful since graduation, I have without my classical background. I recently basis whether I'm preaching or teaching. to say that for practical purposes, it doesn't wrote a paper on the significance of Hamlet's It also helps me, should I be so ambitious, tend to come up a lot in my professional life, declaration that he cannot be like Nero. with theology books because, though we although sometimes it's helpful knowledge— Classics has helped me mostly in my academic have most of Luther's works translated into almost anything is in library-land! I think career, but little details that otherwise would English, we can also read it in the original a lot of what I gained, though, is a good be meaningless without my classics training Latin. Finally, in classics we learned to read perspective on the world and how it works, help to make traveling more enjoyable. our material in context, which is why we were and a sense that knowing the history of required to take history, culture, art, and something helps to understand it. And if Ahna archaeology classes and learned about all of nothing else, I know a lot of interesting stories Gilbertson '09 these while reading the Odyssey, Aeneid, and and myths to share with people, which can writes: How Cicero. This has helped me naturally read make for some interesting conversations. :) have I used my the Bible in the same way, asking questions And it's always exciting to discover a fellow classics major? about who, when, where, and why it was classics major—unlike more popular majors, A) It's a great written. This made my Bible classes my we're a small enough group that I think it topic starter strongest at seminary (I was actually arguing creates an instant sense of community when for strangers. the importance of a dative in one of my we run into each other, no matter where we "What did papers) and has greatly influenced how I teach went to school! you study and preach at the congregation I'm serving. in college?" Though it may sound like it makes for a Emily Kehm '06 writes: My classics major "Greek boring sermon, trust me, it doesn't. has been my most useful qualification! Despite and Latin" my parents' conviction that it made me (followed Nikki unemployable, after graduation I immediately by shock and awe). B) It has been helpful Baulisch '06 found a position as a Latin teacher. I now when filling out job applications, especially is often asked teach English, but my classics background is those that ask what language capabilities or why she chose the undercurrent of my curriculum. I teach understanding I have of the written word. I to become a several classical works as well as novels with can refer to my classical studies background classics major classical intertext, and am able to give my and say I understand more about how the over all the students in-depth grammar and vocabulary English language works and the complexities other majors lessons. The most enjoyable use of my classics due to studying Greek and Latin. C) When offered by major is traveling around Europe, from people have tattoos in Greek or Latin I can Gustavus Hungary to Portugal, in search of Roman impress them by reading it aloud. Ha! And Adolphus ruins, either to dig up or just visit! they thought they were the wise ones! College. Her answer is Dan Barthell '09 writes: I owe the whole simply, "It was prospect of my career to my classics major. the most interesting major offered!" Baulisch It's not a very exciting answer to say that explains that with a classics Major she was not being a classics undergrad has led to being a tied to one area of education like a science classics grad student, but it is an important or business major. "In classics, you can take progression, and the one was not possible classes in philosophy, literature, religion, art without the other. Along with that, it has and architecture, and even learn the letters enriched my personal life in many ways. In to all the Fraternities while you're at it!" she fact, it's expanded my whole capacity for explains. Although Baulisch is not directly learning. The beauty of the classics major using her classics major with her career, she is that is combines multiple disciplines 6 Honors and Awards

Eta Sigma Phi lyrics of a song from the musical Chicago? Or what ancient Roman city was the setting for an Eta Sigma Phi is the national honor society of episode of the BBC revival series Doctor Who? students of Latin and Greek in colleges and And what museum houses the most Etruscan universities. It hosts a national conference, artifacts? In March, a day before the Ides, publishes a quarterly magazine, and sponsors a Professor Matt Panciera and his wonderful number of student scholarships. Its chapters on family opened their home to Eta Sigma Phi for campuses across the country sponsor classically the formal initiation ceremony. Fourteen new related events. We are the Epsilon Chi chapter members kissed the bust of Caesar and donned and have maintained an active profile over the laurel crown. Four additional members, the years. The officers this year wereEmma who were unable to attend, were initiated later Ellingson (president), Jericho Westendorf in the classics department, thereby forming a Paula Wiggam. As Yurie reminds us in her (vice president and treasurer), Katie Jorgensen new group of 18. In April, a group of students, blog post, Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest honor (secretary), and Karl Boettcher (sergeant accompanied by Prof. Mary McHugh, went to society in the U.S., and its letters stand for at arms). Mary McHugh was the faculty the restaurant It’s Greek to Me in Minneapolis, philosophia biou kubernetes, Greek for “love of adviser. New members inducted in 2010 were where they were met by Prof. Eric Dugdale for wisdom is the guide of life.” Radonna Gasior, Andrew Griesman, Tom lunch. The happy crowd then made their way Liska, Jacob Lundborg, Dan Mellema, to the Science Museum of Minnesota to take in Guild of Saint Ansgar Robert Miner, Joey Nowariak, Patty the Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibition. O’Connor, Nick Prince, Janella Reiswig, Later in the month, the election results This year Emily A. Kuenker was elected to Dan Rohlf, Sylvie Skoog, Lance Switzer, for next year's officers were tallied—Dan the Guild of St. Ansgar, an honorary society Elise Fitzgerald, Nara Higano, Melody Rohlf is our new prytanis/president; our for scholarship, leadership, and participation Monyok, Brian Westerbur, Sarah Graver, new hyparchos/vice president is Jericho in extra-curricular activities. and Haylie Neitzell. Westendorf, whose post has been capably assumed by Karl Boettcher in the fall semester Marlene B. Flory Award Eta Sigma Phi Report: while she is in India. Our new grammateus/ secretary is Patty O’Connor, and our new The award is given in alternate years to the The year commenced with a home-cooked chyrsophylax/treasurer is Jacob Lundborg. student deemed by the classics faculty to have Italian dinner, prepared by Eta Sigma Phi Our final event of the year took place on contributed the most to the advancement president Emma Ellingson and served in the last day of classes in May. The classicists of classics. The purpose of the Flory Award Carlson International Center. The classicists, gathered for the much anticipated kickball is to provide encouragement to young men student members and faculty, came together challenge against the philosophy department and women who seek a Gustavus education for exquisite food and rich conversation. Slide on a warm, bright, and beautiful afternoon. with a focus on classics. A student selected shows followed dinner as two students, Emma to receive the award will have demonstrated Ellingson and Paula Wiggam, and Professor President’s Honor List proficiency in the ancient languages, promise Matt Panciera shared their experiences of in scholarship and research, and leadership living in Italy the previous year. The President’s Honor List comprises those and service within the classics department, to At the end of October, in the dark depths students who have a cumulative grade point Eta Sigma Phi, and to the field of classics. This of the basement of Old Main, we gathered average of 3.7 or better through January. year the award went to Karl Boettcher. to watch the beloved 1981 filmClash of the Classics majors on this list in 2010 were: Karl Titans. In November, Prof. Martin Winkler, M. Boettcher, Krystal M. Bundy, Melody J.A. Youngquist Award in Classics internationally acclaimed classics and film A. Monyok, Janella K. Reiswig, Sylvie F. studies scholar, was on campus, and in Skoog and Paula E. Wiggam. Also making This Award, established in honor of Professor addition to various class visits, he also provided the list were Eta Sigma Phi members Bradley J.A. Youngquist, a member of Gustavus’s a screening of scenes from an Italian film C. Abell, Amara A. Berthelson, Elise R. first graduating class and a longtime classics interpretation of Vergil’s Aeneid to an Eta Fitzgerald, Andrew P. Griesman, Lisa A. professor here, was jointly won in 2010 by Karl Sigma Phi gathering. In December, it was time Gruenisen, Nara S. Higano, Emily C. Boettcher and Kathryn Webster, hominibus for the annual epic broomball match between Johnson, Katherine B. Jorgensen, Carissa summe omnium doctrinarum studiosis, in the the Greeks and Romans. Immediately after the A. Keith, and Angela L. Larson, Jacob J. words of the award itself. It is awarded at the battle the victorious and the defeated joined Lundborg, Daniel C. Mellema, Daniel L. end of the junior year to the classics major with each other for the Department of Classics’s Rohlf and Lance M. Switzer. the highest grades in classics. monthly tea and for Emma Ellingson’s honors thesis presentation—a closing note before the Phi Beta Kappa Youngquist Scholarship winter holidays. Phi Beta Kappa is the nation’s oldest and most During January Term, through the prestigious academic honor society. Students are The J.A. and Hilda Youngquist, Adeline magic of e-mail, the officers of Eta Sigma elected by a faculty committee of local chapter Andreen and Ruth Youngquist Memorial Phi organized Classics Relay Trivia, which members based on their academic performance Scholarship in Classics is awarded to the major consisted of questions ranging in difficulty in fields of liberal learning (foreign language and with the highest grade point average after the and category. Two teams competed: Athena's math are basic prerequisites). second year. This year’s winners were Sylvie Owls, a team of alumni, and Dugdale’s Army, This year, two of our majors were Skoog and Melody Monyok. a team of current classics students. Do you inducted: junior Karl Boettcher and senior know what Roman orator is mentioned in the 7 News of Current Classics Majors

Karl Boettcher writes: I spent the summer as Yulia Ludwig continues to be involved in Jericho Westendorf is spending the fall any normal college student would: studying everything under the sun. She holds the semester in India participating in the Social for and taking the Actuarial Probability Exam. record for the largest number of classics Justice, Peace, and Development program. In the meantime I found out how thrilling it is lectures attended by a current student. Follow her experiences at http://sjpd2010. to share a slightly over-sized cubicle with two wordpress.com/. other people and fill out spreadsheets eight Robert Miner is making good use of his hours a day. I was supposed to be a finance leadership skills through the ROTC. He tells Brian Westerbur continues to bring a intern but I wound up in the IT department me that Thucydides is a favorite author of historian’s perspective to the study of Greek. of the Onamia Hospital in Minnesota. I look generals and consistently appears on their forward to being a traitor to the Hellenists recommended reading lists. A warm welcome to recently declared in the Classics department, but I want them majors Sarah Graver, Chris Masad, Janella to know that Greek will always be the #1 Melody Monyok writes: I spent the Reiswig, Sylvie Skoog, Allie Stocco, and language for me and that taking Latin my summer working at the amusement park, Kenwon Tran. senior year is just my senility exposing itself (or Valleyfair. Now I'm spending a semester quite possibly the suggestion of my adviser...). studying in Athens, Greece. Being in Greece Long live Homer(s)! is amazing! It is so beautiful here. And it really adds a whole new dimension to my Krystal Bundy channeled her inner Hestia studies to be here and see the actual sights this summer while nannying for her cousin and that I'm studying. [Note: you can follow her her cousin's two energetic toddlers in North adventures on her blog which we have linked Carolina. Now, she looks forward to getting on the department website]. back into the swing of things at Gustavus, where she will continue her study of Latin. Joey Nowariak writes: I am ready for my final year on the hill and am preparing for graduate Elise Fitzgerald writes: Greetings! (xairete school to (hopefully) become a Latin teacher. and salvete too, I suppose—haha) I hope Greek class at River Rock everything is going well and the school year is Patty O'Connor spent the summer at home off to a good start. Right now I'm in Perugia, in Madison, WI, but is excited to be back at Italy, studying Italian as well as Italian culture Gustavus for her senior year. After graduation and history. Being here is amazing and I'm Patty hopes to study architecture with an so excited to be able to do some traveling emphasis on the classical tradition. around Italy and particularly Greece during our fall break. Patrick Perish is a regular at departmental events. As a classics and English double major Julie Ann Hayes spent the summer getting and member of the literary set, he is a modern well! After tearing her ACL in May, she Shelley without all the angst. spent the summer recuperating with physical therapy and reading some fine books—and Reanna Phillips spent her summer working also began writing one of her own! She is at a movie theatre and attempting to make up excited at the promise of junior year, and at for all of the recreational reading she didn't the thought of tackling Vergil next spring (or, get a chance to do during school. She looks rather, letting Vergil tackle her)! forward to the challenges of Latin class and deciding where to study abroad next year. Shannon Holland spent the summer working at Barnes & Noble and anticipating Nick Prince will spend the fall looking to find the arrival of the new school year. She is time for classes amidst a myriad of positions currently hoping to declare a double major, on campus: Latin tutor, student senator, classics and art history. treasurer of SAE, and adviser to the Diversity Leadership Council. Additionally, he hopes Kyle Kinnear writes: Over the summer, I to submit a short Latin poem to be published interned at a corporate office where I worked in Firethorne, the campus's student-produced as a research assistant and data analyst for publication of art and written works. commodity traders for two months and spent August relaxing. I read most of the books on Katie Webster spent the spring semester at my read/re-read list but didn't quite finish the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies it off. After four years of high school Latin in Rome. As well as living and breathing the and four semesters at Gustavus, I'm looking ancient world, she studied Italian, traveled in forward to Greek but am a bit wary of a new Europe and made friends with many students alphabet. from the East Coast.

8 News of Our Alums

Mary Jaeger '82 writes: Malcolm and I are Kate Bentz '92 continues her busy teaching to have grandparents in town who provide keeping busy teaching classics at UO and and research schedule in the fine arts daycare so both my husband and I are back being parents of a middle-schooler. I've got department at Saint Anselm College, where at work after being off for nearly six months a Livy reader coming out with Bolchazy- she is in her fifth year. In April and May she (with a shortened work week for me). Carducci some time this winter. This summer traveled to Venice and Rome to present papers and fall have been marked by the deaths of at research conferences, and spent the summer Lars Hammar '95 writes: I'm the interim some family members and friends—always writing, hiking, and enjoying a beautiful pastor at Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in a reminder to celebrate the great occasions New Hampshire summer. Climbing Mount Marana, Arizona (right by Tucson), possibly whenever possible. I can give first-hand Washington (highest peak in the Northeast) becoming permanently called in December. evidence that Will's retirement party was was a major highlight of the season. On the side I teach at Pima Community wonderful fun. College, currently doing one course in Karen Olson Burkhartzmeyer '93 writes: Religion in Popular Culture and one in Alan Olson '84 writes: Thankfully, life is The great thing about a classics major is that it philosophy called God, Mind, and Matter. moving forward again. Became employed never goes out of style. Upon facing my 39th My wife, Kristie (Gustavus class of '95 as again in May after 16 months of being birthday last year, I finally decided to "take well) is enjoying being a stay-at-home mom unemployed. Which also relates to the the plunge," as they say, and do what I'd been with a side business selling jewelry through "How has my classics major been useful?" It considering for a long time—get a master's a company called Premier Designs. Our kids opened up my brain/eyes to possibilities and degree in teaching. (Previously, I'd been an at- are Leif (10), Abigail (8), and Karl (5), with a opportunities; my thinking became "what home mom. Before that, I'd earned a master's fourth due Nov. 22. if…?" and "why not…?", and acting on those in journalism and had been a TV news rather than merely speculating about them. producer for Fox TV in Chicago.) Jennifer Hess '95 writes: This year I have My education became my survival skills and I enrolled at the University of St. Thomas been working hard at getting my artistic work taught me to keep learning, exploring, and last spring intent on becoming an English out in the public eye. I have had paintings in discovering. So much less to do with a job. teacher. However, a conversation with the shows and have entered an online contest, Much, much less. More about how I want to headmaster of the school that my third-grade plus taught painting at a summer camp and shape my life, and not let my job shape me. twin girls attend led to an offer to teach Latin revised my website to be a blog, which is also at the school. I was very nervous at first, since now available on facebook (Sun-Lit). At my Ash Keswani '85 writes: The novelty I'd only kept up with my Latin minimally new and improved blog (http://www.sun-lit. nowadays is reaching the next stage in family through the years. But I am excited to say that com), I typically post a painting a day—which life, as my youngest is a high school senior and it quickly comes back! Rediscovering Latin is how often I paint. I have continued my we're preparing for his next phase: college! Of has been like becoming reacquainted with an studies of both the Chinese language, history, course, I still find myself twisting some Latin old friend. and culture and the art form. words for the occasional wedding/anniversary I teach Latin 1 and Latin 2 to 7–10th My two sons are at a Montessori private toast (I just tell people, "It's the ablative," graders at Providence Academy in Plymouth, school and doing well there. I am amazed at if anyone questions my construction). Then MN. I am also pursuing my master's in the work they do there and how much they again, the first two weddings at which I teaching (and licensure) from St. Thomas, enjoy going to school. Montessori has proven offered Latinate toasts resulted in divorce, so only now my concentration will be in world to be a good fit for my family and we can walk I'm leaning toward English again. language–Latin. I hope to have earned my or bike the kids to school. license and master's by summer 2012. The My husband still works at Google and still world needs more Latin teachers! (Really, it is seems to enjoy it. He has been cycling a lot a growing field as more and more schools see and completed three centuries this year. So in the value of the language.) short, we are having a great year. Needless to say, life is very busy as a new teacher and grad student, but as I turn 40 Amanda Rose '96 writes: This year I was this spring, I feel I am giving myself the blessed to celebrate my tenth wedding best birthday gift—the fulfillment of a long- anniversary and tenth anniversary at Pro Staff. time goal. My 9-year-old twin girls Elise Recently, I reduced my schedule so I can and Megan and husband John have been spend more time with the kids. Who knew amazingly supportive…and we've all gotten having two school-agers would mean lots used to eating more take-out dinners! of homework for Mom? So, I'm busy re- Julie Cornwell '86 writes: As you can see, we learning printing, spelling, reading, math, are busy. Fiona Adelia was born in September Anna (Heise) Gram '93 writes: My update is social studies, language, and science!! Most 2009 and our definition of busy has been that my husband, Jeff, and I had twin babies excitingly, I received pictures of my kids with amended. Fiona's big sister, Emma, is a lovely on March 27, 2010. Josef and Harriet arrived a legendary GAC icon. No, I'm not talking 14 year old and is busy in her first year of high 12+ weeks early and spent the first 73 and 77 about the sign . . . I'm talking about Will. school. My husband and I are both still in IT. days, respectively, of their lives at Children's The kids visited GAC with my parents and sat Hospital in Minneapolis before coming home behind Will in church. My mom recognized Julie Miller Schmidt '89 writes: I live near and thriving. They are now nearly seven him and grabbed a quick shot of him with the the St. Croix River south of Hudson, WI, months old and are our joy, talking, laughing, kids. Something we'll treasure for always. with my husband and two children and teach exploring the world with their mouths, and Spanish at Cottage Grove Middle School in delighting family and friends. Our hands Cottage Grove, MN. are full with baby care, but we are fortunate 9 Sara Chapo seeking out opportunities to practice my Rippe '97 writes: conversational skills and generally trying not We welcomed to lose everything I gained in Costa Rica. Ellen Lily Rippe into our lives Bill Kunze on Sept. 20, ‘03 writes: 2010! Big sister After one last Julia, 21/2 years childless get- old, loves to away to the help take care of Mediterranean Ellen. Everybody in November is healthy and 2009 (stops happy! Only in Istanbul tired! Margaret Broz '02 writes: I successfully and Ephuesus, defended my Ph. D. thesis, titled "Chemical Dubrovnik, Jesse Phoenix McGhee '99 moved from and mechanical properties of surfaces on the Athens, Bay of Mankato to Alexandria, VA, in May. She is nanoscale," on August 11, 2010! Earlier this Naples, Venice, working as the assistant manager at the Barnes year I worked as a part-time general chemistry and Rome) & Noble Bookstore in Arlington, VA. She lab instructor at two colleges: UW–River Falls Bill and Katherine happily added Harold is thrilled to be in the DC area, and can't (in the spring) and Saint Paul College (in the Frederick Kunze to the family on March 17, get enough of all the museums, events, film summer). Currently I am working full-time 2010. We all are going well. Harold is getting festivals, and other activities available. Jesse at UWRF in the chemistry department, this introduced to Latin early, as I am reading him completed a two-year Web Programming time running a gen chem lecture course as Virent Ova! Virent Perna, Cattus Petasatus, Certificate at South Central College in May well as labs—it's quite challenging, but I'm and Arbor Alma while Katherine is reading 2009 and hopes to eventual move to a career enjoying it! I will be continuing at UWRF in him the original English. in Web design. She also traveled by herself to the spring, and am contemplating getting a Egypt for two weeks last fall, visiting Cairo, postdoc after my nine months are completed. Lili Payne ‘03 continues her freelance scenic Luxor, and Dahab, where she snorkeled in the painting business, Gilded Lili, in Minneapolis. Red Sea. It was AMAZING! Bryan Rolfes '02 writes: I graduated from medical school in Chicago last year and am Rachel Blunk '04 writes: I am in my third Sarah (Spessard) Olson '00 writes: This past currently doing a residency in otolaryngology and final year at UNC Law, and am seeking year, my husband, Aaron, and I have found (head and neck surgery) at the Cleveland employment in DC, Chicago, NC, or in MSP. ourselves quite busy trying to keep up with Clinic. I took a year off during medical I have a particular interest in both intellectual our almost-one-year-old son James. He is a fun school to complete a biomedical engineering property and employment/labor law. You'll and active little boy who loves books, spending fellowship, and am now moonlighting as be happy to know I have continued using time outside, and chasing after the cat. I am still the medical director for a start-up company my language skills and tutor 6–8th graders in working as an analytical chemist at Cima Labs based on the technology I developed. On both Greek and Latin. It's incredibly inspiring and Aaron is a high school social studies teacher top of that I just bought my first home and to see a 6th grader have an "aha" moment in the South St. Paul school district. In between got engaged a couple months ago. I spend about verbal nouns. work and baby-wrangling, I auditioned for the my free time trying to figure out what the TV show Jeopardy! and was subsequently invited "right" shade of green is (memorizing Tasha Genck Morton '04 is still married to be a contestant. My show was taped at the every color in the Crayola 64 pack was to her husband Adam, still working as an end of September and will air on January 13. not adequate wedding prep), and where the associate pastor at St. Andrew Lutheran It was a fun and surreal experience, and I can mystery puddle in my basement keeps coming Church in Eden Prairie, still living in St. Louis definitely say that my classics major helped me from. It has been a busy year. Park, and still enjoying life. earn some money on the show. :) Amy Sommer '02 writes: I'm still living in Kaija Hupila '05 writes: I am enjoying life in Michael Adkins ‘02 writes: We are doing Denver, and this is my seventh year teaching Chicago, and just completed my second year well! Jude, now one year old, is walking and Latin at Cherry Creek High School. Our as an associate attorney in the commercial saying “Hi” and “Boom!” Our two-year-old, program had an exciting growth spurt last litigation department at Jenner & Block. Faustina, is talking up a storm and potty- year, leading us to hire a part-time teacher trained (Deo gratias). Having a family is a to take two sections of Latin I. It's a strange great joy and blessing; we are very thankful. feeling to not be THE Latin teacher anymore, Michael is enjoying his second year at Saint but it's really exciting, too. I've also decided Agnes School as academic dean and head of that it's time for me to learn Spanish, so guidance. This year has started well with the I spent two weeks in Costa Rica this past hiring of another Latin teacher (now five on summer, studying at a language school the faculty) and the purchase of Henle’s Latin and living with a family. It was an amazing program for our junior high and high school experience, and I'm hoping to do another students. Cynthia still loves every minute of immersion in a different Spanish-speaking being at home with the kids. We had a great country next summer. In the meantime, I'm time at Will’s retirement bash last spring! taking a Spanish class in the evenings and 10 and at-home senior fitness program, as well as working to recruit and retain volunteers for the Foley Area CARE Program. As of now I am employed with Dungarvin and will be working in a group home that assists people with mental disabilities. I also will be a part of a new Ashley Furniture store team as the receptionist/front desk clerk. Thanks to VISTA and interacting with the elderly, I got to meet a wonderful grandson of one of my clients. We clicked, and the rest is history. Thanks National Service for bringing me the love of my life! John Albertson '06 writes: I am enjoying Henry Boeh '07 writes: After getting married the mental marathon of my first semester as last summer, Henry moved to Milwaukee Sarah Hulke '09 writes: I'm studying for my a Ph.D. student in the nautical archeology to begin his graduate studies in clinical M.A. in Medieval and Renaissance studies program down at Texas A&M, and for added psychology at Marquette University. He is at Durham University in northeast England fun, have won a fellowship and am working currently researching the mechanisms of for the next year, and am continuing my at the Conservation Research Laboratory, fear-learning using mice as a model, and has focus on Latin. I'm part of the postgraduate where we stabilize, conserve, and prepare started his first semester of graduate courses. classics "work-in-progress" seminar, which artifacts recovered from the various waters of Asides from being incredibly busy all the begins next week, and will be auditing the world for museum display. I personally time (who knew graduate school was a lot of paleography, which focuses mainly on Latin am helping to conserve the hull of the French work?), Henry and his new wife, Kirsten, still and English script. I'm taking modules ship La Belle, which you can read a little bit swing dance, and are enjoying exploring the focusing on the classical tradition, and will about here if you like, and see a pic and video city of Milwaukee. His ultimate goal after six be focusing on antiquity's contributions to of me at the lab: years of graduate school is to go into general later medieval literature. I received the Hild practice with adults, potentially in the realm Bede Scholarship, which is awarded to one www.thebatt.com/news/aggies-help- of veterans’ psychology at a VA hospital. medievalist a year and entails me giving a preserve-sunken-french-ship-1.1609006 Though happy, and sure of the path he chose, lecture to the Senior Common Room in the www.centraltexasnow.com/Global/story. Henry greatly misses the classics, and is glad spring. It's a bit strange to have just gotten asp?S=13093151 that he never sold any of his textbooks back. here and already be expected to present Herodotus is still his hero. Amy Gratz '06 writes: Amy's been back on research I haven't even begun yet! campus this year, working in the Gustavus Stephanie Soiseth '08 writes: I am currently Laura Regal '09 writes: I finished my first Library as a leave replacement, and continuing attending my first year of medical school year of grad school at CU Boulder and to look for a permanent librarian gig. through the Alaska branch of the WWAMI enjoyed teaching very much. However, I am Meanwhile, she's enjoying pretending to be Biomedical Program affiliated with the taking a year or more off and moving back to a perma-Gustie, and getting a lot of knitting University of Washington School of Medicine. Duluth, MN, in November. done. My Latin background from Gustavus is definitely coming in handy, although it makes Ana Hulzebos '06: Ana currently lives in me wish I had dabbled in ancient Greek as Coon Rapids, MN with her husband, Mark, well. We cannot all be perfect though. My and daughter, Kaja. They are expecting concentration is in rural primary care with an another addition to their family in April. emphasis on serving Alaskan populations.

Emily Kehm '06 writes: I am embarking on Dan Barthell '09 is in his first year as my second year of teaching at the St. Thomas a classics grad student at the Univ. of Choir School in New York City. This summer Minnesota. As if he couldn't get enough of it I finished my master’s program at Teachers at Gustavus, he decided to make it his career. College and became a certified teacher. He's enjoying it very much. Highlights of my travels include visiting the pyramids in Egypt, hanging out with Gustav Ahna Gilbertson '09 writes: I spent 13 Adolph in Sweden, and of course seeing my months serving with AmeriCorps*VISTA fellow classics alumni last May! in Foley, MN, implementing a community

11 News of the Faculty

Eric Dugdale: The year 2010 will go down It has preserved its in my memory not as the 2,500th anniversary old-world charm and of the battle of Marathon but as the year I was you are still likely able to return to both Italy and Greece! First to see an old man in January, Matt Panciera and I led a travel riding his donkey into course to Rome, Florence, Siena, the Bay town. We hiked in of Naples, and London in which we studied the mountains and ancient Rome and its legacy down the ages. pottered around the We had a marvelous group of 21 students island on a moped. (from Gustavus and other colleges in the Naxos is an island UMAIE consortium) who were inquisitive famous for its golden and eager to explore. We climbed everything beaches, and we autumn will not allow us too many more from the acropolis at Cumae to the summit of prepared for another busy academic year by games, though I think the mosquito inferno Mount Vesuvius, and the students joked that taking it easy on one of them. that descends upon the soccer fields earlier the course should have counted towards the We continue to make progress with and earlier each evening may stop us before health and exercise fitness credit. Co-teaching our new series (Greece and Rome: Texts the cold has its chance. the course also meant that I learned a ton and Contexts). Our seventh title, Keith My mother returned from seven months from Matt’s expertise in all things Roman Maclennan’s Horace, Poet for a New Age, is of teaching English at An Giang University in and from his hands-on teaching style—we now out and will hopefully introduce many Vietnam last April and got to meet our son, drew lots of interest from tourists when in the readers to his poetry. Alan Beale’s sourcebook Emmet, who was born Jan. 4. After a spring Roman Forum Matt had the 22 of us forming on Greek athletics and the Olympic Games and summer’s worth of grandparenting, she is a giant human sculptural group replicating is in proofs and will hopefully come out in back in Vietnam for another stint—this time the architectural structure of a basilica. It time to ride the wave of excitement in the teaching at a Montessori school, where she was a real treat to visit sites like Pompeii with U.K. as London prepares to host the 2012 teaches both the children and their teachers someone who is currently writing a book on Olympics. I have been able to ‘test-drive’ (all part of a province-wide project to increase Roman daily life and who could point out David Johnson’s Socrates and Athens book English language fluency over the next 20 and decipher graffiti that were invisible to the with Justin VanMeer in a Greek course by years). A friend of hers from Vietnam stayed untrained eye. arrangement this semester and gain some with us for the month of August and she Then in July I was able to return to useful feedback from him in early proof stage. will be hosting Yurie, myself, and Emmet in Athens thanks to an RSC grant. It was my It was wonderful to be able to reconnect Vietnam this January. first time back in many years and much had with so many of you in May for Will’s Parenthood has treated us gently for changed. In preparing to host the Olympic retirement event. Many thanks again. the most part. Emmet is generally a pretty Games in 2004, Athens built a glitzy metro Teaching in a tight-knit community such as happy little guy with quite a decent baby system. Work on the line not surprisingly Gustavus is a great privilege, not least because philosophy. He seems to only believe in crying unearthed many new archaeological finds, and so many of our majors go on to become when hungry or very tired. As a result of this several of the metro stations now showcase lifelong friends. very constructive approach to toddlerhood these artefacts in glass display cases as millions he’s already been to an academic conference of commuters pass by. And the stunning new Seán Easton: This was a Saint Peter and many faculty meetings at Gustavus. Acropolis Museum is now open. summer for me. Yurie and I visited Mary-Kay Admittedly, when he gets older, he may not During my month in Athens, I was Gamel in Sonoma, CA, for a very pleasant see that the reward for his composure has working at the American School of Classical few days before heading off to visit family in been all that great. Studies in Athens. I researched and wrote an Oakland. I came to know Mary-Kay in her I am currently looking forward to my article examining recognition scenes in Greek capacity as the outside reviewer for my third first Peace Studies conference. I joined tragedy. Having all the books at my fingertips year annual review. While here, she invited all the Gustavus Peace Studies program two meant that I frequently lost track of time and and sundry to come visit. She’s an enormously years ago, taught the introductory course found myself in the library late into the night gracious and energetic host whose husband last autumn, and have been giving some as I followed one bibliographical lead to the is a retired English professor, gourmet chef, thought to how I might best bring together next. Speaking of leads, I ended up following and accomplished amateur architect—in fact these two fields. My first conference paper in the footsteps of Bronwen Wickkiser, whom he designed their home. The house itself in Peace Studies is accordingly “Classics, many of you know from the three years she was remarkable. It was designed so that Peace Literature, and the Argonautica of taught at Gustavus (now teaching at Vanderbilt it maintains an even temperature all year Apollonius Rhodius.” I would like to take this University). Not only did she help me find an around. No heating or cooling necessary. I opportunity to extend a big “thank you” to apartment in Athens by putting me in touch like to think that housing design is one of the students in my last two capstone seminars with her landlady there, but I even found those skills that a faculty member acquires on epics. The chance to think through this myself assigned to the desk that Bronwen had either in the last quarter of one’s career remarkable poem in new ways with them occupied while she was at the American School or once retirement has begun. If not, I’m was immeasurably helpful. In November, earlier in the year! At the beginning of August, considerably behind the curve. I’m off to Hawaii for a conference in which Brooke joined me and we enjoyed two weeks After that, we visited family in Oakland I get to discuss Lucan’s epic The Civil War of vacation on the islands of Chios and Naxos. and came home. Aside from work on various and its relationship to Joseph Conrad’s novel The former is the rocky island that claims to public projects, I’ve been enjoying playing Nostromo. And, since it’s Hawaii, I may even have been the birthplace of Homer, who is evening soccer with various other Gustavus leave the hotel this time. often referred to as the ‘blind bard of Chios’. faculty and Saint Peter residents. Sadly, 12 Ellie Flory each year from Pentecost to Advent. Humanities Center is the state affiliate of the writes: We Pat’s work as a shibori artist has become National Endowment for the Humanities, but just celebrated an even bigger success than ever this year. it is probably the most active state commission Alexandra's Juried regional shows that she participated in in the U.S., having developed nationally first birthday included River Crossing, a weekend studio known programs for Hmong, Somali, and last week. It is crawl in Mankato and St. Peter, Fifty on Native American literacy. The Center provides amazing how Fiftieth in Minneapolis, and the Goldsmith’s workshops for thousands of teachers statewide fast time goes. Reunion in Mankato. On the national level, and symposia for the public led by a variety of She is a happy she was accepted into the American Craft experts. The Minnesota Legislature recently and fairly easy Council shows in Baltimore in February commissioned the Center to coordinate the going (just and in St. Paul in April. Her work was also funding from the Legacy Amendment for the like her father) featured at the Milwaukee Art Musuem Council on Black Minnesotans, the Chicano- child, who shop in connection with an exhibit of Latino Affairs Council, the Indian Affairs loves people and most things around her. Just quilts. Her shibori scarves continue to be Council, and the Council on Asia-Pacific like her father, too, she loves newspapers, The available at The Grand Hand in St. Paul, Minnesotans. Check out the Center at www. New York Times is her favorite. For now her The Art Center of Saint Peter Art Center, minnesotahumanities.org. favorite thing is to eat it of course, but who Last Chance in Lutzen, Stone’s Throw in St. In February, I was invited to lecture knows she might start reading it before you Peter, Mio in San Francisco, Dreamweaver on “Buddhist-Christian Interfaces” at an know it. Her other favorites are standing, bath in Edgartown, Massachusetts, Sandy Lew extension program run by the community time, pulling mommy's hair, and playing with in Seattle, and Studio Forty in Lewisberg, college in Rochester. Last year was my fourth her parents' eyeglasses. We were reflecting West Virginia. And late in the spring she was as Hanson-Peterson Chair of Liberal Studies. last week what this year has been for us, and picked up by the Sivertson Galleries in Grand Over those years, I have brought to campus realized (not for the first time of course) Marais and Duluth and the very exclusive an economist from Japan, a Renaissance that even though it had not always been easy JV and Company on Nicollet Mall (www. scholar from Connecticut College, and (especially the first few months), overall we jvandcompany.com), where she is having a physicist from Amherst. Each of these are so very glad to have our little Alexandra in a hard time keeping up with the demand. lectures constituted an interdisciplinary look our lives. We still cannot believe it at times— Pat was one of two artists featured in an from the perspective of a different set of that she is here, and she is ours, but are so invitation-only fund-raiser at JV and Company academic disciplines. But last year I wanted happy that she is. in June and she will be the sole artist at a to hear what some of our best minds have to special “Meet-the-Artist box lunch” event at say about the liberal arts. For the final year Stewart Flory writes: Enjoying Alexandra JV and Company on Nov. 12. In addition of my appointment, partly in response to Marleen Flory has cut into my various to these boutiques and galleries, you can see the College’s new brand (“Make Your Life putterings. I barely manage to get up to the Pat’s work at www.patriciafreiert.com. Count”), I coordinated a faculty symposium, office once a week, often with the little one “Seven Liberal Arts and Counting.” in tow. I did just finish a review for BMCR of Will Freiert My last year of full-time teaching Participants were Brian Johnson, Deborah “Reinstating the Hoplite: Arms and Armour was as bountiful as most of the rest and, as Goodwin, Douglas Huff, Lisa Heldke, and in Archaic and Classical Greece. A silly book, many of you know, ended with an explosion Max Hailperin. The event, attended by a I decided, mostly of interest to battle re- (bang would be too tame a word). I was full house at the Interpretive Center, was enactors who like to dress in replica armor. I allowed to teach my favorite courses, Homer co-sponsored by the Kendall Center and the also do various odd jobs, read mss. for journal in the fall and Vergil and Myth in the spring. Sponberg Chair, and the talks appeared in a editors and for students. I am also once a Pat and I also taught the C2 senior seminar campus publication. week teaching very beginning, low-impact together, both semesters. Among the extra The last of the three scholars my Hanson- Greek to a group of adults. Lots of fun. college service that I was involved in last year, Peterson work brought to campus was The three of us did manage a little traveling I gave a chapel talk in the fall and attended Arthur Zajonc, Mellon Professor of Physics this year, two visits to our friends in Florida, the Blue Cloud Abbey retreat with the C2 at Amherst College and co-founder of the and one excursion to VT to attend a reunion students, served on the Faith Task-Force Barfield School of Graduate Studies of of a group of friends who taught with me in a of the Gustavus Commission 150 and on Sunbridge College. In addition, he directs Greek prep school years ago. the College’s Sesquicentennial Steering the academic program of the Center for Committee, helped out with the Education Contemplative Mind in Society. His work has Patricia Freiert: Continuing her practice Department’s faculty searches, and interviewed prompted me to attempt to address a growing of teaching two courses a year in retirement, candidates for the Presidential Scholarships. inability of students to focus that I have Pat taught the Curriculum II senior seminar, I also served as a faculty facilitator for the observed over the last few years. I attended a fall and spring, with Will. Using their training Gustavus Men’s Leadership Initiative, a retreat last year sponsored by the Association in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, they program of the Dean of Students’ office which for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education incorporated a serious element of meditation fosters development of authentic living and and have been working during the last year in the seminars, using techniques from medical intentional leadership. The program included a to encourage meditation as a tool in our and Buddhist practice. Pat also founded a summer workshop, a fall weekend retreat, and academic endeavors. I coordinated a faculty spirituality reading group at First Lutheran monthly meetings in “action-learning circles.” reading group, sponsored by the Kendall Church in St. Peter, based in part on books on In the public service area, I continued Center, on Zajonc’s book about meditation chant and meditation. First Lutheran is where to serve on the Board of the Minnesota and led a “Teachers Talking” lunch-session the eleven banners that Pat was commissioned Humanities Center, whose work should be of on the topic. Last year, Pat and I incorporated to do a few years ago hang in the sanctuary interest to anyone concerned about literacy. The meditation as a substantial component of the 13 Curriculum 2 Senior Seminar. This fall, with experience, and we had the rest of J-Term to fund such initiatives. Local outcry surrounded the help of Chaplain Brian Johnson, I am recuperate surrounded by family and friends. the decision to hang advertising (was it for teaching two sections of a First Term Seminar The fall semester leading up to Emmet’s Bulgari or Coca-Cola?) from the Ponte dei on Mindfulness, in the hope of fostering skills birth was fairly eventful as well. I was in Sospiri, the Bridge of Sighs, which connects of reflection and focus, which seem more the last stages of writing an article on the Palazzo Ducale with its ancient prison, as important than ever in contemporary liberal representations of pregnancy and childbirth it undergoes renovation. Still, the city houses arts education. in ancient Greek medicine. I delivered the some of the greatest masterpieces of European And then there was that explosion. I was paper at three venues during the semester: art—the incredibly rich, Byzantine interior grateful to be invited by Steve Waldhauser to Washington University in St. Louis, the (and exterior) of San Marco, adorned with write a guest column for the spring Gustavus University of Minnesota, and then right here objects Venetians looted from all over the Quarterly and flattered by the generous at Gustavus before the faculty. Each time it world, including the remains of the apostle St. feature on my retirement that Vice President benefitted immensely from audience questions Mark, smuggled in a barrel of salted pork (I’m Gwen Freed wrote about me. That same and discussion, and it was great to be part of not kidding, a mosaic just inside the entrance week I was shocked to find myself featured such an active academic community both at commemorates this event). as the Gustie of the Week by the Gustavian home and farther afield. I have to say, though, The Doge’s Palace was worth a visit as Weekly. But, as many of you know, May 8 was the best part is that I got to deliver these talks well. There, in the museum, I was able to totally, exuberantly, excessive. The T-shirt while being 5-7 months pregnant. I got to be see not only twelve-inch red velvet heels, designed by Karl Boettcher, the revision my own visual aid. The article will be coming but also a chastity belt (along with two sets of Aristophanes’ Clouds by Dan Rohlf, the out in a volume on motherhood in ancient of keys)—rather medieval in construction! lecture by University of Arkansas Professor Greece and Rome, which will be published by Among numerous (and necessary) museum Dan Levine, and the Freiert roasting at dinner University of Texas Press. Who knows when visits (including the first-rate exhibition of were so hilariously hyperbolic that, when I it’ll actually come out, but the important the Bosnian artist Safet Zec, “The Power of die, I won’t have to have a funeral. I’ll go to thing is that my part is done! Painting” at the Museo Correr), I thoroughly my grave, grateful to Eric for arranging such Teaching last year was also really great. enjoyed the Accademia Gallery, San Rocco, a generous send-off, to my other colleagues I taught Greek History and Intermediate and the Frari in Venice, as well as some more for all they did to enhance it, and to so many Greek, in which we read Plato’s Symposium. relaxed (less touristy) moments in San Polo. of you who came or wrote your well-wishes. It was fun going back and forth between the A stay at a hostel-style pensione, Santa Maria Despite the explosion on May 8, I’m still alive, bird’s-eye view of Greek history and extreme della Pieta (the orphanage originally at this so stop by to visit an old guy when you’re in close-ups of the Greek language. I also was site is where Vivaldi, the red cleric, trained his the neighborhood. able to sit in on Alisa Rosenthal’s Sex, Power, musicians), near the San Zaccaria vaporetto and Politics class, which was really wonderful stop, helped to make the trip this summer and one of the reasons I love teaching at a affordable. Ravenna’s mosaics drew me to the small liberal arts college. As much as I love city again. This visit, I was able to visit Sant’ teaching, being a student is pretty awesome, Apollinare in Classe for the first time. Getting too. A lot of my thinking in Alisa’s class fed there involved taking several local buses, as directly into the course on ancient sex and the church is far from the city center. Once gender that I taught in the Spring. We had a we arrived, we found the front half of the course blog, and students wrote posts linking church cordoned off for the videorecording ancient and modern conceptions of gender of a musical performance (my friend swears and analyzed the similarities and differences in it was Riccardo Muti conducting). I didn’t the ways that masculinity and femininity are recognize the piece, but we were treated to defined. half an hour of heavenly music, with full choir The summer started off ambitiously (I and orchestra. Then, everyone took a break, wrote a review and revised my medicine and, magically, the tape separating hoi polloi Yurie Hong: It’s been an eventful year on article) but ended with a relaxed whimper as from the performance space came down. both personal and professional fronts. First I quickly ran out of steam. The Herodotus Imagine my delight—professional lighting and foremost: We had a baby! Emmet Easton- article can wait until next summer. There’s beautifully illuminated the mosaics in a way Hong was born on Jan. 4 in Los Angeles. plenty to concentrate on in the meantime. . . . I could never hope to duplicate with my Seán and I were a little apprehensive at the amateur photography skills and equipment. thought of driving to the hospital in the dead Mary McHugh: What a year it’s been! Since So I took full advantage and came away with of a Minnesota January so we decided to go I last wrote, I passed my third-year review in some remarkable shots of the mosaics. to L.A. where my family lives (and where the tenure review process. Last summer, I was Visiting Germany was great, too, although it’s still 70 degrees even in winter). I was able to travel to Italy and Germany, and this the focus was more on visiting and spending scheduled to deliver a paper on Jan. 8 at the semester, I delivered a conference paper at time with family and friends (a detail that annual meeting of the American Philological Bristol, England in September. Highlights in also made the trip more affordable than it Association, and as luck would have it the Italy included visits to Venice and Ravenna. would have been otherwise). I found that conference was being held in Anaheim just Sadly, Venice is a city increasingly populated most Europeans think that Americans dine at 30 miles away. So, four days after Emmet was with tourists and gimmicks and advertising McDonald’s on a regular basis, borne out by born, he was making the rounds of classics to encourage visitors to spend their euros. the scads of tourists who frequent Mickey D’s panels and parties, and I got to deliver my The efforts to celebrate, repair, restore and in Europe. This made me think—wherever paper. The little guy’s got great timing! It conserve the crumbling remains of this one goes in the world, whether you realize it was all pretty exhausting, but it was a great remarkable city are balanced with the need to or not, you are a cultural ambassador. So, to 14 demonstrate that many Americans have much from all over Europe (and the U.S., including Matt Panciera: My family and I enjoyed more sophisticated palates and enjoy healthier graphic novelist Eric Shanower) for the very much coming back home to Gustavus foods on a regular basis, my culinary skills event. The organizers of the conference did a and St. Peter after our year’s adventure in were summoned to the rescue. Gazpacho was splendid job in every regard, even organizing Sicily. As much as I loved being in Italy and a great lunch treat on a hot summer’s day, and day trips to Bath (Roman baths at the living amongst Italians it was a pleasure to be ratatouille made the most of the bounty from natural hot springs) and Stourhead (fabulous back home, to sleep in our own beds, have the farmer’s market. And for the sweet tooth, classicizing temples, including a Pantheon, on direct heat (unlike our highrise apartment in I introduced that ravishing Southern belle, the a massive, beautiful landscaped country estate) Sicily that had only plug-in heaters, which lemon meringue pie. (My awkward translation after the conference was over. Thanks to the constantly blew out), and to take our girls to of this name into German is the “Zitronen- generosity of my colleagues at Gustavus, Eric their well-run local schools—though Isabel Baiser-Kuchen.”) Even the toughest critic in Dugdale and Seán Easton, who covered my did say one day after school in Catania, where my host family (the 89 year-old Nonna) was classes the week while I was away, I was able they would all kiss each other good-bye, “I won over. And she even asked for my recipe to enjoy this rich experience. think there is a rule against this at South so she could make the pie for her birthday The weekend after my return from Elementary.” celebration later in the summer! England, though, I was on the road again, At work I returned to doing Historical Once back in St. Peter, it was work, work, this time, to Chicago, for my youngest Perspective I in the fall for Curriculum II and work to prepare for the semester, to continue brother Jim’s wedding to his college had a wonderful group of first year students. work on the Tacitus reader, and to make sweetheart, Sylvia. The ceremony itself took I also started a three-year term as director of some headway on research plans for next place on the Chicago Loyola campus, Jim’s Curriculum II. The administrative duties of summer (Already? Yes! Gasp!). And in mid- alma mater, at the Santa Maria della Strada the job require that I teach less, which is not September, I was off for Europe again, this chapel. And much of the festivities took place ideal but I really needed it my first year on the time to England, to give a paper and to attend at the newly renovated, historic Blackstone job. I added to the mythology of Curriculum the Imagines II conference at the University Hotel. Everything went remarkably well—it II after getting myself and the group lost on of Bristol. My paper on the posthumous was a beautifully planned, tasteful, elegant the way to retreats at Blue Cloud Abbey in reputation of Agrippina the Younger was well- event. And one of the best things about being South Dakota (where I drove a Gustavus van received and has been accepted for publication there was the opportunity to see the members around in a very wet, muddy farm field for an in a volume of proceedings from the of my large family (there are ten siblings, me hour) and Koinonia, but no one was worse for conference. Best, though, was the opportunity included), the spouses and kids, and last but wear and it was good for many laughs. to meet and spend time with so many of the certainly not least, my parents, both of whom In the classics department I taught a other conference participants, who had come have serious ongoing health concerns. J-Term course with Eric to Rome/London, and Roman Drama in the spring. We truly enjoyed taking the group abroad and it was great to spend time with the students and each other (you might think that all your professors know each other really well, but it really helps to eat every meal together for three weeks). In the spring my Plautus students did a great job translating and performing Plautus for the Festival of Dionysus. It was a great way to say goodbye to some wonderful seniors: thank you Colleen, Tesia, Emily, and Paula. Finally, I made headway on some scholarly projects. In February of 2010 I gave a presentation on teaching Latin graffiti at a conference at Wabash College on Pompeii. This will hopefully turn into a contribution to an issue of Classical Journal on teaching Pompeii. I also completed half of a book of ancient sources on Roman daily life for Cambridge—the absolute final, final extension (see, we do this too) is June 2011. And this fall I have started doing very short podcasts that go with my beginning Latin course. E-mail me ([email protected]) if you want access to them.

15 Update on the Flory-Freiert Douglas and Victoria Huff umpire. Above the image, in Greek letters, Fellowship Fund Sarah, Steve, and Anne Hulke is the name FREIERTOS (Freiert in capital Kaija Hupila Greek As many of you already know, in December Dwight Jaeger letters). we launched the Flory-Freiert Fellowship Mary Jaeger and Malcolm Wilson And below campaign. Named in honor of Marleen and Dennis and Carol Johnson the image, Stewart Flory and Patricia and William Freiert, Bryan and Sara Kaehler also in the four classicists who founded the classics Cindy Kehls Beaver Greek, the department and who among them taught for Emily Kehm Homeric over 120 years at Gustavus, the fellowship will Lois Kunze line “Best allow students who receive it the opportunity William and Katherine Kunze of the to pursue their interests in a variety of Steven Larson Achaeans.” fields, from taking part in an archaeological Daniel and Judith Levine The back excavation to doing summer research. We Kris Lewis Anderson features a line from the Aeneid for Latinists to have been humbled and amazed by the Mary Ellen Malkasian enjoy (imperium oceano, famam qui terminet generous response. Gifts and pledges so far Wayne and Marlys Mardian astris: ‘whose power the ocean bounds, whose have totaled over $27,000, and our ambitious Debra and Jeffrey Miner fame the skies’). So far, the sale of the T-shirt goal of $50,000 that would allow us to award Emma and Darin Mohr has contributed over $500 to the Flory the fellowship on a yearly basis now actually Monica Neal Freiert Fellowship Fund. Thanks go to Mary seems within reach. We thank the dozens of Matthew and Susan Panciera McHugh for organizing this initiative. There alumni, parents, and friends of the department Adam and Lindsey Patterson are still T-shirts available in all sizes if you are who have already contributed. It has been a Ruth Reister interested (cost: $15, including shipping). wonderfully opportunity to come together for Alison Rethwisch Just contact Matt Panciera at mpancier@ a cause we believe in. Contributions continue David and Sara Rippe gustavus.edu. to be joyfully received through this academic Jacqueline Rose year (full details—and a secure online link— Julie Miller Schmidt can be found on the classics department’s Blair Schrader New Ways to Stay Abreast with webpage). We look forward to being able Deb Schrader the Ancient World to award the first Flory-Freiert Fellowship Juliellen Simpson-Vos Sarah Spessard Olson in the academic year 2011–12, the College’s The ancient world is frequently in the news. th Amy Sommer 150 anniversary. And, for years to come, our Exciting new archaeological discoveries are Curt and Pam Sommer newsletter will be enriched by the reports of constantly being made (the Bronze Age site of Kurt Steinke and Susan Schumacher Steinke what our Flory-Freiert Fellows went on to do Korphos, for example, which might have been Cameron Stromme with their awards. Once again, thank you! the harbor for ancient Mycenae). And there Jane and Stephen Stromme are also more shocking headlines: the sudden Lalinne Suon Donors to Flory-Freiert Fellowship so far collapse this month of a house at Pompeii, the Christopher Tillquist and Martha Maiers (last updated in October 2010) continuing smuggling of antiquities, especially Paul and Ruth Tillquist out of Iraq. New Hollywood blockbusters Matt Wharton Heidi Bednarchuk are about to hit the silver screen, and classics Dean Wolf Robert and Cynthia Belgam continues to play an important part in public Blair Vos John Braun discourse. Also five gifts from anonymous donors Claude and Sandy Brew But how can we keep informed on the Patrick and Joanne Callahan latest in the field of classics? Allow me to If your gift has been accidentally omitted from Diana Jensen Cramer introduce you to the classics department’s the above list or if your name is incorrectly Brooke and Eric Dugdale blog and its inspired moderator and blogger, listed, please e-mail [email protected]. Kyle and Lydia Dugdale Yurie Hong. Yurie offers a steady stream of On behalf of the Department of Classics, Robert and Judith Gardner interesting posts that keeps us au courant with many thanks! Mike and Eli Guzniczak everything from New York Times editorials to Karen Eastman events happening on our own campus. Here Seán Easton is just a small sampling of some of her posts Elena and Stewart Flory Fashion Forward written this month. We invite you to check P. Foss and R. Schindler out the full stories on our department website William and Patricia Freiert The Gustavus chapter of Eta Sigma Phi, the (gustavus.edu/classics/) and to send in Sarah M. Graver classics honors society, has brought out a stories if you find something that catches your Anne Groton commemorative T-shirt in honor of Will, interest. Jean Hansen featuring a drawing by senior Karl Boettcher. Matthew Haugen On the front side is a vase-painting by Exekias • Ted Turner: “Classical Snob” and “Jackass.” Anna Heise and Jeffrey Gram showing the Greek heroes Achilles and Ajax Or “What My Classics Major Can Do for Yurie Hong playing a game, perhaps to decide which of Me” What did the father of CNN founder Andrew Howard them is the greatest. Between them, Karl has Ted Turner’s father say when he discovered Julianne Howard drawn in the figure of Will functioning as that his son had chosen a classics major?

16 Here is a snippet from his letter: ROMA – AMOR: the material for potent critiques of war and empire, even as apologists for a variety of I am appalled, even horrified, that Here is western nationalisms have mined them for their you have adopted Classics as a major. a poem own agendas. Although these three epics are As a matter of fact, I almost puked by Nick implicated in an ethic of resolution through on my way home today…I am a Harper (a violence, each also meditates on the costs of war practical man, and for the life of me political and the forces impelling us toward it. Even so, I cannot possibly understand why science the Argonautica of Apollonius of Rhodes offers you should wish to speak Greek. major and a different vision of the male hero altogether and With whom will you communicate perhaps indeed of the heroine—one unmatched classics and in Greek?…I think you are rapidly in the tradition of surviving Greek and Roman philosophy becoming a jackass, and the sooner you epic poetry for its elevation of peaceful resolution minor) get out of that filthy atmosphere, the and its ethical critique of violence. written in better it will suit me. The Argonautica was composed in the third Rome on century BCE under the reign of the Ptolemies, our January travel course. Nick recently did The article goes on to argue that settling for the dynasty that succeeded to the rule of Egypt an independent study on the intersection a ‘practical’ major over a major that you love and adjacent lands following the division of between myth and politics; his senior research is misguided and actually less likely to lead to Alexander the Great’s hastily thrown-together paper focused on the effects of political success in the long run. empire. Ptolemaic Egypt was bi-cultural: Greco- mythology on American democratic culture. Macedonian populations were incorporated into cities shared with indigenous Egyptian residents. • We Are Rome! Or Are We? In his column I came, I saw you, and This bicultural identity shaped the ideology Third Party Rising, Thomas Friedman You conquered my heart of the Ptolemaic monarchy, which sought to compares destructive factors in modern With your traditional ways and civic represent itself as the legitimate continuation American politics with the conditions that sophistication. of the Pharaohs’ line and—as we shall see—also led to the fall of the Roman Empire. Enraptured by ancient times, impacted the Argonautica’s project of inscribing the themes of Ptolemaic Egypt onto the edifice • This Just In…Greek Civilization a Fraud! We digress to more romantic endeavors, Wandering in wonder, of Greek myth. These differences in historical A hilarious spoof article from The Onion: context correspond to significant distinctions Taken by the artistry and craft “A group of leading historians held a between Argonautica, the Homeric poems, and To another time, to every place. press conference Monday at the National the Aeneid respectively, and so I shall briefly Geographic Society to announce they had Descendant of divinity, digress on them. “entirely fabricated” ancient Greece, a A temple of the earth A very basic question faces any reader of culture long thought to be the intellectual Your carved stone and deep bronze the Iliad and Odyssey: ‘Who was Homer?’ Or, basis of Western civilization…” Have struck my soul as an architect. as scholars today might put it: ‘What is the Uncovered, you still whisper of secrets untold, origin of the Homeric epics?’ The answer I find • An Evening with Derek Walcott: On Sept. Of Tiber’s murmurs or Terra’s groans. most persuasive posits an evolutionary model of 27, classics majors and members of the For what more might I wish development, in which no one mind composed classics and English departments spent an Than to envision your history or indeed significantly impacted the creation evening conversing with Nobel Laureate And imagine your futures? of either epic. ‘Homer’ is a fiction. Rather, in Derek Walcott. Mr. Walcott is best known I leave you, but your presence lingers the period 800–600 BCE an inherited wealth of traditional oral tales began to spread with for his poem Omeros, a Caribbean epic In my animation and increasing rapidity through a Greek world newly loosely based on Homer’s Odyssey. He Roots eternally my growing home. invigorated by enhanced trade, colonization, regaled his audience with tales of living and cultural communication of all sorts. These by the sea and his days learning Latin as a story cycles gathered and combined through schoolboy. “Apollonius’ Argonautica: numberless individual oral performances Facebook offers yet another way for A Forgotten Chapter in the delivered by traveling bards. These narratives grew into ever more complex forms, which, alumni and friends of the department to stay Literature of Peace” in touch with us and to be linked into what though at first highly fluid, became increasingly fixed as their diffusion through the Greek is happening in the classical world both at (by Seán Easton) world accelerated and certain versions gradually Gustavus and further afield. Just search for “Of course, there is nothing sacred, or became preferred. Finally, in the third century us on Facebook at Friends of Gustavus necessarily redeeming, about ancient texts. The BCE, scholars at Alexandria sought to establish a and become our virtual friend! Classics German and Italian fascists used and misused single definitive edition of the Homeric epics and You can also become a personal friend of classical literature, especially Virgil’s Aeneid, in bequeathed to us the foundational forms of the Caesar G. Adolphus—this is the pseudonym their propaganda. . . .” So Chris Hedges remarks texts which we have for these poems today. What for our bust of Caesar—and since he is an at the close of his War Is a Force that Gives Us is especially clear in this model of their genesis is individual rather than a group, his updates Meaning. Hedges goes to add, speaking of the that the Homeric epics are the product neither will appear on your Newsfeed. Caesar’s alter USA, that knowledge of these texts also serves of one mind, nor of one state. Their monarchical ego (our departmental academic assistant Karl to connect “Our country’s past, our political political models and corresponding social Boettcher) posts links to blog articles and and social philosophy, and our intellectual economies of war and peace derive instead from news of other classical events, so ‘friending’ achievements and spiritual struggles…” the generic cultural and political norms common Caesar is an easy way to stay abreast without The Iliad, the Odyssey, and especially the to the Greek communities of 800–600 BCE, leaving the world of Facebook! Aeneid have indeed supplied readers with their primary formative era.

17 The Roman epic, the Aeneid, by contrast, primarily with the second goes back to Homeric sky god exhibit hostility toward the poem’s published in 19 BCE, is very much a national epic. Achilles, the hero of the Iliad, is a hero of protagonist. Only Apollonius is willing to submit epic composed by a single author at a specific force (bios) and Odysseus is a hero of cleverness his hero to such critique. time in his nation’s history. Its official purpose or intelligence (metis). Achilles has intelligence, Let us return to the scene of leader selection. was to transform via the resources of the of course, and Odysseus has strength, but each Following the decision of Herakles to decline epic tradition the contemporary political establishes his heroic identity through his primary leadership for himself and to respect Jason’s reorganization of the city and its empire into heroic attribute. Thus, Achilles’ strength dominates claim, another quarrel threatens to erupt. A the central, pivotal, regenerative moment in the Iliad and Odysseus’ cleverness the Odyssey. drunken Argonaut named Idas spies Jason Roman history. The epic unfolds the divinely In the Argonautica, force and intelligence seemingly in doubt as to the next course of appointed task undertaken by the mythical are at first mapped onto two distinct characters. action and flies into a rage, charging him Trojan hero Aeneas, who brought the surviving Jason invites all the heroes of Greece to join publically with cowardly hesitation. Orpheus, remnant of his city’s population to Italy where in the quest for the fleece. The greatest of another Argonaut, begins to play his lyre and his descendants would ultimately found Rome. these is Herakles, who embodies force, while sing (1.496–511): Vergil chose that particular foundation story as a Jason’s circumspect nature gravitates toward mytho-historical template for the new age of the intelligence. When Jason graciously asks the He sang of how the earth, sky, and emperor Augustus, who claimed Aeneas as an gathered heroes to choose the best man to lead sea, at one time combined together ancestor. Aeneas’ leadership prefigures the task of them, this is how he puts it: in a single form, through deadly strife Augustus, who as a single ruler would transform became separated each from the other; the Roman Republic’s aftermath bloodied by But, my friends, since common to us and of how the stars and moon and civil war into a settled, autocratic state. all is our return again to Hellas, and paths of the sun always keep their The Argonautica recounts the quest, common to us all is our voyage to fixed place in the sky; and how the imposed on its hero Jason, to retrieve an Aeetes’ land, therefore now without mountains arose; and how the echoing object—the fleece of a golden ram, which once restraint choose the best man as your rivers with their nymphs and all the upon a time was sent by the gods to rescue two leader, who will see to each thing, to land animals came to be. He sang of children from captivity. The fleece was kept in take on quarrels and agreements with how, in the beginning, Ophion and a sacred enclosure in the land of Colchis on the foreigners. Ocean’s daughter Eurynome held sway Black Sea coast of Asia Minor, ruled by King over snowy Olympus, and of how, Aeetes. Jason asks the king to give him the fleece “Best,” aristos in Greek, is the conventional through force of hand, he ceded rule to and Aeetes responds by assigning him certain designation of the hero who claims the status of Cronus and she to Rhea, and they fell trials. These would have been impossible for any protagonist in an epic. At this moment, then, the into the waves of the Ocean. These two mortal to survive, except that the gods find Jason supporting characters are asked to decide who in the meantime ruled over the blessed an ally—Eros, god of desire, at the behest of that will be. The assembly responds with one Titan gods, while Zeus, still a child and Hera, Jason’s protector, strikes Medea, daughter voice: ‘Herakles’. Herakles, however, declines, still thinking childish thoughts, dwelt of the king, with one of his arrows. Overcome by defending instead the appropriateness of choosing in the Dictaean cave, and the earthborn the arrow’s influence, she will betray her family Jason. The hero of force here endorses the hero Cyclopes had not yet armed him to help Jason, after which there is no choice of intelligence as protagonist, conceding Jason’s with the thunderbolt, thunder, and for her but to escape with him. The time of greater qualifications in the arts of oversight, lightning, for these give Zeus his glory. Jason’s quest is set in the generation before the negotiation, and conflict resolution. expedition to Troy. Apollonius underscores this Jason, as a hero of intelligence, is not at all And now the reaction of Idas and the onlookers with a marvelous detail. As Jason sets sail on his incapable of inflicting harm out of self-interest, (1.511–518): journey, his boyhood teacher Chiron holds up but he is disinclined to see inflicting harm as in his latest ward, the infant Achilles, to watch the his interest. In Homer, to act in accord with one’s Thus he sang, and hushed his lyre Argo depart. advantage is almost always right, provided that (1) along with his divinely beautiful voice. The Argonautica, situated in literary history the act does not detract from one’s public status as But they, although he had ceased, still between Homeric epic and the Aeneid looks a hero and (2) one already has earned recognition leaned their heads forward longingly, back to the former as the supracanonical font of as a skilled fighter with divine, aristocratic, or royal one and all, with intent ears, immobile epic tradition. Homer, for Apollonius, was very lineage. Even murder is not inherently wrong, with enchantment—such was the spell much a person—the first and best poet, who though it is understood that the victim’s friends of song that he left within them. Not was inspired by the gods. Homer is a model to and family will seek revenge. long thereafter they mixed libations for which Apollonius aspires in spirit, even as he By contrast, there is in the Argonautica Zeus, as is right, and stood and poured may diverge from it considerably in practice. As a pervasive sense of ethical critique, which them on the victims’ burning tongues, a court poet who composed through writing continually challenges the reader to assess and turned their thoughts to sleeping an exploration of national themes, Apollonius Jason. The reason for the difference is that through the night. anticipates Vergil, but he nevertheless belongs Greek tragedy and philosophy both flourished to a very different national culture. In particular, between the formative period of Homeric epic The two averted confrontations, between the Ptolemaic Egypt of Apollonius lacked any and Apollonius’ time of writing. It is Apollonius’ Herakles and Jason and Idas and Jason equivalent for Vergilian Rome’s recent civil war accomplishment that he brought these resources respectively have been recognized as a past. Perhaps for this very reason, Apollonius into the epic tradition. Apollonius’ hero of reworking of two quarrels in the Iliad. Whereas did not feel the same need to frame war as the intelligence lives out his heroism in an ethical Achilles and King Agamemnon contend over fundamental testing ground for heroic and labyrinth. The best example of this is the fact their claims, based on heroic skill and royal national identity. that, when Jason, in league with Medea, murders prerogative respectively, to be recognized as the The Argonautica problematizes the her brother Apsyrtus in their attempt to escape best (aristos), Herakles and Jason resolve any relationship between force and intelligence. The together, Zeus directs his wrath at Jason. In such disagreement before it can emerge. distinction between heroes endowed primarily no other surviving epic, Greek, Roman, or The placement of the violent Argonaut with the first quality versus those equipped Mesopotamian for that matter, does the ruling Idas’s outburst, challenging Jason, recalls the

18 complaints of a character from the Iliad named Argo’s course with the path he once followed the fleece. An unsleeping serpent guards it. Thersites who challenges Agamemnon. The in his father’s sun chariot (3.309–311). Indeed, Jason does not subdue it—it is noted that Argonautica’s Idas differs from Thersites in that when Jason returns, sailing westward from the Herakles, who abandoned the voyage before only his temper mars the audience’s impression land of Colchis, the fleece’s glow lights up the reaching Colchis, was the only one who could of him. The Iliad’s account of Thersites, ship. The keel of the Argo is made from a divine have defeated the creature in combat—rather, however, has it that he is the ugliest man to oak from the precinct of the oracle at Dodona Medea puts it to sleep with her potions. Indeed, come to Troy, hated by both Odysseus and and has the power to issue forth prophetic though I stop short at least for the moment of Achilles. When Thersites harangues Agamemnon speech; Amun Re’s boat is also prophetic. attributing this intent to the poet, I find the with complaints that seem justified in terms of Athena, the Greek deity who crafted the Argo’s Freudian implication of Medea rubbing her their content, Odysseus intervenes and beats him keel, was associated in Egypt with both Neit and ointment on the head of the giant serpent and from the camp to the amusement of all. Unlike Amaunet, wives of Ammon-Ra. thus incapacitating a rather irresistible metaphor Achilles, Thersites has no standing—his heroic Yet, these parallels are not without political for the threat that she embodies to patriarchy qualifications are insufficient to back his right to ramifications. Aeetes, the Colchian king, as the and her transformative gender performance in public speech. literal son of Helios also recalls the Egyptian the poem. In this, the crucial action of his heroic Idas’s heroic standing would likely make a pharaoh, who in Greek had the title of ‘son of quest, Jason waits for Medea to finish her work, violent response to him far more dangerous; yet Helios’. As the land in which the fleece had been then picks up the fleece when she tells him to. his speech is abusive and inappropriate given kept, Colchis is an analogue for Egypt. Jason’s Generations of readers have until recently Herakles’ endorsement of Jason. A scene such resemblance to Ammon-Ra is a hybridization read Apollonius’ Jason simply as an inadequate as that with Thersites in the Iliad or Idas in of Egyptian and Greek myth which in a sense hero, but the ancient poet has done more than the Argonautica typically functions in ancient authorizes him to take the fleece, a totem of they have seen or been prepared to acknowledge. epic and related genres to illustrate the model Colchian kingship, and thus absorb into the There is a fundamentally different gender balance of order and authority at work in its particular Greek identity symbolic authority over Egypt. in this poem vis-à-vis earlier or later surviving epic. text. It is therefore telling that, rather than a This dimension of the poem reveals its imperial In part, this may be due to the larger impact of beating, the response to Idas that restores order ideological connections. The Ptolemaic kings royal women in Ptolemaic Egypt, but it seems is Orpheus’ song, which describes the creation were concerned to show that they endorsed unlikely that this explains it all. of the world and brings calm to all. Yet, the and were endorsed by the gods and indeed the Apollonius has chosen a theme involving a song also acknowledges the role of strife (eris) culture of Egypt, no less than of Greece. It is female character whose most famous incarnation in the process of creation, for the division of tempting to allow interpretation to stop at the was Euripides’ fifth century tragedyMedea , in the undifferentiated mass of earth, land, and boundary of power politics. Why suppose that which she completed a terrible revenge against sky comes about through it. Orpheus’ song the Greek Apollonius is doing anything more Jason, who means to leave her for a Greek situates strife in its productive, creative context, than weaving Ptolemaic propaganda, however bride of greater rank. Medea kills the would-be which in turn produces harmony and order in sophisticated? Susan Stephens, an Apollonius bride, her father, and the children she bore to the immediate situation. This effect realizes the scholar, offers this response: “The union [of Jason. She then flees in a divine chariot sent to first preference of Jason’s leadership—peaceful Greek and ‘Colchian/Egyptian’] can be read in her by her grandfather, the sun, thus escaping resolution—while at the same time suggesting in various ways: as a reciprocal union of Greek and punishment. It is in the shadow of this future microcosm the vision of the world that animates non-Greek, as the triumph of civilizing Greece that Apollonius allows his epic to unfold. Apollonius’ distinctive model of epic heroism. over barbarian culture, as the traducing of Greek The devastating impact of Euripides’ Here we see that Apollonius has apparently innocence and values by barbarian treachery and tragedy was intensified for Greek audiences by characterized Jason, Iason in Greek, so as to magic practice, as an uneasy cultural liaison, or the zero-sum worldview of Greek patriarchy; match the Greek word his name resembles: as one doomed to failure. By locating the event i.e., males and females cannot both win—there also iason, meaning “healer.” This reading finds in the past all potentialities are possible; no must be dominator and dominated. Males feel further support in recent scholarship into the particular future is preordained.” their gender identity disrupted to the degree poem’s bi-cultural, Greco-Egyptian frame of Directly related to the ethical labyrinth of that women contradict their own socially reference. Jason represents a meditation on the the hero is the obscurity of divine guidance. prescribed normative behavior. I argue that characteristics and contradictions of Ptolemaic Vergil, over two centuries later, would opt for Apollonius approached this scenario as an Egypt, whose kings claim the title of pharaoh, the Homeric mode of epiphany—a guardian artistic opportunity. Jason is by disposition a earthly counterpart of Ammon-Ra, lord of the deity would appear, give needed advice to the male both in need of Medea’s help and willing Egyptian pantheon. Jason resembles Ammon- hero and then disappear. The divine recurs to accept it before he meets her, yet in order Ra in several ways. First and foremost in this throughout the Argonautica, and indeed we see for Apollonius’ vision of this partnership to connection, they are both associated with healing. the gods take crucial action on Jason’s behalf, occur, his protagonist must be of this sort; not Apollonius’ particular rendering of the but—and this is the main thing—he does not an Achilles, not an Odysseus, especially not a traditional features of Jason’s quest, however, has know what that action is; further, he does not Herakles. Yet, one may reasonably ask, “Doesn’t further Egyptological implications. The golden know what role he plays in the grand plan of the future of the relationship of Jason and fleece is symbolic of kingship in the poem, and Zeus. Apollonius keeps this obscure both from Medea, as Euripides depicts it, surely vindicate while gold is just as much associated with royalty readers and, it seems, from Jason. The effect the Greek paranoia about strong, transgressive in Greece as in Egypt, the supreme Egyptian is to place much greater weight on human women?” It is hard to say. True to his enjoyment deity Ammon-Ra was commonly represented as decision. Jason’s attitude toward his fellow of ambiguity, Apollonius ends his epic when they a ram, whose image was usually overlaid in gold. mortals—his priority on cautious diplomacy in all arrive back in Greece, their life together and its Jason and Ammon-Ra each command boats things, including gaining the object of his quest, fortunes still ahead of them. Here, though— crewed by the sons of gods and their voyages is entirely consistent with his particular epic and perhaps this is just the romantic in me—I take them both in the direction of the sun’s world in which divine guidance is mysterious, am tempted to remember Susan Stephens’s rising. Ammon-Ra’s ship on its westward journey obscure, and even confusing. observation quoted above: “By locating the through the heavens is the sun in its daytime The single greatest testament to Jason’s event in the past all potentialities are possible; no course. Aeetes, the king of Colchis, is the son of reliance on others in general and Medea in particular future is preordained.” Helios, the sun, and he explicitly associates the particular comes in the actual obtaining of

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