Douglass Stott Parker, Sr. (May 27, 1927 – February 8, 2011) was an American classicist, academic, and translator.
Born in LaPorte, Indiana, the son of Cyril Rodney Parker and Isobel (née Douglass) Parker, Douglass received an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and a doctorate from Princeton University. He was also a Fellow at the Center for Hellenic Studies in 1961-1962, its inaugural year, and a Guggenheim Scholar. His translation of The Congresswomen (Ecclesiazusae) was among the Finalists for The National Book Award in the category of Translation in 1968.Parker is known for his work in Greek and Roman comedy, particularly his translations of Aristophanes’ plays Lysistrata (1964), The Wasps (1962) and The Congresswomen (Ecclesiazusae) (1967). He is also known for his translations of Terence’s The Eunuch (Eunuchus), and Plautus' The Brothers Menaechmus (Menaechmi), as well as other classical and literary works. His translations of plays have been republished multiple times, and have been performed around the world. Lysistrata has had over two hundred productions.
Parker was Professor of Classics at the University of Texas at Austin for forty years, recruited there in 1967 by William Arrowsmith. Earlier he had been a professor at Yale (1953-55) and at the University of California, Riverside (1955-67). He taught classes in Greek and Latin languages and literature, as well as a discipline of his own creation, parageography—the study of imaginary worlds. His courses crossed traditional disciplinary boundaries and were popular; he was known at the University of Texas for his breadth of knowledge and teaching, and won graduate and undergraduate teaching awards. In 2011 the Journal Didaskalia dedicated its new endeavors to "Douglass Parker, who embodied the interplay between scholarship and practice, between an acute understanding of the ancient world and a keen sense of modern audience." Didaskalia subsequently published a pair of wide-ranging interviews from 1981 and 1982.Parker had a passion for jazz, playing the trombone throughout his life, and elements of jazz improvisation and creativity were themes in his research and teaching. He also had interests in fantasy and science fiction, and published one of the first scholarly analyses of Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings. Creativity and fantasy are foundations of imaginary worlds—including those of the Odyssey, the Land of Oz, and Middle Earth—and in parageography Parker sought insight on the creative process of writing. He referred to the parageography course as "a course in 'Applied Creativity'".Parker often combined elements of creativity with comedy, and starting in 1979 for example, developed installments of Zeus in Therapy, a series of humorous verse monologues in which Zeus reflects on his experiences and complains to his therapist about difficulties of managing the universe. The imagined sessions in these installments get at the power of one's innermost thoughts. A theatrical adaptation of "Zeus in Therapy" was developed by the Tutto Theatre Company in August 2013.Parker died after a bout with cancer in Austin, Texas, at age 83. He suggested that his epitaph read: "but I digress...".
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Some of their strengths
Douglass Parker has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Intelligent, Intense, Charming, Energetic, Passionate, Brave, and Honest.
Charming and Quick-witted
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Douglass Parker is someone who is a charming, quick-witted, and energetic person who combines passion and intelligence with an ability to feel what others are feeling and to effectively communicate with them. A person who really cares about helping others make the most of what they have.
Charming and Sophisticated
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Douglass Parker well know them as someone who can be classy, glamorous, and worldly, like jewelry.
Courteous and Easygoing
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Douglass Parker as someone who is polite, modest, and diplomatic.
A person who tends to be socially popular, who loves intellectual or creative activities, who has a talent for communicating with and understanding the needs of others, and who seems to have a knack for getting recognized for their efforts.
Charismatic and Instinctual
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Douglass Parker is someone who handles stress better than most people, and who tends to have a powerful charisma and convictions.
They are also someone who is confident and creative, and who has a love for starting new projects, inventing new things, and giving back to the community.
Logical and Reasonable
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Douglass Parker tends to be someone who is understanding, logical, and reasonable. Who can be intellectual and intuitive, speak the truth at any cost, be witty and sociable, and live life to its fullest.
Some of Douglass Parker's challenges
While Douglass Parker has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Douglass Parker can be Self-centered, Hypocritical, Short-tempered, Impulsive, Complicated, Brusque, and Indecisive.
Hypocritical and Self-centered
One of Douglass Parker's key challenges is that they are someone who can be perceived as hypocritical and self-centered.
Douglass Parker must also exercise caution as they can have difficulty dealing with responsibility, authority, or criticism.
Indecisive and Materialistic
Douglass Parker is someone who can be indecisive, indulgent, and materialistic, who can have difficulty focusing on a single career or profession, have difficulty following orders or respecting authority, and who can suffer from "analysis paralysis".
Indecisive and Distracted
Finally, Douglass Parker also can have a hard time staying focused and can easily become restless.
