Edith Hamilton

This week’s spotlight on Fab Female Friday is a scholar and one of the foremost women Classicists. (That’s one who has studied the Greek/Roman Greats like Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus, Ovid, and Homer.) (And you think your thoughts are deep?!)

Her book, Mythology, is never far from my side. (Actually, I have more than 10 copies–the large print font being the preferred edition) I rifled through my well-worn, marked-up pages while writing the Merkabah Series, as well as referring to it for my historical fiction, The Emperor’s Assassin.

Edith Hamilton was born August 12, 1867 in Germany to a wealthy and educated family. She grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana where Dad home schooled his 3 daughters in Latin, Greek, French, and German.

As befit her status, Dad sent her to Miss Porter’s Finishing School, where the headmistress believed young ladies should NOT go on to college. Not thwarted by inferior college preparation, Edith took a year to study before taking the rigorous Bryn Mawr entrance exams.

After earning her B.A and M.A. she attended the University of Leipzig. Here, she was told she could listen to the lectures but NOT participate in any discussions! University of Munich was not much better, and Edith never earned her doctoral degree.

In 1896, she returned to the states, securing a position as head mistress at Bryn Mawr’s school for Girls in Baltimore, notable because it was the first college prep school for girls in the US.

Edith was known for eloquence in speech and writing. Her persuasive and scholarly understanding demystified the Greek’s view of tragedy and fate for many.