Gaisford Prize

The Gaisford Prize is a prize in the University of Oxford, founded in 1855 in memory of Dr Thomas Gaisford (1779–1855). For most of its history, the prize was awarded for Classical Greek Verse and Prose. The prizes are now the Gaisford Essay Prize and the Gaisford Dissertation Prize.

History

Dr Thomas Gaisford, Dean of Christ Church, Regius Professor of Greek in the University of Oxford for more than forty years (1811–1855), died on 2 June 1855. Ten days later, at a meeting held in Christ Church on 12 June, it was resolved to establish a prize in his honour, to be called the Gaisford Prize, and to raise for that purpose £1,000 by public subscription, the interest to be applied "to reward a successful prizeman or prizemen, under such regulations as shall be approved by Convocation". [Urban, Sylvanus, "The Gentleman's Magazine", Vol. XLIV (July to December 1855) [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=0xcq_Ejp6pEC&pg=PA100&lpg=PA100&dq=%22Gaisford+Prize%22&source=web&ots=EqgRPfMSxH&sig=6ny2TJ7iuy-yYi_Oztm78TYQa60&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result#PPA100,M1 page 100] online at books.google.co.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]

The Prize was first awarded in 1857.

When Oscar Wilde won the Newdigate Prize in 1878, his prize poem, "Ravenna", was published by Thomas Shrimpton and Son of Oxford with two lists of names on the wrapper, one of the winners of the Newdigate Prize from 1840 to 1877, the other of the winners of the Gaisford Prize for Greek Prose from 1857 to 1876. [Mason, Stuart, "Bibliography of Oscar Wilde", (Reprint by Read Books, 2007, of 1914 edition, ISBN 9781406754858) p. 241]

There were originally two Gaisford Prizes, for Greek Verse and for Greek Prose. To these were added two more, for an Essay and for a Dissertation. However, under 'Part 21: Gaisford Fund', the current Schedule to the University's "Statutes and Regulations" provides for only two prizes: cquote|(1) a Gaisford Essay Prize for Greek Language and Literature (for which only undergraduates shall be eligible);
(2) a Gaisford Dissertation Prize for Greek or Latin Language and Literature (for which only graduates shall be eligible). [ [http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/statutes/354-051b.shtml#_Toc28142712 Schedule (Page 2 of 5)] to "Statutes and Regulations of the University of Oxford", online at admin.ox.ac.uk, accessed 16 August 2008]

Winners of the Gaisford Prize for Greek Verse

*1857: J. H. Warner, Balliol, for Greek hexameters, from Milton, "Paradise Lost", VI, 56 [Warner, J. H., " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nhAOAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover Gaisford Prize: Greek Hexameters Recited in the Theatre, Oxford, June 24, MDCCCLVII] (Oxford: T. and G. Shrimpton, 1857), online at books.google.co.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]
*1858: R. Broughton, Balliol, for Greek iambics, from Shakespeare, King Henry IV, Part I, Act II, scene 4 [Broughton, R., " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nhAOAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover Gaisford Prize: Greek Iambics Recited in the Theatre, Oxford, June 16, MDCCCLVIII] (Oxford: T. and G. Shrimpton, 1858), online at books.google.co.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]
*1859: George R. Luke, Balliol, for Greek verse, from the "Morte D'Arthur" [Luke, George R., " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=FtQIAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#PPP5,M1 Morte D'Arthur, The Gaisford Prize Poem: Recited in the Sheldonian Theatre, July 6, A. D. MDCCCLIX] (Oxford: T. and G. Shrimpton, 1859), online at books.google.co.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]
*1860: Chaloner W. Chute, for Greek iambics, from Shakespeare, King Richard III, Act IV, scene 4 [Chute, Chaloner W., " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=bgcJAAAAQAAJ Gaisford Prize: Greek Iambics Recited in the Theatre, Oxford, June 20, MDCCCLX] (Oxford: T. and G. Shrimpton, 1860), online at books.google.co.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]
*1861: James Bryce, Trinity, for "The May Queen: a Greek idyll" [Bryce, James, "The May queen : a Greek idyll": Gaisford prize, Greek verse (Oxford: T. and G. Shrimpton, 1861, 7 pp.)]
*1862: Robert W. Raper, Trinity, for Greek iambics, from Shakespeare, King Henry IV, Part II, Act IV, scene 3 [Raper, Robert W., " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=iAYJAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover Gaisford Prize: Greek Iambics Recited in the Theatre, Oxford, July 2, MDCCCLXII] (Oxford: T. and G. Shrimpton, 1862), online at books.google.co.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]
*1863: Charles J. Pearson, for Homeric hexameters, from Milton's "Paradise Lost" [Pearson, Charles J., "Gaisford Prize: A translation of Milton's "Paradise lost", Book 6, 824–877, Homeric hexameters : recited in the Theatre, Oxford, June 17, MDCCCLXIII] (Oxford: T. and G. Shrimpton, 1863)]
*1864: Evelyn Abbott, Balliol, for Greek tragic iambics, etc., from Shakespeare, Pericles, Act V, Scene 1
*1865: Ernest Myers, Balliol [ [http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poet/383.html Selected Poetry of Ernest Myers (1844–1921)] at rpo.library.utoronto.ca, accessed 16 August 2008]
*1866: George Nutt, New College, for Greek comic iambics, from Shakespeare, King Henry IV, Part II, Act I, Scene 2 [Nutt, George, " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5jQBAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#PPT9,M1 Gaisford Prize: Greek Comic Iambics Recited in the Theatre, Oxford, Jube xiii, mdccclxvi] (Oxford: Rivingtons, 1866), online at books.google.co.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]
*1867: Alexander M. Bell, Balliol, for "Dante poeta apud Inferos" [Bell, Alexander M., " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&id=rr0DAAAAQAAJ&dq=%22Gaisford+Prize%22+1867&printsec=frontcover Gaisford Prize Recited in the Theatre, Oxford, June 26, 1867, by Alexander M. Bell, Balliol College] " (Oxford: T. and G. Shrimpton, 1867, 15pp.)]
*1868: Richard Lewis Nettleship, Balliol, for "City of Pygmies" [" [http://archives.balliol.ox.ac.uk/Exhibitions/exhib14Nettleship.asp Richard Lewis Nettleship (1846–1892), philosopher] ", at balliol.ox.ac.uk, accessed 16 August 2008] [Nettleship, Richard Lewis, "Pygmæorum civitas: dialogus græcus, præmio Gaisfordiano dignatus A.D. MDCCCLXVIII auctore H. Nettleship (Oxford: T. and G. Shrimpton, 1868, 12pp.)]
*1869: John Arthur Godley, Balliol, for Greek Theocritean verse, from Shakespeare, Cymbeline, act 4, scene 2 [Godley, John Arthur, " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=XgYJAAAAQAAJ&pgis=1 Gaisford Prize: Greek Theocritean verse Recited in the Theatre, Oxford, July 4, MDCCCLXIX] " (Oxford: T. and G. Shrimpton, 1869), online at books.google.co.uk, accessed 14 August 2008] [Matthew, H. C. G., 'Godley, (John) Arthur, first Baron Kilbracken (1847–1932), civil servant' in "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford University Press, 2004 ( [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/33436 online edition] , subscription required), accessed 16 August 2008]
*1871: Edward Byron Nicholson, Trinity, for Greek verse "Hymnos eis Asteras" [Nicholson, Edward Byron, "Gaisford Prize: Greek verse recited in the Sheldonian theatre, Oxford, June 14, MDCCCLXXI" (Oxford: G. Shrimpton, 1870, 7 pp.)]
*1876: Arthur Elam Haigh, verse from William Shakespeare [Haigh, Arthur Elam, " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=4hAOAAAAQAAJ&pgis=1 Gaisford Prize: Greek Verse] " (Oxford: Thos. Shrimpton & Son, 1876), online at books.google.co.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]
*1877: Sidney Graves Hamilton, verse from John Milton [Hamilton, Sidney Graves, " [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=FsQIAAAAQAAJ&pgis=1 Gaisford Prize: Greek Verse] " (Oxford: 1877), online at books.google.co.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]
*1882: William Ross Hardie, Balliol, for Greek comic iambics, translation from Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act II, scene 5 [Hardie, William Ross, "Gaisford Prize: Greek iambics" (Oxford: B. H. Blackwell, 1884, 15 pp.)]
*1883: Cecil Henry St Leger Russell, TrinityFoster, "op. cit": "Russell, Cecil Henry St. Leger, born at Trinidad, West Indies, 18 April, 1862 ; is. Richard, arm. TRINITY, matric. 15 Oct., 81, aged 19 (from Lancing coll.), scholar 81–5, B.A. 86, M.A. 88 (HONOURS: 2 classical mods. 82, Latin verse 82, Greek verse 83, Greek prose 84, 2 classics 85); a master at Clifton coll."]
*1884: Harry Hammond House, Corpus Christi, for Greek iambics, translation from Shakespeare, King Henry IV Part 2, Act 1, sc. 1 [House, Harry Hammond, "Gaisford Prize: Greek iambics" (Oxford: B. H. Blackwell, 1884, 11 pp.)]
*1889: René Louis Alphonse Du Pontet, Trinity, for Greek hexameters [Du Pontet, René L. A., "Gaisford prize, 1889. Hexameter verse" (Oxford: B. H. Blackwell, 1889, 15 pp.)] [Foster, Joseph, " [http://ia350602.us.archive.org/1/items/oxfordmen188018900fostuoft/oxfordmen188018900fostuoft_djvu.txt Oxford men, 1880–1892, with a record of their schools, honours and degrees] " (1893) online at us.archive.org, accessed 18 August 2008: "Du-Pontet, Rene Louis Alphonse, born in London 27 Aug., 1868; is. Marc Jules Henri, cler. TRINITY, matric. 15 Oct., 87, aged 19 (from St. Paul's school), scholar 86, B.A. 91 (HONOURS : i classical mods. 89, 2 classics 91, Hertford scholarship 88, Greek verse 89, Taylorian (French) scholarship 89, Latin verse 90, Craven scholarship 90, Latin essay 92, Derby scholarship 92) ; a master at Winchester"]
*1890: William Martin Geldart, Balliol, for Greek comic iambics, from Shakespeare, Henry V, Act II, Scene III
*1894: George Stuart Robertson, for Shakespeare's King Henry IV, part II, act 2, scene II, lines 1–100, translated into comic iambic verse
*1896: Edward L. D. Cole, for Greek hexameters [Cole, Edward L. D., "Gaisford prize, 1896. Greek hexameters" (Oxford, B. H. Blackwell, 1896, 13 pp.)]
*1902: Edward William Macleay Grigg, New College, for translation from Shakespeare, Richard III, act 1, scene 2 [Rose, Kenneth, 'Grigg, Edward William Macleay, first Baron Altrincham (1879–1955), colonial administrator and politician' (rev.) in "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford University Press, 2004, ( [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/33584 online edition] , January 2008, subscription required) accessed 16 August 2008]
*1916: Godfrey Rolles Driver, New CollegeJ. A. Emerton, 'Driver, Sir Godfrey Rolles (1892–1975)', in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004]
*1927: Ronald Syme, Oriel, for a passage of Morris's "Sigurd the Volsung" into Homeric hexameters
*1928: Denys Lionel Page, for greek tragic iambics, translation of John Masefield's "Pompey the Great", Act 2, Scene 1 [Page, Denys Lionel, "Tragic iambics: A translation of Masefield's Pompey the Great, Act 2, Scene I (Gaisford prize for Greek verse)" (Oxford: B. Blackwell, 1928)] [Lloyd-Jones, Hugh, 'Page, Sir Denys Lionel (1908–1978), classical scholar' in "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford University Press, 2004)]
*1930: Brian Davidson, translation of Addison's "Cato", Act IV, scene 4, to Act V, scene 1 [Davidson, Brian, "A translation of Addison's 'Cato', act IV, sc.iv, to act V, sc.1: Gaisford prize for Greek verse" (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1930, 8 pp.)]
*1934: Spencer Barrett, Christ Church. ['BARRETT, (William) Spencer' in "Who Was Who", A & C Black, 1920–2007, online edition (subscription required) by Oxford University Press, December 2007: " [http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U6640 BARRETT, (William) Spencer] ", accessed 14 August 2008]
*1936: John Godfrey Griffith, for translation of Tolstoy's 'Thou shalt not kill' [Griffith, John Godfrey, "Tolstoy's 'Thou shalt not kill': Translated into Greek verse, Gaisford prize for Greek prose, 1936" (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1936)]
*1995: No prize awarded (but honourably mentioned: Martin Revermann, Corpus Christi) [http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/backissues/9495/230695/notc.txt Oxford University Gazette, 23 June 1995] at ox.ac.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]
*1996: Jeremy Grant, Worcester [http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/1995-6/weekly/250796/notc.htm#2Ref Oxford University Gazette, 25 July 1996] at ox.ac.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]
*1998: No prize awarded (but honourably mentioned: Letizia Palladini, Balliol) [http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/1998-9/weekly/240998/notc.htm Oxford University Gazette, 24 September 1998] at ox.ac.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]
*1999: Luke Pitcher [http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/1999-00/weekly/230999/notc.htm#35Ref Oxford University Gazette, 23 September 1999] at ox.ac.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]
*2000: Laura Bender, Magdalen [http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/2000-1/weekly/191000/notc.htm#22Ref Oxford University Gazette, 19 Octobber 2000] at ox.ac.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]

Winners of the Gaisford Prize for Greek Prose

*1858: George R. Luke, Balliol, for "Nikais : a Greek dialogue on superstition" [Luke, George R., "Nikais : a Greek dialogue on superstition", Gaisford prize, Greek prose (Oxford: T. and G. Shrimpton, 1858, 23 pp.)]
*1861: Charles Bigg, Corpus Christi [Jones, Martin D. W., 'Bigg, Charles (1840–1908)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 ( [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/31882 online] (subscription site), accessed 16 August 2008]
*1870: John Arthur Godley, Balliol, for "Phidias, or Concerning Sculpture: a Platonic dialogue" [Godley, John Arthur, " [Gaisford Prize: Phidias, or Concerning Sculpture: a Platonic dialogue" (Oxford: T. and G. Shrimpton, 1870)]
*1871: George Edward Jeans, for "Iceland : in Herodotean prose" [Jeans, George Edward, "Gaisford Prize: Iceland: in Herodotean prose" (Oxford: George Shrimpton, 1871, 19 pp. )]
*1880: William Yorke Fausset, Balliol [Bertie, David M., "Scottish Episcopal Clergy, 1689–2000", p. 254: "FAUSSET, William Yorke, M.A. b. 1859... Gaisford Prize (Prose) 1880... D 1884, P 1887... Became headmaster of Ripon Grammar School, Yorks. in 1890"]
*1884: Cecil Henry St Leger Russell, Trinity, for "The Athenian state: a platonic dialogue" [Russell, Cecil Henry St Leger, "Gaisford prize, Greek prose: The Athenian state: a platonic dialogue" (Oxford & London: B. H. Blackwell, 1884)]
*1895: George Stuart Robertson, for "Herodotus in Britain" [Robertson, George Stuart, "Herodotus in Britain", Gaisford prize for Greek prose (Oxford: Blackwell, 1895)]
*1903: Robert William Chapman, Oriel [Powell, L. F., 'Chapman, Robert William (1881–1960)', rev. M. Clare Loughlin-Chow, in "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/32366 online edn, May 2006] (subscription site), accessed 16 August 2008]
*1907: John Davidson Beazley, Balliol, for "Herodotus at the Zoo" [Beazley, John Davidson, "Herodotus at the Zoo" (Oxford: Blackwell, reprinted 1911)]
*1913: Godfrey Rolles Driver, New College
*1922: William Francis Ross Hardie, for "A Lucianic dialogue between Socrates in Hades and certain men of the present day" [Known as Frank Hardie, later a Fellow of Magdalen and Corpus Christi and President of Corpus Christi from 1950 to 1969]
*1926: Ronald Syme, Oriel, a section of Thomas More's "Utopia" into Platonic proseMillar, Fergus, Hannah M. Cotton, & Guy M. Rogers, "Rome, the Greek World, and the East", [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CVz_Jvp4DGEC&pg=RA1-PA401&lpg=RA1-PA401&dq=%22Gaisford+Prize%22&source=web&ots=LWpbL9y3Av&sig=DgbuLju_ZCjtTK136QdgJ1uK2yw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=9&ct=result page 401] online at books.google.co.uk, accessed 14 August 2008]
*1930: Peter J. McGowen, transl. of Leo Tolstoy's "The First Step", Chapter VII [ [http://library.georgetown.edu/dept/speccoll/fl/f67%7D1.htm#id26703 Rev. Stephen X. Winters S.J. Papers] at georgetown.edu, accessed 16 August 2008]
*1931: J. L. Austin, Balliol [Hacker, P. M. S. 'Austin, John Langshaw (1911–1960)', in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/30505 online] (subscription site), accessed 16 August 2008]
*1995: Deborah W. Rooke, Regent's Park College
*1996: Holger Gzella, Worcester
*1998: Sinead Willis, New College [ [http://www.new.ox.ac.uk/pdfs/25%20years_distinctions.pdf 25 YEARS OF WOMEN AT NEW COLLEGE DISTINCTIONS] at new.ox.ac.uk, accessed 16 August 2008]
*1999: Letizia Poli-Palladini, Balliol
*2000: Luke Pitcher, Somerville
*2002: Oliver Thomas, New College

Winners of the Gaisford Essay Prize

*1996: Ben Rowland, Balliol
*1998: No prize awarded (but honourably mentioned: David Hodgkinson, Balliol)
*2007: Sarah Cullinan, Oriel
*2008: Robert Colborn, New College

Winners of the Gaisford Dissertation Prize

*1998: No prize awarded
*1999: Letizia Poli-Palladini, Balliol, and Tobias Reinhardt, Corpus Christi (jointly)
*2002: Wolfgang David Cirilo de Melo (jointly), for work on the Latin verb system [de Melo, Wolfgang David Cirilo, "The Early Latin Verb System", Preface, p. ix: "I should like to thank the anonymous committees that gave me the Gaisford Prize for Greek Verse (jointly) and the Gaisford Dissertation Prize (jointly). The latter was for my 2002"b" article, which forms the basis of Ch. 6."]
*2008: Oliver Thomas, New College and Balliol [http://users.ox.ac.uk/~newc1437/CV.htm Oliver Thomas CV] at users.ox.ac.uk, accessed 16 August 2008]

Notable winning entries

John Davidson Beazley's winning entry for the 1907 Greek Prose prize, "Herodotus at the Zoo", was reprinted by Blackwell in 1911 and later appeared in a collection of classical parodies produced in Switzerland in 1968. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography calls it "an enchanting work". [Robertson, Martin , 'Beazley, Sir John Davidson (1885–1970)', rev. David Gill, in "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Oxford University Press, 2004 ( [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/30664 online edition] (subscription required) accessed 16 Aug 2008]

George Stuart Robertson won the prize for Greek Verse in 1894 with a translation of a hundred lines of Shakespeare into comic iambic verse, and the next year he won the prize for Greek Prose and a Blue for hammer throwing. He heard about the 1896 Summer Olympics, the first of the modern era, and later explained "Greek classics were my proper academic field, so I could hardly resist a go at the Olympics, could I?" On arrival in Athens, he found to his dismay that his discipline of hammer throwing was not to be competed in, so in the spirit of amateurism he entered the shot putt, the discus and the tennis. In the discus, he recorded the Games' worst ever throw, and in the tennis doubles he lost his only match but nevertheless won a Bronze Medal. In a ceremony after the Games, Robertson recited an ode to athletic prowess which he had composed in Greek. [Hodge, Gavvandra, [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4159/is_20040808/ai_n12758530 Olympian odes: I say, what rhymes with Discoboloi?] in "The Independent on Sunday" August 8, 2004, at findarticles.com]

In fiction

In Max Beerbohm's satirical tragedy of undergraduate life at Oxford, "Zuleika Dobson" (1911), the hero, called the Duke of Dorset, ["Or in full", John Albert Edward Claude Orde Angus Tankerton Tanville-Tankerton, fourteenth Duke of Dorset, Marquis of Dorset, Earl of Grove, Earl of Chastermaine, Viscount Brewsby, Baron Grove, Baron Petstrap, and Baron Wolock] has won one of the Prizes: quote|At Eton he had been called "Peacock", and this nick-name had followed him up to Oxford. It was not wholly apposite, however. For, whereas the peacock is a fool even among birds, the Duke had already taken (besides a particularly brilliant First in Mods) the Stanhope, the Newdigate, the Lothian, and the Gaisford Prize for Greek Verse. [Beerbohm, Max, " [http://www.fullbooks.com/Zuleika-Dobson1.html Zuleika Dobson (Part 1 out of 5)] " online at fullbooks.com, accessed 16 August 2008]

References

ee also

*Prizes named after people
*List of British literary awards
*List of poetry awards
*List of years in poetry
*List of years in literature
*List of prizes