May 20, 2002 Classics event features newly discovered third century B.C. poems By Ann M. Gibb One hundred recently discovered Greek poems, written on papyrus recycled as mummy wrappings, will be the topic of the 17th annual Carl M. Deppe Memorial Lecture in Classical Studies. Casing from third century B.C. mummy. Photo: Courtesy Susan A. Stephens The lecture, on May 23 at 4 p.m. at the Cowell College Provost House, is free and open to the public. The Sol and Esther Draznin Classics Endowed Scholarship will also be awarded at the event. Susan A. Stephens, professor of classics at Stanford University, will speak on the newly discovered collection of poems by the third century B.C. Macedonian poet Posidippus. Prior to the recent find, only 25 poems by Posidippus were known to exist. Stephens's talk, "The Mask of Posidippus: Recovering Greek Literature from Egyptian Tombs," will focus on how the discovery increases understanding of third century B.C. poetry books and writing. The Deppe Lecture was established by the parents and friends of Carl M. Deppe, a sophomore at UCSC majoring in classics and philosophy, who was killed in an automobile accident involving a drunken driver. Following the Deppe Lecture, the Sol and Esther Draznin Classics Endowed Scholarship will be awarded to Michael Frangos, a senior literature major. "Mike's outstanding skills in ancient Greek are complemented by his strengths in literary theory and interpretation, and an aptitude for advanced research," said Karen Bassi, associate professor of classics at UCSC. Frangos will begin Ph.D. studies in comparative literature this fall at UC Los Angeles. UCSC alumnus James Draznin (Cowell '77) established the Sol and Esther Draznin Classics Endowed Scholarship in memory of his parents. Previous scholarship winners include David Jacobson, who this year earned a Mellon Fellowship in Humanistic Studies. Return to Front Page