Erwin Cook

Erwin Cook is a Professor of Classical Studies and Comparative Literature at Trinity University. A citizen of both the United States and United Kingdom, he has studied in Switzerland and Germany, bringing a multinational perspective to his academic work. His primary research focuses on Homeric epic, which he investigates through comparative lenses including contemporary epic traditions, Near Eastern myth and architecture, and Greek religious practices.

Professor Cook's research interests encompass Homeric literature, particularly the Iliad and Odyssey, with interdisciplinary connections to Near Eastern studies, Greek religion, and mythology. He approaches Homeric texts through multiple frameworks, examining narrative structures, temporal dimensions, and cultural contexts. His work often explores the intersections between literary analysis, religious studies, and archaeological evidence, revealing how ancient Greek epic reflects and interacts with broader Mediterranean cultural patterns.

His publications demonstrate a consistent focus on Homeric narrative techniques, with particular attention to structural elements, character development, and mythological frameworks. Cook's scholarship reveals an evolving trajectory from close textual analysis toward broader cultural and comparative investigations, while maintaining a strong foundation in philological rigor.

• Fulbright Fellowships (1982, 1987)
• Lifetime fellow of the Fondazione Lorenzo Valla (2016)
• 'Active' and 'Passive' Heroics in the Odyssey, anthologized in Oxford Readings in the 'Odyssey' (Oxford, 2008)
• Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies, Research Fellow (1998)
• President's Associates Teaching Excellence Award, UT-Austin (2003)
• The 'Odyssey' in Athens selected as one of the Outstanding Academic Books of 1996 by Choice

Professor Cook currently serves on the Scientific Board of Studi Italiani de Filologia Classica and is working on a comprehensive commentary to the first four Books of the Iliad for Valla. His teaching portfolio includes Greek, Latin, Greek and Comparative Literature, Philosophy, History, Intellectual History, and Religion, reflecting his interdisciplinary approach to classical studies.