Honors College Welcomes University of Pennsylvania Professor to Speak on Roman Antiquity

Media contact: Terry Goodrich, (254) 710-3321
WACO, Texas (April 24, 2013)--Written in the Latin language, Roman literature remains an enduring reflection of the culture and traditions of ancient Rome.
Baylor University's Honors College welcomes Joseph Farrell, Ph.D., professor of classics at the University of Pennsylvania, for a lecture on Roman antiquity.
Farrell will present "How Modern Was Roman Antiquity?" at 3 p.m. Friday, April 26, in Memorial Drawing Room in Memorial Residence Hall, 1425 South Seventh St.
"Professor Farrell is among the finest philologists of our time," said Alden Smith, Ph.D., Associate Dean of the Honors College in Baylor's College of Arts & Sciences.
"He has a unique pedigree, with mentors as superb as Agnes Michaels, G. N. Knauer and James J. O'Donnell.
Farrell has made his mark at the University of Pennsylvania, in terms of his publication record, editorship and the 15 dissertations he has directed. Among his publications, most prominent is "Virgil's Georgics and the Traditions of Ancient Epic" (1991). Many of the dissertations Farrell directed have led to fine academic careers, including John McMahon, Ph.D., professor of classics at LeMoyne College; Benjamin Lee, Ph.D., professor of classics at Oberlin College; and Baylor's own Alden Smith, professor of classics in the College of Arts & Sciences.
"Students who come to Dr. Farrell's lecture will learn not simply the intertextual nature of literature, but how texts from Virgil to Machiavelli and beyond, intersect with and inform the human experience, i.e., our lives," Smith said.
"Literature speaks to life at least as much as life informs the literary imagination. Such thoughtful symbiosis of life and art is the hallmark of all of Dr. Farrell's work."
For more information on the lecture, contact the honors college at 254-710-1523.
by Rebecca Malzahn , student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.

ABOUT BAYLOR COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University's oldest and largest academic division, consisting of 26 academic departments and 13 academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. Faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines.