The University correspondent of the Times reminds us in Tues-
day's paper that the Cambridge Senate are empowered to remit compulsory Greek in the ease of those who have served in the war for six months. It is amusing to reflect that through accidental causes a breach has been made in the wall of the Greek defences. We do not suppose that the breach can ever be made quite strong again. Thus we arrive by accident at a decision, or at least a promise of a decision, unfavourable to Greek, which all the electoral
combats of the Senate on the single issue of compulsory Greek could not reach. The Senate says in effect to its soldiers " After all, if you cannot read the Iliad, you can act it." Perhaps that is better. Certainly we welcome the concession, feeling that there was an ultra-Homeric spirit in those of whom it was written in Oxford some thirty-five years ago:-
" Her [Oxford's] sons oblivious of concessions weak, Undaunted guard the minimum of Greek,
Flaunting in front of spurious B.A.'s Three books of Xenophon or two Greek plays."
Previous page
