From my diary

There’s quite a lot going on in my world at the moment.  Too much, indeed, for me to keep on top of it all.

Firstly, I’ve been asked to write a paper for an academic volume.  As I am not an academic, this is quite unusual; the explanation, perhaps, is that the subject is an intractable one which most academics wisely stay away from.  This will involve me in some real expenditure of time, admittedly on a subject in which I am interested.  Fortunately I do have some free time upcoming.

In consequence, on Friday, I drove to Cambridge University Library and renewed my library card.  Plebs like myself are only allowed to take out a card for six months, which means you have to renew them timesomely often.  Mine had expired over a year earlier, which meant that I had to turn up with all sorts of terribly evidential documents.  While sitting there, I realised that I had sat in that office some thirty times over the last fifteen years, and been photographed by them more often than by my mother!  It’s a surreal indication of how bureaucracy loses touch with reality.

One thing I also noted was that my “letter of introduction” that I use to obtain access to manuscript collections is now really rather elderly.  I will need to get some kind scholar to write me a fresh one!

I’ve yet to process all my photographs and documents from my Rome trip into the Mithras pages.  They sit here, looking at me solemnly!

The translation of Eusebius’ Commentary on Luke has been held up by university stuff, but is still in progress.

I haven’t heard anything about the translation of a sermon by Severian of Gabala for a while… must enquire!

The translation of Leontius of Byzantium, Against the forgeries of the Apollinarists, is going well, although we’re finding that we trip up over bits of abtruse theology.  Sooner or later I shall have to get some kind of ideas together on Apollinarian theology.  Not now, tho.

I’ve also picked up various papers on ancient chapter titles, divisions and tables of contents.  A kind correspondent has been sending me details on this, from the Latin perspective, which is consequently getting much clearer in my mind.  What I don’t have, tho, is enough information on the Greek side of things.

Finally I’ve got sick again, so can’t progress a thing!  How much we depend on our health.  How easily we neglect it.