2015 Ovatio: William Klingshirn

Ovatio for William Klingshirn, The Catholic University of America  Presented by Sarah Ferrario, The Catholic University of America

Ovatio for William Klingshirn, The Catholic University of America
Presented by Sarah Ferrario, The Catholic University of America

Ovatio: William Klingshirn

Hodie honoramus collegam praeclarum egregiumque doctissimumque, fecundissimum cogitationibus scriptisque, cuius opera gravissima, monumenta aere perenniora,1 nostrum intellectum de serioribus annis antiquitatis classicae transformaverunt. Alumnus urbis notabilis ob progressionem prosperitatemque2, adeptus gradum Baccalaurei Artium, summa cum laude, apud universitatem redigentem in memoriam verba augurantia signum victoriae3, iter fecit ad illum fundum quo ventus libertatis aspiraret ut gradus Magistri Artium Doctorisque Philosophiae mereretur4.  Annos triginta docuit in urbe plena iustitiae omnibus,5 apud universitatem colentem deum sicut lucem, 6 pariens inspiransque investigationes luculentas.  Nostrae societati praesedit magna cum cura, multa cum reverentia, maxima plurimaque cum liberalitate laboris temporisque. Plaudamus igitur William Klingshirn.

Judith P Hallett, University of Maryland, College Park

Today we honor a distinguished, outstanding and most learned colleague, most prolific in ideas and publications, whose extremely important studies, bound to endure for generations, have drastically changed our understanding of late antiquity. A Cleveland native, after receiving his BA with highest distinction from the College of the Holy Cross he travelled to Stanford University for his MA and PhD degrees. For thirty years he has taught at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, producing and inspiring brilliant research. In serving as president of our association he evinced great sensitivity and much respect in dealing with others, and gave immense, boundless generosity of effort and time to its collegial management.  Let us thus applaud William Klingshirn.

1 Horace, Odes 3.30, exegi monumenum aere perennius.

2 Progress and Prosperity: motto of Cleveland.

3 The seal of the College of the Holy Cross features an open book on which is written

4 The motto of Stanford University, whose nickname is “the farm”,  is the German

phrase die Luft der Freiheit weht (“the wind of freedom blows”).

5 Iustitia Omnibus: motto of Washington, DC

6 Deus Lux Mea est: motto of The Catholic University of America.