The Public Orator is a traditional official post at universities, especially in the
United Kingdom. The holder of this office acts as the voice of the university on public occasions.[1]
The position at
Oxford University dates from 1564.[2] The Public Orator at the university presents
honorary degrees, giving an
oration for each person that is honoured. They may be required to compose addresses and letters as directed by the
Hebdomadal Council of the university. Speeches when members of the royal family are present may also be required. The post was instituted for a visit to
Oxford by
Queen Elizabeth I in 1566. The Public Orator,
Thomas Kingsmill, gave a very long historical speech. Sir
Isaac Wake addressed
King James I similarly in 1605.
^A selection of his speeches is available in Higham, Thomas Farrant. 1960. Orationes Oxonienses Selectae: Short Lat. Speeches on Distinguished Contemporaries. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
^Diggle, James (1987). "Sic Oxoniae Loquuntur". The Classical Review. New Series. 37 (1): 92–95.
doi:
10.1017/S0009840X00100496.
S2CID162873572.. Some orations are printed in Griffith, John G. 1985. Oratiunculae Oxonienses selectae: being the Latin texts and English paraphrases of sixty-four speeches delivered in the Sheldonian Theatre when presenting recipients of Honorary Degrees, together with some additional but not unrelated matter. Oxford: Oxbow Books.
The Public Orator is a traditional official post at universities, especially in the
United Kingdom. The holder of this office acts as the voice of the university on public occasions.[1]
The position at
Oxford University dates from 1564.[2] The Public Orator at the university presents
honorary degrees, giving an
oration for each person that is honoured. They may be required to compose addresses and letters as directed by the
Hebdomadal Council of the university. Speeches when members of the royal family are present may also be required. The post was instituted for a visit to
Oxford by
Queen Elizabeth I in 1566. The Public Orator,
Thomas Kingsmill, gave a very long historical speech. Sir
Isaac Wake addressed
King James I similarly in 1605.
^A selection of his speeches is available in Higham, Thomas Farrant. 1960. Orationes Oxonienses Selectae: Short Lat. Speeches on Distinguished Contemporaries. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
^Diggle, James (1987). "Sic Oxoniae Loquuntur". The Classical Review. New Series. 37 (1): 92–95.
doi:
10.1017/S0009840X00100496.
S2CID162873572.. Some orations are printed in Griffith, John G. 1985. Oratiunculae Oxonienses selectae: being the Latin texts and English paraphrases of sixty-four speeches delivered in the Sheldonian Theatre when presenting recipients of Honorary Degrees, together with some additional but not unrelated matter. Oxford: Oxbow Books.