Sophocles

Sophocles (early 5th century BC–406 BC; Greek: ????????) was an ancient Greek playwright, dramatist, priest, and politician of Athens. He was also a general for the Athenian Empire in the Peloponnesian Wars, and during his service he lead the battle against the Peloponnesian Island of Samos. He is sometimes known as the Attic Bee for the "sweetness of his productions." Sophocles is the second, chronologically, of the three great Greek tragedians; he was several decades younger than Aeschylus and a decade or so older than Euripides, and was often in competition with both in dramatic contests.

Surviving works

Years are approximate

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The Theban plays

• 442 BC Antigone
• 427 BC Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex or Oedipus Tyrannos)
• 407 BC Oedipus at Colonus

Other plays

• 445 BC Ajax
• 413 BC The Trachiniae
• 410 BC Electra
• 410 BC Philoctetes

Fragmentary plays

• 5th century BC The Tracking Satyrs
• 5th century BC The Progeny

Fragments of The Tracking Satyrs (Ichneutae) were discovered in Egypt in 1907. It is one of only two recovered satyr plays.

Related Topics:
The Tracking Satyrs - Egypt - 1907 - Satyr plays

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Fragments of The Progeny (Epigonoi) were discovered in April 2005 by classicists at Oxford University with the help of infrared technology previously used for satellite imaging. The tragedy tells the story of the siege of Thebes. The fragment translates to the following:

Related Topics:
The Progeny - April - 2005 - Oxford University - Infrared - Satellite - Thebes

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:Speaker A: . . . gobbling the whole, sharpening the flashing iron.

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:Speaker B: And the helmets are shaking their purple-dyed crests, and for the wearers of breast-plates the weavers are striking up the wise shuttle's songs, that wakes up those who are asleep.

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:Speaker A: And he is gluing together the chariot's rail. http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/story.jsp?story=630165

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