The Department of Classics mourns the passing away of David Konstan (1940-2024), an
alumnus of Columbia— BA Mathematics ’61, MA Classics 63, PhD Classics ’67, and a much
admired and beloved friend of the Department. David taught at Wesleyan (1967-87); at, Brown
(1987-2010), where he retired as John Rowe Workman Distinguished Professor of Classics and
as a Professor of Comparative Literature; , and at NYU from 2010 onwards. His work spanned
multiple fields and genres, many authors and periods: Greek and Latin, philosophy (notably
Epicureanism) and literature, tragedy, comedy, the novel. David played a pioneering role in the
study of emotion in ancient Greek culture, a subject on which he published widely and lastingly.
His latest book, The origin of sin: Greece and Rome, early Judaism and Christianity, came out in
2022. He was a friend to so many, a scholar of the highest attainment, and beloved by all: the
best of Columbia.
