In this installment of Professor Interviews, Conor Skelding sat down with Professor Gareth Williams, whose Selections from Latin Literature: Horace class you ought to take. His office is filled with many leather bound books and boasts a prominent ligneous writing desk, while his computer is relegated to the corner and rarely used. He’s also reeaaally into Lit Hum (aren’t we all?). If you have a professor you want to see interviewed, let us know at tips@bwog.com.

In one sentence, describe how you spend your day.

After getting up early, and after readying myself for the day’s mission, with consideration I need to do in teaching and in my research, I speed ahead on my morning’s activities, whether in class or in Butler or in some other library, and then I launch the afternoon with teaching or writing, before finding time to read, hopefully for an hour, Latin and Greek, as I do everyday without fail; evening comes, evening goes, the day is done, and so am I.

Why classics?

It’s a subject area that combines scientific principles and methodology with a humanistic base and impetus; the texts I read and the cultures I study are endlessly fascinating and very relevant to today’s society.

What do you do when you’re not teaching?

Lots of different things, really. I like sports, I like hiking, museums, playing darts with my daughter, and gently pushing my wife into swimming pools.

Any funny Lit Hum stories?

Yes, but I’m not going to tell you any.

Is the Iliad really ‘like gangster rap’?

Well, truth be told, I don’t know much about ganster rap. But it seemed to strike a chord with many of those in the room.

A humorous chord?

..Yes.

Reading anything good for pleasure?

Yes.

Would you care to share any specific titles?

Yes. Alexander Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo.

I see you have a very old computer here, do you consider yourself a Luddite?

No.

Why the old computer, then?

It works. It does what I need it to do, and I have no wish to have a piece of equipment, a computer that has one thousand capacities when I only have one capacity.

Gerry Visco is quite a prolific figure on Bwog, both in the articles and in the comments. What are your thoughts on Gerry Visco?

I’m extremely fond of Gerry Visco, and I think I speak for many people who are equally fond of her. She has her ways, and she is slightly idiosyncratic; but compared to many people I know…

Image via columbia.edu