Cfp: "Cicero Rewriting Plato," Seminar Series, Centre for the Classical Tradition, University of Durham, February 6, February 27, and March 13, 2009.

The Durham Centre for the Study of the Classical Tradition(http://www.dur.ac.uk/classical.tradition/) is in the early stage of developing a research project tentatively entitled 'Ciceroniani Sumus: the Influence of Cicero on the Cultural Imaginary of the West.' A central theme here is Cicero's role in mediating and transforming Greek philosophy, not least through his translations and adaptations of Plato. As a first sounding of this territory, the Centre will sponsor three exploratory seminars in Epiphany term 2009 that will look at Cicero's engagement with Plato in the de Republica:

• Seminar 1: Cicero, de Republica 1.65-67 ~ Plato, Politeia 8. 562c - 563c.
• Seminar 2: Cicero, de Republica 3.27 ~ Plato, Politeia 2.360e - 362b.
• Seminar 3: Cicero, de Republica 6.26-29 ~ Plato, Phaidros 245cff.

The seminars are open to all. Indeed, an analysis of Cicero's reception ofPlato should ideally draw on expertise in an unusually wide range of areas within the field: ancient Greek, Greek philosophy, Latin, Roman history, and political theory, among others. The seminars are designed to bring together experts in all of these areas, in what we hope will be a mutually illuminating conversation. We shall work with the original texts, but also translations, and, even though we shall be discussing points arising from the Greek and the Latin, there is no expectation that participants have these languages.
Dates and times:

• Seminar 1: Friday, 6 February, 1 - 2.30 pm
• Seminar 2: Friday, 27 February, 1 - 2.30 pm
• Seminar 3: Friday, 13 March, 1 - 2.30 pm

Further information may be found here: http://www.dur.ac.uk/classical.tradition/events/.