Sophocles[a] (c. 497/496 – winter 406/405 BC)[2] was an ancient Greek tragedian, known as one of three from whom at least one play has survived in full. His first plays were written later than, or contemporary with, those of Aeschylus; and earlier than, or contemporary with, those of Euripides. Sophocles wrote over 120 plays,[3] but only seven have survived in a complete form: Ajax, Antigone, Women of Trachis, Oedipus Rex, Electra, Philoctetes, and Oedipus at Colonus.[4] For almost fifty years, Sophocles was the most celebrated playwright in the dramatic competitions of the city-state of Athens which took place during the religious festivals of the Lenaea and the Dionysia. He competed in thirty competitions, won twenty-four, and was never judged lower than second place. Aeschylus won thirteen competitions, and was sometimes defeated by Sophocles; Euripides won four.[5]
The most famous tragedies of Sophocles feature Oedipus and Antigone: they are generally known as the Theban plays, though each was part of a different tetralogy (the other members of which are now lost). Sophocles influenced the development of drama, most importantly by adding a third actor (attributed to Sophocles by Aristotle; to Aeschylus by Themistius),[6] thereby reducing the importance of the chorus in the presentation of the plot. He also developed his characters to a greater extent than earlier playwrights.[7]
^Jones, Daniel; Roach, Peter, James Hartman and Jane Setter, eds. Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary. 17th edition. Cambridge UP, 2006.
^Sommerstein (2002), p. 41.
^The exact number is unknown, the Suda says he wrote 123, another ancient source says 130, but no exact number "is possible", see Lloyd-Jones 2003, p. 3.
^Suda (ed. Finkel et al.): s.v. Σοφοκλῆς.
^Sophocles at the Encyclopædia Britannica
^LLoyd-Jones, H. (ed. and trans.) (1997). Introduction, in Sophocles I. Sophocles. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London, England: Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press. p. 9. ISBN 9780674995574.
^Freeman, p. 247.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
competitions, and was sometimes defeated by Sophocles; Euripides won four. The most famous tragedies of Sophocles feature Oedipus and Antigone: they are generally...
Adolph Enslin. ISBN 978-1-160-28969-6. OCLC 601932362. Sophocles; Jebb, R. C. (1890). Sophocles: The Plays and Fragments. Cambridge: CUP Archive. Eliot...
almost directly from David Grene's introduction to Sophocles I, University of Chicago Press, 1954.) Sophocles uses dramatic irony to present the downfall of...
Sofoklis Schortsanitis (Greek: Σοφοκλής Σχορτσανίτης; born 22 June 1985) is a Greek former professional basketball player and Olympian. An All-EuroLeague...
406 BC) was a tragedian of classical Athens. Along with Aeschylus and Sophocles, he is one of the three ancient Greek tragedians for whom any plays have...
the latter's resignation in 2012. "Sophocles SOPHOCLEOUS". European Parliament. Retrieved 15 May 2014. "Sophocles SOPHOCLEOUS - Curriculum vitae". European...
Athenian tragedian Sophocles. It was written shortly before Sophocles's death in 406 BC and produced by his grandson (also called Sophocles) at the Festival...
Antigone, Eteocles, and Polynices. She appears in several tragic plays of Sophocles: at the end of Oedipus Rex, in Oedipus at Colonus and in Antigone. She...
Sophocles Alexiou (born 1961 in Chelsea, London, England) is a British photographer of Greek descent. He works as a commercial photographer, his main...
and Civilization: An Interpretation of Sophocles. U of Oklahoma P. pp. 190–95. ISBN 9780806131368. Sophocles, Antigone 1180, 1300 and passim Statius...
Library, Harvard University Press, 2015. ISBN 978-0-674-96785-4 Sophocles, The Ajax of Sophocles. Edited with introduction and notes by Sir Richard Jebb, Sir...
Marxant, El Mestre), revised by Sophocles Papas (494-00204 / CO 232). Arpeggio Studies, edited and fingered by Sophocles Papas (494-00368 / CO 257). Eight...
presented by actors. The most acclaimed Greek tragedians are Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. These tragedians often explored many themes of human nature...
BC, is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles. Women of Trachis is generally considered to be less developed than Sophocles' other works, and its dating has...
Vol. XI. pp. 634–644. Seneca. Oedipus. pp. 1024–1041. Sophocles, The Oedipus Tyrannus of Sophocles edited with introduction and notes by Sir Richard Jebb...
Modern Greek studies. Evangelinos Apostolides Sophocles' father's name was Apostolos. The name Sophocles was given to him by his teacher Anthimos Gazis...
Eleftherios Venizelos "International record for Sophocles Venizelos". World Bridge Federation. Sophocles Venizelos at Library of Congress, with 1 library...
Polyrhachis sophocles is a species of ant in the subfamily Formicinae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka. "Species: Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla) sophocles Forel, 1908"...