Wednesday, April 19. 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
Classics professor gives epic performance
Famous works translated into modern texts
By Jim O'Malley
writer@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The Odyssey first enthralled audiences 3,000 years ago. Stanley Lombardo's reading last night from his new translation of Homer's ancient Greek epic poem showed that it still has the power to draw a crowd.
Lombardo, professor of classics, drew a capacity crowd of about 100 people to the auditorium at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St.
The reading was part of a series of presentations by local authors sponsored by the library and The Raven Bookstore. 8 E. Seventh St.
Pat Kehde, one of The Raven's owners, said it was one of the first public readings from Lombardo's translation of Homer's Odyssey.
Lombardo began his presentation by reading the opening lines of the Odyssey in Greek and then switched to English for book five of the poem, in which the goddess Athena freed the hero, Odysseus, from Calypso's cave so he could return home.
Lombardi beat softly on a drum as he read.
As he did in his acclaimed translation of the Iliad, Lombard used modern language and phrases that made the story understandable to modern readers.
Lombardo avoided a literal translation of the poem's opening line, which calls on the Muses, who, in Greek mythology, were the daughters of Memory. He said the Muses meant nothing to modern readers.
"I simply translated it as 'Speak, Memory,'" he said.
Lombardo's reading differed slightly from the text of his translation.
"This is my original version," he said. "I translated for performance."
That's how the ancients did it, he said. They improvised, and if it worked well, they'd keep it.
Some lines were changed in editing, he said, and sometimes things occurred to him as he read.
He said translating was more than just changing words into another language.
"I try to stay true to the essential vision rather than to the words," Lombardo said.
For example, adjectives should be avoided in English, but the Greek language uses many adjectives, Lombardo said. So he turned the Greek adjectives into events.
And he tried rhythmically echo Beowulf, Walt Whitman, William Carlos Williams and Ezra Pound.
He said he had been "locking eyebrows" with Homer for 10 years to try to see as Homer did while translating the Iliad and the Odyssey. His translation of the Iliad was released in 1997, and the Odyssey was published this year.
"It kind of left me with a terrible case of postpartum depression," Lombardo said.
University of Kansas professor of classics Stanley Lombardo signs copies of his translation of Homer's Odyssey last night at the Lawrence Public Library. Lombardo said that he tried to stay true to the essential vision of the Odyssey by picturing what Homer saw. Photo by Craig Bennett/KANSAN
Greek community unites to break down stereotypes
By Jessie Meyer
writer@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
The three branches of the greek community will be united as one today.
The members of all greek chapters in the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Association and the National Pan-Hellenic Council will join up for Greek Unity Day today by wearing white ribbons and clothing that display their respective greek letters.
ty.
The event was designed to open communication among the groups and to tear down any stereotypes that may exist, said Shyra McGee, Wichita senior and president of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority, a historically African-American sorority.
McGee coordinated the event with Thomas Franklin, president of Phi Kappa Tau fraterni-
"There's no real mixing of the groups, and if you don't spend time with someone, you don't really associate with them," McGee said. "We are hoping to break down the barriers between the Greek organizations."
The day includes a brown bag lunch from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Alcove C in the Kansas Union that will give students the opportunity to interact and introduce themselves to other greek members.
There also will be a reception at 6 p.m. at the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity house, 1100 Indiana St., Franklin said.
"The reception is a chance for everyone to interact again with people they met in the afternoon." said Franklin, Independence senior. "The goal is to have each group feel free to talk to each other. I just hope we
get more cohesiveness within the groups."
Franklin said he hoped Greek Unity Day would become an annual event, even if this year didn't produce a large turnout.
“It's something that needs to be done every year,” Franklin said. “We're a great greek system, but I think we could be a lot more unified.”
McGee agreed and said she thought the day already had been a success because since the idea came about, there already had been inter-organization events discussed.
"We are extremely excited about the possibilities, not just for this year, but for next year, too," McGee said. "But if nothing else happens, people will see that an NPHC sorority and an IFC fraternity could have a joint activity that doesn't go haywire."
Science professor wins achievement award
By Mike Hoffman writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Ronald T. Borchardt, professor of pharmaceutical chemistry, is one of only 21 scientists in the world to receive the Millennial Award for lifetime achievement.
The Millennial World Congress of Pharmaceutical Scientists honored Borchardt Sunday night in San Francisco.
"I'm very honored to have been selected for my achievements over the last 30 years," Borchardt said. "It's gratifying to have your peers recognize you as one of the top pharmaceutical scientists."
Borchardt's work has spanned a wide range of disciplines, as he has been recognized for his work in enzymology, protein chemistry, biopharmaceutics and drug delivery. He also has developed technology that has helped the pharmaceutical industry discover safer and more effective drugs.
"No one is more deserving of the Millennial Award than Dr. Borchardt," said Elizabeth Topp.
"I'm very honored to have been selected for my achievements."
Ronald Borchardt
professor of pharmaceutical chemistry
associate professor of pharmaceutical chemistry. "The cell culture model that he developed is now being used by many biotechnology companies."
Borchardt's cell culture model is used to determine if patients can take a drug orally.
Prestigious awards are nothing new to Borchardt
In September, he received the Host-Madsen Medal, the most prestigious award of the International Pharmaceutical Federation. Borchardt has also been honored by the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, the American Heart Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the University of Kansas.
Nancy Helm, program assistant for the department of pharmaceutical chemistry, said that Borchardt had been low-key
about the award.
"He doesn't want all the credit," Helm said. "He wants his researchers and colleagues to be recognized as well."
But Jack Fincham, dean of pharmacy, said Borchardt
Borchardt Won Millelian Award for lifetime achievement
The Millennial Award is a reflection of how Dr. Borchardt and his accomplishments are viewed," Fincham said. "As the name indicates, this is the first time this award has been given, and it shows that he has been a guiding force in this discipline and is known internationally for it."
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