Jasper Griffin (29 May 1937 – 22 November 2019 ) was a British classicist and academic. He was Public Orator and Professor of Classical Literature in the University of Oxford from 1992 until 2004.

Early life

Griffin was born on 29 May 1937. He was educated on a scholarship at Christ's Hospital, a private school in Horsham, West Sussex. He read Classical Moderations and Greats at Balliol College, Oxford between 1956 and 1960. He graduated with a first class Bachelor of Arts degree. He was Jackson Fellow at Harvard University from 1960 to 1961 where he undertook research in early Latin poets.

Academic career

On his return to the University of Oxford, Griffin became Dyson Junior Research Fellow at Balliol College (1961–63), tutorial fellow in Classics (1963–2004), and senior fellow (2000–04). He is the originator of the word "agostic" used by the organometallic chemist Malcolm Green to describe C-H-M interactions.

Personal life

Griffin's wife of more than fifty years, Dr Miriam T. Griffin (née Dressler), was also a noteworthy classicist. Their three daughters, Julia, Miranda and Tamara, survive them.

Honours

Griffin was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1986.

Publications

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