The Browne Medals (also known as the Sir William Browne's Medals) [1] are gold medals which since 1774 have been awarded for annual undergraduate competitions in Latin and Greek poetry at the University of Cambridge.
Sir William Browne, who had been president of the College of Physicians, died in 1774. His will left an endowment to the university:
Sir William Browne having directed his executors to produce a die for annually striking of two medals of gold, of five guineas value each, to be sent to the vice-chancellor of Cambridge about the beginning of January, to be given by him, at the following commencement, to two undergraduates, one for the best Greek Ode in imitation of Sappho, the other for the best Latin ode in imitation of Horace, on a subject to be appointed by the Vice-Chancellor; also one other gold medal, of like value, to be given by him to the undergraduate who shall produce the best Greek epigram after the model of Anthologia, and the best Latin epigram after the model of Martial. [2]
The endowment, invested as a trust fund called the Browne Fund, is still used to encourage classical study at the university. [3]
This list is incomplete. Many of the earlier names of this list have been drawn from Classical Turns. [4] The winners of the prize are published in the Cambridge University Reporter .
John William Donaldson was an English academic and writer in Greek classics, a philologist and a biblical critic.
Benjamin Hall Kennedy was an English scholar and schoolmaster, known for his work in the teaching of the Latin language. He was an active supporter of Newnham College and Girton College as Cambridge University colleges for women.
The Greek Anthology is a collection of poems, mostly epigrams, that span the Classical and Byzantine periods of Greek literature. Most of the material of the Greek Anthology comes from two manuscripts, the Palatine Anthology of the 10th century and the Anthology of Planudes of the 14th century.
Samuel Butler was an English classical scholar and schoolmaster of Shrewsbury School, and Bishop of Lichfield. His grandson was Samuel Butler, the author of the novel Erewhon.
Henry Montagu Butler was an English academic and clergyman, who served as headmaster of Harrow School (1860–85), Dean of Gloucester (1885–86) and Master of Trinity College, Cambridge (1886–1918).
Thomas Emerson Headlam was an English barrister and politician, who became judge advocate-general.
James Hildyard was an English classical scholar.
George Waddington was an English priest, traveller and church historian.
William Alexander Greenhill was an English physician, literary editor and sanitary reformer.
William Wyse was a classical scholar, noted for his work on the Attic orator Isaeus, and a benefactor of the University of Cambridge.
Sir William Browne FRS was an English doctor.
James Bailey was an English classical scholar and schoolmaster.
Thomas Smart Hughes (1786–1847) was an English cleric, theologian and historian.
Trinity College Chapel is the chapel of Trinity College, Cambridge, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Part of a complex of Grade I listed buildings at Trinity, it dates from the mid 16th century. It is an Anglican church in the Anglo-Catholic tradition.
Walter George Headlam was a British classical scholar and poet, perhaps best remembered for his work on the Mimes of Herodas. He was described as "one of the leading Greek scholars of his time."
Anthony Wingfield (1550?–1615?), one of a number of figures from the same family of his period, was an English scholar and Member of Parliament, known as reader in Greek to Queen Elizabeth I.
Anthony Rich was an English solicitor, author, antiquary and gentleman.
Robert Walpole (1781–1856) was an English classical scholar.
The Porson Prize is an undergraduate award for Greek verse composition at the University of Cambridge. It was founded in honor of classical scholar Richard Porson and was first awarded in 1817. Winners are known as "Porson prizemen".
Robert Gregg Bury was an Irish clergyman, classicist, philologist, and a translator of the works of Plato and Sextus Empiricus into English.
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