University of Oxford - Gaisford Prizes for Greek Prose and Verse

Gaisford Prizes for Greek Prose and Verse

The winner of the best composition in Ancient Greek will receive a one-off cash prize of about 300 EUR. The Faculty of Classical Philology at the University of Oxford is organising the competition in two categories: Greek poetry and Greek prose. You will be given a specified passage in English and will translate it into Ancient Greek. In the ‘Verse’ category, you will compose your text in a metre of your choice, for example in iambic trimeter or hexameter. In the ‘Prose’ category, you will write in a classical style. A jury of experts will then select the winners. The prize was established in 1855 and was awarded for the first time in 1857.

Who can apply

• University: You’re studying at the University of Oxford.
• Level: You may be either a Bachelor’s or a Master’s student.
• Timing: You started at Oxford less than six years ago.
• Skills: As you are able to translate from English into Ancient Greek, you will, in practice, need a sound knowledge of the Ancient Greek language.
• Field of study: There are no formal subject-specific restrictions, but the assignment is suitable for students of Classical Philology and Ancient Languages.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply. There are no age or gender restrictions.

How to apply

You should submit your Greek translation of the specified English text to the Faculty of Classical Philology. The competition takes place once a year; the closing date for entries is 3 May. A panel of experts will assess the entries.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a one-off prize reserved exclusively for Oxford students who can write in Ancient Greek; consequently, the pool of eligible entrants is already very small and the standard is high. Your chances depend almost entirely on the quality of your text, not on your background or financial circumstances. If you have a sound knowledge of writing Greek verse or prose, it is worth taking part, but you should expect stiff competition from other classical scholars.