Austin College’s Western Intellectual Tradition Program will present Classics Week with lectures and programs planned February 11 and 13. Dr. Thomas Blake, assistant professor of English and director of the Western Intellectual Tradition program, invites all members of the community to attend.All events will be held in Wright Campus Center, Room 231. Each session will close with a question-and-answer period.
On Tuesday, February 11, at 11:30 a.m., Dr. Martin Wells, Austin College assistant professor of classics, and his summer research students will present information about their archeological work on the Huqoq Excavation Project in Israel. Wells, who recently completed his fourth year as the architectural specialist at the site, has taken students with him each year for the month-long excavation season.
In 2019, working with a team of specialists and students led by Jodi Magness, professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wells and the group uncovered an unparalleled range of scenes decorating the mosaic floor of the fifth-century synagogue at Huqoq, an ancient Jewish village in Israel’s Lower Galilee. Graduate John Huggins ’19 made his third trip to Huqoq and John T. Haynes ’20 completed his second trip. Emily Dillon ’22 and Christian Hallum ’22 participated in the architectural dig for the first time in 2019.
On Tuesday afternoon at 4:30, Dr. Alex Garganigo, Austin College associate professor of English, will speak about Assyrian satirist Lucian of Samosata and his impact on early modern science.
On Thursday, February 13, in collaboration with the Johnson Center for Teaching Excellence and Faculty Development, an interdisciplinary panel will present “Modernizing Mythologies.” Featuring Austin College faculty Dr. Robert Cape, classics; Dr. Julie Hempel, Spanish; and Dr. Colin Foss, French, the panel will examine the many ways that mythologies—both canonical and peripheral, classical and indigenous—have been adapted, appropriated, and reinterpreted, from artist Romare Bearden’s universalizing A Black Odyssey collages to the lingering impact of Mesoamerican mythologies to the “Amazones de la Seine” who drew upon legends of Amazonian warrior-women to legitimate the revolutionary Commune of Paris.
On Thursday, February 13, in collaboration with the Johnson Center for Teaching Excellence and Faculty Development, an interdisciplinary panel will present “Modernizing Mythologies.” Featuring Austin College faculty Dr. Robert Cape, classics; Dr. Julie Hempel, Spanish; and Dr. Colin Foss, French, the panel will examine the many ways that mythologies—both canonical and peripheral, classical and indigenous—have been adapted, appropriated, and reinterpreted, from artist Romare Bearden’s universalizing A Black Odyssey collages to the lingering impact of Mesoamerican mythologies to the “Amazones de la Seine” who drew upon legends of Amazonian warrior-women to legitimate the revolutionary Commune of Paris.
This panel also will address the unique challenges and opportunities presented when teaching mythologies and how adaptations can highlight their enduring political and cultural importance.
On Thursday at 4:30 p.m., with the help of the Austin College Theatre Department, WIT will introduce artist Joe Goodkin, who will perform his widely acclaimed musical retelling The Odyssey: A Folk Opera.
Described on the artist’s website as “part lecture, part musical performance, and part interactive discussion,” Goodkin’s presentation is highlighted by a 30-minute, continuous performance of 24 original compositions for solo acoustic guitar and voice, with lyrics inspired by Odysseus’ famous exploits. The artist says the performance “deconstructs the story of The Odyssey in song, invoking the spirit of the ancient Greek bards who originally brought forth the timeless stories of Odysseus and the heroes of the Trojan War, while making the poem and the circumstances of its creation accessible to modern audiences of all ages.”
Goodkin says he draws from his bachelor’s degree in classics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his years of writing and performing original rock and acoustic music to create his show. He has performed his Odyssey nearly 300 times in 39 U.S. states and Canada and been honored with several Composers Awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.
Goodkin says he draws from his bachelor’s degree in classics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his years of writing and performing original rock and acoustic music to create his show. He has performed his Odyssey nearly 300 times in 39 U.S. states and Canada and been honored with several Composers Awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with 46 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and more than 100 expert faculty members allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Austin College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.