Gold medals awarded annually since 1774 for Latin and Greek poetry at Cambridge University
The Browne Medals (also known as the Sir William Browne's Medals)[1] are gold medals which since 1774 have been awarded for annual undergraduate competitions in
Latin and
Greek poetry at the
University of Cambridge.
Sir William Browne having directed his executors to produce a die for annually striking of two medals of gold, of five guineas value each, to be sent to the
vice-chancellor of Cambridge about the beginning of January, to be given by him, at the following commencement, to two undergraduates, one for the best
GreekOde in imitation of
Sappho, the other for the best
Latin ode in imitation of
Horace, on a subject to be appointed by the Vice-Chancellor; also one other gold medal, of like value, to be given by him to the undergraduate who shall produce the best Greek
epigram after the model of
Anthologia, and the best Latin epigram after the model of
Martial.[2]
The endowment, invested as a trust fund called the Browne Fund, is still used to encourage classical study at the university.[3]
List of winners
This list is incomplete. Many of the earlier names of this list have been drawn from Classical Turns.[4] The winners of the prize are published in the Cambridge University Reporter.
^Gentleman's Magazine, 1774, p.44. Quoted by Brown, Laurence, A catalogue of British historical medals 1760–1960, vol. I: the accession of George III to the death of William IV, London, Seaby Publications Ltd, 1980,
p21.92
Gold medals awarded annually since 1774 for Latin and Greek poetry at Cambridge University
The Browne Medals (also known as the Sir William Browne's Medals)[1] are gold medals which since 1774 have been awarded for annual undergraduate competitions in
Latin and
Greek poetry at the
University of Cambridge.
Sir William Browne having directed his executors to produce a die for annually striking of two medals of gold, of five guineas value each, to be sent to the
vice-chancellor of Cambridge about the beginning of January, to be given by him, at the following commencement, to two undergraduates, one for the best
GreekOde in imitation of
Sappho, the other for the best
Latin ode in imitation of
Horace, on a subject to be appointed by the Vice-Chancellor; also one other gold medal, of like value, to be given by him to the undergraduate who shall produce the best Greek
epigram after the model of
Anthologia, and the best Latin epigram after the model of
Martial.[2]
The endowment, invested as a trust fund called the Browne Fund, is still used to encourage classical study at the university.[3]
List of winners
This list is incomplete. Many of the earlier names of this list have been drawn from Classical Turns.[4] The winners of the prize are published in the Cambridge University Reporter.
^Gentleman's Magazine, 1774, p.44. Quoted by Brown, Laurence, A catalogue of British historical medals 1760–1960, vol. I: the accession of George III to the death of William IV, London, Seaby Publications Ltd, 1980,
p21.92