Author of St Cross Grace celebrates 100th Birthday
Emeritus Fellow and author of St Cross Grace Peter Glare
St Cross College is delighted to announce that Emeritus Fellow Peter Glare celebrated his 100th birthday on, 27 October 2024. Born in 1924 in Woodford Green, Essex, Peter has had a life and career marked by extraordinary dedication to classical scholarship.
Peter began his academic journey at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he studied Classics and played rugby as a University Blue. His love for the sport continued well into his 50s as he served as a rugby union referee. Following Cambridge, Peter pursued postgraduate studies at Christ Church, Oxford, and soon joined the Oxford Latin Dictionary (OLD) team at Oxford University Press (OUP) under the guidance of J.M. Wylie. By 1954, Peter was appointed editor of the monumental project, dedicating nearly three decades to its completion in 1982.
As a lexicographer, Peter’s contributions to classical scholarship were profound. Under his editorship, the OLD became a landmark reference work in Latin studies. Even beyond this monumental project, Peter’s scholarly energy was boundless. Upon the OLD’s completion, he turned his attention to revising Liddell & Scott’s English-Greek Lexicon, a project overseen by the British Academy and published by OUP in 1996. Peter’s work left an indelible mark on these essential texts, helping shape the study of classical languages for generations to come.
Peter’s life at St Cross College began in 1976 when he became a Fellow, and has remained an active and beloved member of the community. He provided a lasting legacy to the College, including proposing its Latin motto, “Ad quattuor cardines mundi,” which translates to “To the four corners of the earth.” The phrase reflects Peter’s vision of the College’s mission and reach. Peter also penned the college’s very own Latin grace, which remains part of the College’s formal dining tradition, symbolising his ongoing presence at the heart of St Cross’s cultural life.
Peter’s dedication to the study of Latin continued even into his 70s, when he joined the team led by David Howlett working on a medieval Latin dictionary. Colleagues who worked with him over the years remember him as a stalwart of the College Choir and a friendly face in College, embodying the intellectual curiosity and commitment that define St Cross’s spirit.
Peter celebrated his 100th birthday with a private lunch at St Cross, attended by close friends and family. The Master, Kate Mavor, shared a few words on behalf of the College, presenting Peter with a bottle of champagne and awarding him a special St Cross Commemorative Medal to mark the occasion.
An endearing anecdote illustrates Peter’s legendary status within classical circles. After the Berlin Wall fell, Alexei Solopov, a Russian scholar, visited the Medieval Latin Dictionary offices in Oxford. Discovering that Peter was still actively working nearby, Alexei—whose admiration for Peter’s work was immense—bowed deeply, saying that he felt as though he were meeting Plato himself.
In 1978, the BBC marked the quincentenary of the OUP with a programme that captured Peter in his Clarendon Building office. Surrounded by volumes of Latin texts, Peter reflected on the years devoted to the OLD, epitomising his profound commitment to the enduring impact of classical scholarship.
Peter’s 100th birthday celebration serves as a reminder of his towering achievements and his pivotal role in the history of both St Cross College and classical studies. The entire College community joins in offering Peter heartfelt congratulations on reaching this extraordinary milestone and in honouring his lifetime of contributions to the College and the wider scholarly world.
