Where did you study?

     I studied at Pembroke College, in the University of Oxford. You will notice that I mention my college as well as my university. That’s because the University of Oxford is a collegiate institution; it’s a bit like the United States. In the United States, the Federal Government, headed by the President, is in over-all charge, but each State has its own governor, and a lot of important decisions are made at State level. In Oxford, the University acts like the Federal Government – the University has the final say on whether you get a degree or not, but the College is often where you live, and work and make friends: it’s an intimate environment. The Master of a College is an important figure. When I was at Pembroke, the Master was Sir Roger Bannister, an eminent neurosurgeon with a distinguished track record of publication, but someone who is most famous for a record that he broke on the University’s running track. When he was a young medical student, he became the first man in the world to run a mile in less than four minutes.

     What languages do you speak?

     I speak English of course, and I’m starting to become fluent in American as well.

     Seriously, when I was in high school, I learned Latin, Greek and French. However, we didn’t really learn to speak Latin and Greek – we learned to read and write them, which is rather different. When you learn to speak a language, as I learned to speak French, speed is of the essence. So, you tend to learn whole phrases – ‘Je m’appelle Benjamin,’ for example. When you learn to read and write a language, you can take your time. I couldn’t possibly hold a conversation in Latin but, by the time I was sixteen, I could read a poem by Martial and appreciate the wit. Greek was always a little harder, but I did make one contribution to Greek scholarship that I’m very proud of. A friend of my mother’s is an orthodontist, and she decided to study for a Ph.D. in Archaeology in the University of Manchester in her spare time. So she became an expert on ancient Egyptian teeth: you can learn a lot about the Egyptians and what they ate by looking at the teeth of Egyptian mummies. In fact, if you ever visit Manchester, you can go along to the University Museum and you’ll see a wonderful display about it. Anyway, in the course of her studies, she heard about an ancient Greek papyrus that contained a recipe for toothpaste. Her training didn’t include any study of ancient Greek, so she asked me to translate it for her, and I did. It was only a few short phrases, but it was the only time I ever translated anything that, so far as I know, had never been translated by anyone else before – and that’s very exciting for anyone with an interest in classical studies.

     Since I came to Central America, I’ve started to learn Spanish. I don’t speak it well, but my parents were impressed when they came to visit, and I could order meals for them and book hotels. I’ve also been learning Mandarin this semester. Xiao Wei agreed to act as my teacher. My progress has been slow because I don’t really have much spare time.

     What did you study at university?

     As an undergraduate, I studied Philosophy and Theology. My graduate studies were in Philosophical Theology – that is philosophical approaches to religious questions.


Photo courtesy of Eric Holland
     Why did you come to Panama?

     I have to answer that in two stages. It’s very hard to find a job teaching Philosophy or Theology these days. When I was a graduate student, my supervisor, Richard Swinburne, advised me that if I wanted to find a job, I would have to search internationally. So I started hunting for jobs in the Chronicle of Higher Education, the main journal for Higher Education in the States. I came across an advertisement for a job in Nicaragua, at Ave Maria College and thought ‘Well, it’s worth a try.’ It was when I flew out there for interview that I met Dr. Sirias, who had just been appointed as Dean. I loved the country, and I loved the people I met, so when I was offered the job, I jumped at the chance. I have to say that I really enjoyed my life in Nicaragua, and I miss the town of San Marcos, where I used to live, very much. But, after a year, most of the people I really enjoyed working with had either left, or were about to leave. So moving to Panama meant I could still be working with one of my many friends from San Marcos, Dr. Sirias, and still be learning more about Latin American culture.

     What are your fears?

     I’ve had a long-standing fear of dogs, but it isn’t as bad as it used to be. Actually, moving to Nicaragua helped me. When I got to Nicaragua, there were dogs everywhere you went – you can’t avoid them. But these dogs were so thin that you couldn’t be afraid of them, you just felt sorry for them. So now I don’t get frightened of dogs as easily as I used to. Anyway, I always used to be ashamed of this fear, until today. I just read that Genghis Khan, the feared leader of the Mongol hordes, whose conquests put even Alexander the Great to shame, was afraid of dogs as well.

     Anyway, I have another fear I’d like to express. I’m afraid that I don’t have time to answer any more questions, since I really need to get some lunch. Thanks, Dr. Murphy.


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