Nicola Gardini, acclaimed novelist and University of Oxford professor, offers a personal and passionate look at the Latin language in his forthcoming book Long Live Latin (2019). He examines the language's history, its authors, its essential role in education, and its enduring impact on modern life. Gardini encourages readers to engage with a civilization that has never ceased to exist, because it’s here with us now, whether we know it or not. Through careful guidance, even without a single bit of Latin grammar, readers can discover how this language is still capable of restoring our sense of identity, with a power that only supposedly useless things can miraculously express. Gardini discussed themes from his book during his lecture, followed by a conversation with Georgetown College Dean Christopher Celenza and an audience Q&A. A public reception followed the event.
This event was co-sponsored by the Future of the Humanities Project, the Georgetown Humanities Initiative, and the Georgetown University Library.
Nicola Gardini, M.A., Ph.D., teaches Italian and comparative literature at the University of Oxford. He has translated works by Catullus and Marcus Aurelius into Italian, and his novel, Lost Words, was awarded the Viareggio Literary Award and the Zerilli-Marimò/City of Rome Prize.
Christopher S. Celenza, Ph.D., Dr.phil., is the dean of Georgetown College at Georgetown University, where he is also a professor of history and classics.
