Reginald Hackforth
Encyclopedia
Reginald Hackforth was an English classical scholar, known mainly for his work on Plato
, and from 1939 to 1952 was the second Laurence Professor of Ancient Philosophy
at Cambridge University.
, Hackforth went up to Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1907, graduating in 1909 with first class honours in both parts of the classical tripos
. After a brief period lecturing at the University of Manchester
(1910–12), he returned to Cambridge as a Fellow
of Sidney Sussex College
in 1912, a position he held for the remainder of his life. For many years he served as editor of the Classical Quarterly, winning the respect and friendship of J. D. Denniston and A. E. Housman
.
Hackforth produced two chapters for the Cambridge Ancient History on the history of Sicily
in part of the fifth and fourth centuries BC, which utilised his interpretation of the literary evidence of Pindar
, Bacchylides
and the Epistles
of Plato
.
Hackforth was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1946.
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
, and from 1939 to 1952 was the second Laurence Professor of Ancient Philosophy
Laurence Professor of Ancient Philosophy
The Laurence Professorship of Ancient Philosophy at Cambridge University was established in 1930 as one of the offices endowed by the bequest of Sir Perceval Maitland Laurence; it is the oldest chair of ancient philosophy in the world....
at Cambridge University.
Life
After education at WestminsterWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, Hackforth went up to Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
in 1907, graduating in 1909 with first class honours in both parts of the classical tripos
Tripos
The University of Cambridge, England, divides the different kinds of honours bachelor's degree by Tripos , plural Triposes. The word has an obscure etymology, but may be traced to the three-legged stool candidates once used to sit on when taking oral examinations...
. After a brief period lecturing at the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
(1910–12), he returned to Cambridge as a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of Sidney Sussex College
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...
in 1912, a position he held for the remainder of his life. For many years he served as editor of the Classical Quarterly, winning the respect and friendship of J. D. Denniston and A. E. Housman
A. E. Housman
Alfred Edward Housman , usually known as A. E. Housman, was an English classical scholar and poet, best known to the general public for his cycle of poems A Shropshire Lad. Lyrical and almost epigrammatic in form, the poems were mostly written before 1900...
.
Hackforth produced two chapters for the Cambridge Ancient History on the history of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
in part of the fifth and fourth centuries BC, which utilised his interpretation of the literary evidence of Pindar
Pindar
Pindar , was an Ancient Greek lyric poet. Of the canonical nine lyric poets of ancient Greece, his work is the best preserved. Quintilian described him as "by far the greatest of the nine lyric poets, in virtue of his inspired magnificence, the beauty of his thoughts and figures, the rich...
, Bacchylides
Bacchylides
Bacchylides was an Ancient Greek lyric poet. Later Greeks included him in the canonical list of nine lyric poets which included his uncle Simonides. The elegance and polished style of his lyrics have been a commonplace of Bacchylidean scholarship since at least Longinus...
and the Epistles
Epistles (Plato)
The Epistles of Plato are a series of thirteen letters traditionally included in the Platonic corpus. Their authenticity has been the subject of some dispute, and scholarly consensus has shifted back and forth over time...
of Plato
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
.
Hackforth was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1946.
Publications
- The Authorship of the Platonic Epistles, Manchester 1913
- The composition of Plato'sPlatoPlato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
ApologyApology (Plato)The Apology of Socrates is Plato's version of the speech given by Socrates as he unsuccessfully defended himself in 399 BC against the charges of "corrupting the young, and by not believing in the gods in whom the city believes, but in other daimonia that are novel"...
, Cambridge 1933 - Plato's examination of pleasure: a translation of the PhilebusPhilebusThe Philebus , composed between 360 and 347 BC, is among the last of the late Socratic dialogues of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. Socrates is the primary speaker in Philebus, unlike in the other late dialogues...
with an introduction and commentary, Cambridge 1945 - Plato's Phaedrus: translated with an introduction and commentary, Cambridge 1952
- Plato's PhaedoPhaedoPlato's Phaedo is one of the great dialogues of his middle period, along with the Republic and the Symposium. The Phaedo, which depicts the death of Socrates, is also Plato's seventh and last dialogue to detail the philosopher's final days .In the dialogue, Socrates...
: translated with an introduction and commentary, Cambridge 1955