Emails

As can be seen, I have tried to put on my blog an exchange of emails between me and Dan Clifton. My attempt has come up with the result, which is worthwhile to look at and register: For the record. I shall try again tomorrow.

 Dear Julius

I am a documentary filmmaker here in the UK, scoping out a documentary project about the underground seminars held in Prague in the 80s.  I would love to have a chat with you about it at some point when you are free.

Kind regards

Dan Clifton

I replied:

Julius Tomin <juliustomin@gmail.com>	8 Feb 2024, 13:03 (10 days ago)
to Dan

Dear Dan Clifton,

Best for me are late afternoons. But let me have a suggestion. In my philosophy seminar in Prague Plato played an important role. In May 1978 I invited Oxford Dons to my seminar. In 1979 Dr Wilkes opened Oxford visits to my seminar. It soon became clear that our approach to the Ancient Greeks, and Plato in particular, differed. Since my arrival to Oxford, in late August 1980 I've been trying to obtain a possibility to present my views on Plato to students and academics, in vain. Try to get in touch with Oxford classicists and/or classical philosophers on this matter. You might be lucky. What follows is my latest attempt to get the discussion going:

'Dear Professor Alan,

Some thirteen years ago I went for a walk with my son. I began to talk about Plato’s Phaedrus. My son stopped me: ‘Dad, I shall accept that you are right, when Google says so.’ A few months ago, I googled Julius Tomin, and to my great surprise, there was an information about my article ‘Plato’s First Dialogue’, published in Ancient Philosophy 17 (1997). Elated, I emailed it to my son. In his reply my son wrote to me that there was also a reference to my article ‘The Phaedrus and the Charmides: Plato in Athens 405-404’, published in History of Political Thought, Summer 2022.

A few days ago, when I googled Julius Tomin, instead of information on my work on Plato, I saw countless permutations on the name Tomin. I wanted to inform you: If I cannot figure on Google as someone working on the Greeks, and on Plato in particular, I shall go again to Oxford to protest at Balliol with my ‘LET US DISCUSS PLATO’.

But now, as I began to write to you, it occurred to me to Google Julius Tomin again. To my great surprise, there was quite a lot of information about my work, and among other things, there was a photo of me protesting at Balliol with ‘LET US DISCUSS PLATO’. I won’t have to go to Oxford to protest at Balliol.

Well, I can’t deny that there is a side in my character that makes me regret this victory of good sense. In Hašek’s The Good Soldier Švejk and His Fortunes in the World War there is an episode in which Švejk’s housekeeper is driving Švejk to the War Office on a trolly, with crutches, shouting ‘na Bělehrad‘ (on Beograd). After I looked at that expurgated Julius Tomin entry on Google, I toyed with an idea of arriving at Balliol on a trolly, with crutches: ‘LET US DISCUSS PLATO’.

It would be great if my e-mail to you resulted in my being invited to Balliol, just as I invited Oxford dons to my seminar in Prague in the late 1970’s. Let me quote from The Velvet Philosophers: Dr Wilkes, from St. Hilda’s College, reflected on her first seminar, which ‘started at the usual time of 6.00 p.m., it lasted until midnight. Wilkes subsequently observed that “… the discussions were the most stimulating that I have experienced”.’ I should like to experience something like that at Oxford. With you in Chair, it might become a reality. What entitles me to saying this? I spent some three months with your Helen of Euripides, to my great benefit.

Professor Alan, allow me to turn to you with the request: Let me be allowed to present at Oxford University, preferably at Balliol, my views on Plato’s Phaedrus.

With best wishes,

Julius Tomin'

I have not received any reply from Professor Alan. Please, try to contact him. It would be nice to meet in Oxford, and to enjoy a belated revival of my Prague meetings and discussions with Oxford dons. 

With best wishes,

Julius Tomin

Dan Clifton replied:

Dan Clifton	8 Feb 2024, 13:42 (10 days ago)
to me

Dear Julius

It’s great to hear from you!  You’ve been quite tricky to track down so I’m delighted that we’re now in touch.

This is a nice cheeky idea.   In the first instance I’d love to talk to you about your establishment of the Prague seminars - after all, you were the driving force behind that historic endeavour.

You didn’t leave a contact number but I was wondering where you are now based - perhaps I could buy you lunch some time?

With all good wishes

Dan Clifton