Palma's translation of Dante (1)

In his University page (The Sunday Times, May 25), under the heading 'Reflections on Benigni's visit', 'Ibn Campusino' wrote: 'There were some who were disappointed that the organisers did (not) invite Alfred Palma... on the same podium as Prof. Hollander and Benigni", intending, of course, to make nothing of the gross insult levelled at the Maltese language, at Maltese literature and, of course, at yours truly, by the University of Malta. Your correspondent craftily based his point on the word some (in the above sentence), to imply the sheer triviality of the "shortcoming" on the part of the University and somehow dismiss it as 'nothing serious'!

Well, it seems that 'Ibn Campusino' has not bothered to read the numerous protests in the papers, all offering me moral support and all showing their indignation at the way that I and Maltese literature have been treated by the University, not to mention the ever-increasing protests being levelled at it, which are gradually escalating into a general protest. "Some" indeed! But, of course, I wouldn't expect your correspondent to risk writing "many".

That would be too much; it would be the truth. And truth hurts!