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Ongoing Strength

Appointments, Enrolments, Metaphysics Laughter and Tears

Third Blast of the Trumpet

Classics News for the New Academic Year 2017

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Encouraging Enrolment Strength

Full Classes

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Dr Christopher Grundke, here as an Aeolian Shepherd,听Praecentor of the Pythian Games, teaches our largest class, Mythology: 鈥淕ods, Heroes and Monsters鈥� a writing class of 160 students, extending over the Fall and Winter terms.

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Mythology听with Dr Grundke听,听Introductory Latin & Ancient Philosophy听with Dr Fournier,听Introductory Greek & Ancient Comedy & Greek Texts听with Dr MacLeod,听Death, Sex, Gold in Ancient Rome听with Dr Mitchell,听Classical Greek History听with Dr Varto,听Augustine鈥檚听Confessions听with Dr Hankey,听Introductory & Advanced Arabic听with Dr Firanescu,听Judaism, Christianity and Islam & Islam & John of Damascus听with Dr Treiger,听Buddhism & Chinese and Japanese Religions听with Dr Austin are all flashing RED as full, or near the brim, on this year鈥檚 university timetable. Many have wait lists. These most encouraging numbers are matched by the strong numbers in the advanced Greek and Latin classes, and of the听Honours and Graduate听students taking them.

Flourishing Graduate Studies

Dr Diamond,听its shepherd, reports on an excellent incoming Graduate Studies Class, 听with ongoing members to match. He writes: Along with our five continuing second-year MA students, we are excited to welcome听five new MA听students to our graduate programme this year.听Madalaine Wheeler,听from California, who studied with Dalhousie Classics Alumnus听Dr Colin Webster听(First Class Honours in Contemporary Studies and Classics 2005; MA 2007, Assistant Professor of Classics听at UC Davis), after an undergraduate degree at Gutenberg College in Oregon, is coming to study philosophy and theology with us.听Lauren Vanderdeen,听from British Columbia, (First Class Honours in History and Classics and the University Medal in History, 2016), starts her MA on Greek poetry.听Ksenia Romashova, who comes to us from Russia via Halifax, plans to work on Greek philosophy and mathematics.听Cristalle Watson,听from British Columbia, (First Class Honours and the University Medal in Classics, 2017), came to us as an advanced undergraduate in Classics after a Master鈥檚 in Music at University of Ottawa. She will be working on Boethius鈥櫶�Consolation of Philosophy.听Torin Vigerstad, from Halifax, (First Class Honours and the University Medal in Classics, 2016), is coming back to us after taking time off to work in Germany.

Our strong undergraduate enrolments provide the Teaching Assistantships helping to support both our new and our continuing graduate students.

Lauren, Torin, and Cristalle all come into their Dalhousie MA with SSHRC funding (Canada Graduate Scholarship), additionally Cristalle is a Killam Laureate.

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A Learned Clergy

As Dalhousie celebrates its 200^th听anniversary, and the Classics Department, with older origins at King鈥檚, keeps a second birthday, we are reminded that Greek and Latin were the first subjects at Maritime universities because they were regarded as the requisites of an educated clergy. Many of our students still go on to the theological studies for which Classics has been the most distinguished preparation. Dr David Butorac (Honours in Classics, 2000; MA, 2001), Benjamin Lee (First Class Honours and the University Medal in Classics, 2006; MA, 2008), Jordan Draper (MA Classics, Fall 2017), Benjamin von Bredow (First Class Honours in Classics and the King鈥檚 Silver Medal, 2017) are all currently taking this road.

听Msgr Hans Feichtinger delivering his paper 鈥淎ugustine and Contemporary Pluralism鈥� to 鈥淲isdom Belongs to God.鈥�

Among the most learned of our clergy graduates is听Msgr听Dr Dr Hans Feichtinger听(MA, 2003) who won the Dalhousie Governor-General鈥檚 Gold Medal for his thesis on Iamblichus and Augustine written under Dr Hankey. He went on to take a theological Doctorate from the Institutum Patristicum Augustinianum in Rome with a thesis on Leo the Great. After several years in the Roman Curia, Fr Feichtinger moved to Ottawa where is now the pastor of St George鈥檚 Catholic Parish. While there, he has finished a second doctorate at the Hochschule f眉r Philosophie SJ, Munich. For this Philosophy degree he wrote a thesis: "Bild und Bildung bei Augustinus", which will be published in the distinguished Patrologia series, directed by a member of the Advisory Council of听Dionysius, Professor H.R. Drobner at Paderborn. With this third thesis, Hans has continued his outstanding intellectual accomplishments.

Dr Feichtinger has been awarded the Hochschule f眉r Philosophie鈥檚 Dissertation Prize; the Alfred-Delp-Preis is a most valuable award!

Appointments

In the current circumstances posts for humanities graduates are highly prized. We are especially pleased to tell you of several now in the hands of recent graduates. I begin with one also in Munich.

听Dr James Bryson听(Honours in Classics and Early Modern Studies, 2005; MA, 2007, with a thesis in Medieval Philosophy supervised by Dr Hankey) has just completed a Visiting Fellowship and a two year SSHRC postdoctoral Fellowship at McGill University working with Professor Tory Kirby (First Class Honours in Classics 1976; MA 1978). He is now moving on 听to two 2 year research posts. The first is at Cambridge University; the second, to be taken up in 2019, will be at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit盲t, Munich.

While at McGill, James published听The Christian Platonism of Thomas Jackson听(Peeters, 2016) perfectly qualifying him to be a Research Associate in 鈥淭he Cambridge Platonists at the Origins of Enlightenment鈥� Project directed by our friend, newly made Professor at Cambridge, Douglas Hedley. Douglas presented a paper and major address at Dr Hankey鈥檚 retirement celebration in June. In Munich Dr Bryson鈥檚 position is in the听Martin-Grabmann-Forshungsinstitut f眉r mittlalteriche Theologie und Philosophie part of the Katholisch-Theologishe Fakult盲t in the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit盲t. There he will work on 鈥淐hristian Neoplatonic Sources of Franz von Baader鈥檚 Philosophy of Love鈥�.

James鈥� father, Peter (MA, 2007), mother Patricia, and sister Barbara have all been students in the Department.

Michelle Milband (MA, 2008, with a thesis on Eriugena鈥檚听Periphyseon听supervised by Dr Hankey), returns to the King鈥檚 Foundation Year Programme as a Senior Fellow. Michelle was a teaching fellow at King鈥檚 (2008-11) and a professor of humanities at Dawson College (2011-17). She comes back to Halifax with her husband Daniel and their daughter Josephine Stella.

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Daniel Wilband听(MA, 2007, with a thesis, 鈥淪elf-knowledge in Plato鈥檚听Alcibiades,鈥� written for Dr Hankey) has a听judicial clerkship at the Ontario Court of Appeal and will join Pink Larkin in Halifax as an Associate. He writes 鈥淚'll start out with a general practice mainly focusing on labour and employment law (union and employee-side), as well as some public law, criminal defence work and civil litigation. I was called to the Ontario bar in June 2016 and will be called to the NS bar in October of this year.鈥�

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听Evan King proposes a toast at "Wisdom Belongs to God"

Dr Evan King听(First Class Honours in Classics 2010; MA, 2012) will join Michelle at King鈥檚 as a new Faculty Fellow in the Humanities. He returns to Halifax with his wife听Elizabeth King听(Curry)听(MA,听2013) and their son听Silas Barry King.听Both Evan and Elizabeth wrote MA theses under Dr Hankey鈥檚 direction and both made substantial contributions to 鈥淲isdom Belongs to God鈥� and to 鈥淕od Everyday and Everywhere.鈥� From 2016-2017, Evan was an Affiliated Lecturer in Divinity at Cambridge, and lectured on texts in ancient and medieval philosophical theology. Liz is the daughter of the听Rev鈥檇 David Curry听(Honours in Classics and German, 1977; MA, 1978). Silas was baptised at Christ Church Windsor by its Rector, his grandfather, on Sunday July 23^rd.

Evan and Michelle join听Aaron Shenkman (Honours in German and Classics, 2014; MA, 2016,听Governor General鈥檚 Gold Medal,听2017) who is now a Residence Don at King鈥檚,听Dr Michael Bennett听(BA, with First Class Honours in Classics and Contemporary Studies, 2007), also a Faculty Fellow in the Humanities, and听Dr Peter O鈥橞rien听(First Class Honours, 1990; MA, 1992) the new King鈥檚 Vice-President.

Dr Rebecca Coughlin听(MA, 2006, with a thesis for Professor Hankey entitled: 鈥�Theourgia听and听Theoria: Divine Activity in Dionysius the Areopagite,鈥�) delivered a paper 鈥淯niting with Divine Wisdom: Theurgic Prayer and Religious Practice in Dionysius and Marsilio Ficino鈥� at 鈥淲isdom Belongs to God鈥�. Rebecca has joined the Trouillard Translation Project which Elizabeth King will now direct from Halifax with the patient effectiveness which characterises her.

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Alumni, Faculty and Friends

Dr Michael Phillip 听Parker听听(February 13, 1948 to April, 2017) composer, violinist, and Classicist educated and gave pleasure to audiences and students from Toronto to Newfoundland. After studies in Toronto and Hamilton,听Michael served as Principal Violist with the Newfoundland Symphony and then stayed in Newfoundland to join the faculty of Sir Wilfred Grenfell College of Memorial University, where he was Professor of Classics and Historical Studies. After retiring from MUN, Michael relocated to Halifax, teaching classics part-time for us, St Mary鈥檚, and the Seniors鈥� College of Nova Scotia. In addition to his classes, he shared his love of opera at both Grenfell and pilipili漫画 through 鈥淪unday Night at the Opera,鈥� a series of lively lectures with screenings of opera productions from his collection.

Michael鈥檚 range of learning and teaching was enormous: everything from Greek and Latin, through archeology and history to music appreciation. With this scope, his popularity as a teacher,听and his willingness to help wherever he could, Michael saved us in difficult situations. We are sorry to have lost him through cancer, are most grateful for his help, generosity, and many charitable works, and this tribute to those of his many friends who held celebrations of his life in Toronto, Corner Brook and Halifax.

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Dr Dr Albert M. Henrichs听(December 29, 1942 to April 16, 2017). We are sorry to record the passing of the Eliot Professor of Greek at 听Harvard University, a long time friend and supporter of the Department, its faculty and students, member of the Editorial Advisory Council of听Dionysius.听Born in Cologne, the 10^th听Eliot Professor was the first holder of this most distinguished Chair neither to have been born in the USA nor educated at Harvard.

听听听听听听听听听听听 His publication of a Manichee papyrus Codex at the age of 26 established him as a听Wunderkind听of classical scholarship. He gained tenure at Harvard at the extraordinary age of 30. The scholarly coups and the work on Dionysus by this happy, generous, teacher made his appointment and performance in the Chair he held from 1984 to his death a cause of universal applause.

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At Moncton, Kevin Powers (MA, 2006, with a thesis for Dr Hankey entitled, 鈥淎 Historical Analysis and Categorization of Augustine鈥檚 Treatment of Romans 1:19-20,鈥�) has started an Online Latin Academy.听

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Metaphysics, Laughter, and Tears

A personal reflection on 鈥淲isdom belongs to God鈥� and 鈥淕od Everyday and Everywhere鈥�

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The Laughter of the Musicians performing a passage from Haydn鈥檚听Creation听for 鈥淲isdom Belongs to God鈥� in the Library it inspired.

If Aristotle is right, metaphysics, in which humans exercise their highest power and raise themselves to the divinity they participate, should be their happiest activity. So it seemed to be for a week from Sunday, June 18^th听to Saturday, June 24^th.

The first view I had of the participants was of a room full of happy laughing friends, gathered from fifty years of my students, colleagues, and auditors, and glad either to see one another again or to meet the earlier or later members of my classes. Especially close, and mutually exultant, were members of the metaphysics seminar I taught with Professor Doull during his last years in the Department and inherited from him.

The Colloquium gathered in 95 participants, half again more than we expected, and, by association with it, the Atlantic Theological Conference doubled its recent numbers. They came from continental Europe, England and Ireland, from South America, from all across the USA and Canada. The Rev鈥檇 Dr John Paul Westin joined us from his present parish, St John鈥檚 Stone Church, NB. Forty years ago he came to Classics from Charlottetown, PEI, via the Foundation Year Programme. John Paul wrote the first thesis I supervised for a MA in 1983 and was happy to meet those now working with us. One of them, Justin Wolff, is rethinking the structure of the听Confessions听with me, with an eye to the role physical nature plays. Under the direction of Dr Peter O鈥橞rien and听Donna听Edwards, Justin organised 鈥淲isdom belongs to God鈥� so flawlessly that there was nothing to interrupt our common intellectual pleasures.

John Paul told me that his thesis, 鈥�Fides Quaerens Rectitudinem, A study of the unity of subject and object in Anselm of Canterbury,鈥� motivated his extraordinarily fruitful ministry, in rural Nova Scotia, Montreal, Sweden, St John鈥檚, Newfoundland, and St John, New Brunswick. He declared himself reinvigorated by our celebration and, like many others, hoped there would be Classics Alumni gatherings for intellectual renewal in the future.

According to Philo Judaeus, Paradise is the life of pure intellect from which humans fell into divided and dividing reason, the experiential 听knowledge of good and evil. This interpretation of Genesis was passed on by the Greek Fathers; Eriugena worked out his anthropology on its basis and transmitted it to the Latin West. There could be nothing more appropriate to a celebration of metaphysics than that the entrancing passage from Hayden鈥檚 creation, where Adam and Eve walk hand in hand in the freshness of the primal garden, should be performed at its culmination. Musicians, instrumentalists, chorus and soloists, organised by Nick Halley and including his father, Paul, recreated it in the Reading Room of the King鈥檚 Library just before Aaron Weldon鈥檚 happy portrait of me was unveiled.

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Aaron Weldon鈥檚 portrait of Dr Hankey, Librarian of King鈥檚 College from 1981 to 1993, now hanging in the Reading Room of the Library where it continues to receive universal approbation.

The musical passage provided the inspiration for the design of the Library executed by the much regretted Roy Wilwerth and myself. So the first tears were shed when the lone oboe sounded the听 exquisite melody.

听听听听听听听听听听听 The final tears were shed on Saturday morning when we parted amid demands that Classics form an Alumni association. I delivered heartfelt thanks and said 鈥済ood-bye鈥� to everyone, promising that I would now retreat into inaccessible seclusion.听Within twelve hours听I was writing a potential student converted to Classics during our Colloquium and Conference. We now meet weekly to read Plato, Plotinus, and Augustine together. I have been听appointed Emeritus Professor of Classics and share my old office with Dr Grundke. I am actively supervising five MA theses at present and,听in the Winter Term of 2018, will teach a seminar on Augustine鈥檚听Confessions. Classics / Religious Studies 3413 and 5070. On 听Monday evenings this Fall, beginning on September 11^tth听at听7pm, I shall read through Charles Williams'听The Descent of the Dove听at St George's Round Church (details under "Talks" on my Academia.edu site).

听听听听听听听听听听听 I am not attempting here to summarise the individual and cumulative effect of the forty-eight addresses, papers, and responses, surrounded by hours of discussions over the week when intellect did not sleep (鈥渁nd for this reason are waking, perception and thinking most pleasant鈥�听Metaphysics听螞.7). After review, selected papers will be published in the next two issues of听Dionysius. There all can enjoy what was accomplished. I can say now that important and real developments in thought were worked out and recognized in areas from the crucial matching of matter and the body with form and thought in Platonism, and the role of liturgy and ritual in reason, to fundamental misrepresentations of Islam dominating current conflicts. Look forward to听Dionysius听35 and 36.

Dr Peter O鈥橞rien provokes Laughter spreading from Cambridge and Ireland to Summerside, PEI and Halifax, and thence across Canada to Toronto and Calgary. 鈥淭he actuality of thought is Life.鈥�

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听鈥淭he heavens and the world of nature depend on a principle which is life such as the best we can enjoy 鈥� 听since its actuality is also pleasure.鈥� (Metaphysics听螞.7)

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Help Happiness to Keep Happening

Donations for the work of the Department may be made at

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Wayne J. Hankey September 7^th听2017