Happy Exelauno Day

Today March 4th is Exelauno Day celebrated by a very small band of students of the classical languages (as well as geeky former classics students who like to party and relive their student days).

The Greek verb “Exelauno” (to march forth) features prominently in Xenophon’s Anabasis, an account of a late 5th century BCE military campaign in Persia. Xenophon led a group of 10,000 mercenary soldiers hired by the Persian king Cyrus the Younger. Marching forth through hostile territory northward toward the Black Sea, these Greek soldiers finally were able to shout the famous “thálatta, thálatta”, “the sea, the sea!”

The “Anabasis” is the traditional first text used by students of classical Greek because of its clear and unadorned style; similar to Caesar’s Commentaii de Bello Gallico for Latin students.  Coincidentally, they are both autobiographical tales of military adventure told in the third person.

The story related the “March of the 10,000” in an epic journey toward freedom and was written in diary form. Hence the term “Exelauno” (march forth) was a constantly occurring theme. I was one of several hundred Boston College High sophomores struggling with this text on March 4, 1958 but the term “Exelauno” still resonates today. (Two years of Greek and four years of Latin were required of all BC High students in those days.)

Exelauno Day has a long tradition as a “fun day” in the world of academic classical language. According to legend, Exelauno Day was the brain child of Clarence “Pop” Gleason, who taught Greek at the Roxbury Latin School from 1889 until 1939. A brilliant teacher of Greek, he bequeathed to the School two of its enduring traditions. On March Fourth every year, he decreed that there be no homework for students of Greek and established it as an annual Greek and Latin declamation day. David Taggart Clark ’89, professor of economics at Williams endowed declamation prizes which students have eagerly competed for on March Fourth since 1957.

 At Roxbury Latin, Exelauno Day is celebrated by both students and alumni alike. On Monday the students will gather to watch their fellow RLS classmates compete in “declamations” of classical texts in the original Greek and Latin as well as to sing songs (many silly) in the classical languages.

(It reminds me of my days as a student at Boston College when each year at the rally that preceded the Holy Cross football game Fr. Joseph Connor, S. J. would give a rousing fight talk in perfect classical Latin to an enthusiastic but bewildered BC student body.)

The Roxbury Latin Alums however have already celebrated their versions of Exelauno Day. On March 1 they gathered in pubs in Boston, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles to eat, drink, and sing endless verses of “Gaudeamus Igitur”. (It’s a scene straight out of “The Student Prince”.)

Exelauno Day is also celebrated on many college campuses. For example this report from Southwestern University in Texas in 2011: “Libations of coffee for the early morning Greek 2 class charged students up and emboldened them to wear their ivy garlands. Garlanded Vergil students, energized by various sugary treats, sang a rousing (?) rendition of “Gaudeamus Igitur.” Greek Civilization students were treated to various Greek delicacies, including spanokopites (spinach pies), keftedhes (Greek meatballs), dolmadhes (stuffed grape leaves), and tzatziki (garlic dip). Latin 2 students earned their treats with a piñata event.”

But please don’t confuse Exelauno Day with Pi Day which is March 14. (3.14). This holiday is celebrated by Math students and geeky alums and is a subject I know nothing about. (As my college Math professors can attest.)

(In writing this blog I consulted with former Blaney St. resident Jeffrey Rusten who is now a Professor of Ancient Greek Literature at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. Jeff and Caroline send their greetings to all their friends in Swampscott.)