Colin Hardie

Colin Hardie
Born	16 February 1906 Edinburgh,Scotland
Died	17 October 1998(1998-10-17)(aged 92) Chichester,West Sussex, England
Spouse	Christian ​ (m.1940)​
Children	2
Relatives	ProfWilliam Hardie(father) W. F. R. Hardie(brother)
Academic background
Alma mater	Balliol College, Oxford
Academic work
Discipline	Classics
Sub-discipline	Ancient Rome Latin literature Virgil
Institutions	Balliol College, Oxford British School at Rome Magdalen College, Oxford Royal Academy of Arts

Colin Graham Hardie(16 February 1906 – 17 October 1998) was aBritishclassicistand academic. From 1933 to 1936, he was Director of theBritish School at Rome.From 1936 to 1973, he was a Fellow ofMagdalen College, Oxford,and atutorin classics. In addition, from 1967 to 1973, he was thePublic Oratorof theUniversity of Oxford.He was a member of theInklings,an informal literary discussion group which included the likes ofJ. R. R. TolkienandC. S. Lewis.

Early life

Hardie was born on 16 February 1906 inEdinburgh,Scotland,the third son ofWilliam Ross Hardieand his wife Isabella Watt Hardie (néeStevenson). His father was aFellowofBalliol College, Oxford,andProfessorofHumanityat theUniversity of Edinburgh.His brother,Frank,also went on to become a successful classicist. He was educated atEdinburgh Academy,aprivate school.He then went on to study at Balliol College,University of Oxfordas a Warner Exhibitioner and Honorary Scholar. He tookfirstsin bothMods(1926) andGreats(1928). He won four classical prizes during hisundergraduatestudies;Ireland Scholar and Craven Scholar in 1925,Hertford Scholar in 1926 and theGaisford Prize for Greek Prosein 1927. He graduated with aBachelor of Arts(BA) in 1928,which was promoted toMaster of Arts(MA) in 1931.

Career

Upon graduation, Hardie was appointed to a Junior Research Fellowship inBalliol College, Oxford.He held the post from 1928 to 1929. In 1930, he was elected aFellowand classical tutor of that college.On 1 February 1933, he was unanimously elected Director of theBritish School at Rome.He held the post until 1936, when he was succeeded byRalegh Radford.He returned to England from Italy to become a Fellow ofMagdalen College, Oxford,and a tutor in classics.

He took a break from his academic work duringWorld War II.As many academics did, he lent his services to theWar Officefrom 1941 to 1943.He then went on to work at theAdmiralty's Inter-Services Topographical Department, based in Oxford, until the end of the war in 1945.

Following the war, he returned to Magdalen College. There he taught classics until his retirement in 1973.His scholarly work was largely centred onVirgilandDante.He was a member of theInklings,the informal literary discussion group centred on the University of Oxford.Hardie was also a part of theSocratic Clubwhere he presented papers.For the final six years of his time at the University of Oxford, from 1967 to 1973, he was thePublic Orator;a role in which he acted as the voice of the university during public occasions such as royal visits and the presentation ofhonorary degrees.

Photographs contributed by Hardie to the Conway Library are currently being digitised by theCourtauld Institute of Art,as part of the Courtauld Connects project.

Later life

Following his retirement in 1973, Hardie and his wife moved away fromOxfordto Rackham Cottage, near the village ofPulborough,Sussex.From 1971 to 1990, he was theRoyal Academy'sHonorary Professorof Ancient Literature.

He died inChichester,West Sussexon 17 October 1998.

Personal life

Hardie married Christian Viola Mary Lucasin 1940 who was the daughter of Perceval Lucas (brother toEdward Verrall Lucas) and Madeline Mary Eve Meynell, daughter of the writerAlice Meynell.Together they had two sons, Nicholas and Antony.He converted toRoman Catholicismin 1945.

Selected works

• Hardie, Colin, ed. (1954).Vitae Vergilianae Antiquae: Vita Donati, Vita Servii, Vita Probiana, Vita Focae, S. Hieronymi Excerpta.Oxford: Clarendon Press.
• Kepler, Johannes(1966) [1611].De nive sexangula[The six-cornered snowflake] (in Latin and English). Translated by Colin Hardie. Oxford: Clarendon Press.OCLC974730.