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Oedipus the King and Other Tragedies: Oedipus the King, Aias, Philoctetes, Oedipus at Colonus
Oedipus the King * Aias * Philoctetes * Oedipus at Colonus
Sophocles stands as one of the greatest dramatists of all time, and one of the most influential on artists and thinkers over the centuries. In these four tragedies he portrays the extremes of human suffering and emotion, turning the heroic myths into supreme works of poetry and dramatic action. Oedipus the King follows Oedipus, the 'man of sorrow', who has unwittingly chosen to enact his prophesied course by murdering his father and marrying his mother. In Aias , the great warrior confronts the harrowing humiliation inflicted upon him, while Philoctetes sees a once-noble hero nursing his resentment after ten years of marooned isolation. In Oedipus at Colonus the blind Oedipus, who has wandered far and wide as a beggar, finally meets his mysterious death.
These original and distinctive verse translations convey the vitality of Sophocles' poetry and the vigour of the plays in performance. Each play is accompanied by an introduction and substantial notes on topographical and mythical references and interpretation.
ABOUT THE For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
Sophocles stands as one of the greatest dramatists of all time, and one of the most influential on artists and thinkers over the centuries. In these four tragedies he portrays the extremes of human suffering and emotion, turning the heroic myths into supreme works of poetry and dramatic action. Oedipus the King follows Oedipus, the 'man of sorrow', who has unwittingly chosen to enact his prophesied course by murdering his father and marrying his mother. In Aias , the great warrior confronts the harrowing humiliation inflicted upon him, while Philoctetes sees a once-noble hero nursing his resentment after ten years of marooned isolation. In Oedipus at Colonus the blind Oedipus, who has wandered far and wide as a beggar, finally meets his mysterious death.
These original and distinctive verse translations convey the vitality of Sophocles' poetry and the vigour of the plays in performance. Each play is accompanied by an introduction and substantial notes on topographical and mythical references and interpretation.
ABOUT THE For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2016
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About the author
Sophocles
2,623 books2,690 followersSophocles (497/496 BC-406/405 BC), (Greek:
Σοφοκλής
; German:
Sophokles
, Russian:
Софокл
, French:
Sophocle
) 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, but only seven have survived in a complete form: Ajax, Antigone, Women of Trachis, Oedipus Rex, Electra, Philoctetes, and Oedipus at Colonus. 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.
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), 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.
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), 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.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 12, 2017
Read for uni.
What a wild ride.
What a wild ride.
March 23, 2025
a great collection, brilliantly translated with comprehensive notes. would have preferred to read the Theban plays in order with Antigone but enjoyed the added tragedies of Aias and Philoctetes.
April 13, 2020
Read Oedipus for a class. Greek tragedies plus human complexities, great combination!
December 7, 2023
I have read the Oedipus cycle, so here I read Aias and Philoctetes. I am fascinated by these lesser known tragedies which, like Rhesus (spuriously attributed to Euripides), address minor episodes of the Trojan War. In particular they explore the varying relationships of Odysseus with other Greeks (Aias, Philoctetes) and a Trojan ally (Rhesus).
Aias [eye-ass] examines the wrath, delusion, and despair of Aias, son of Telamon. Aias’ flaw is his arrogance and self-grandeur in denying the gods their dutiful prominence throughout the entire war. In reading The Iliad I had not picked up on his disregard of Athena’s direction, nor his ignoring of Apollo’s. He cannot help but celebrate himself. Aias has the character and conviction that he must become a worthy, legendary warrior like his father King Telamon and return to Salamis as the greatest Greek in glory and honor. This seemed overblown in The Iliad. The celebration of Aias the Great was always such a bizarre and confusing aggrandizement as yet his name is far from celebrated despite his superiority as a warrior—he fought Hector one-on-one to a draw, did not lose, and Hector gifted him a sword for his ferocity. Thus, later when Odysseus is awarded Achilles’ armor, Aias rages against the injustice of a deceitful trickster like the son of Sisyphus ‘defeating’ him. His conviction of an injustice consumes him and spills out into a delirium. Luckily with Athena’s assistance a brutal massacre of Greek warriors is averted—Aias is found instead brutally slaughtering the captured flocks. The opening scene of this tragedy is marvelous, and oh so Sophoclean. If this had happened, the story of the Trojan War would be so different. What makes Aias’ story so interesting is how his story of human agency AND the denial of the gods is contrasted with the foil of Odysseus who uses his free will WHILE embracing the gods. But Aias will have the last word. His suicide upon the sword gifted by Hector, now dead, is an act of the ultimate victory of Aias the man over the involvement of the gods—it is his will, or so he thinks.
The sad and worrisome fate of Aias’ remaining family is perhaps what is most tragic here: his half-brother Teucer, his Phrygian slave-wife Tecmessa and their son Eurysaces. Appearances by Menelaus and Agamemnon make the two brothers Atreus seem like bad men trying to deny the burial of Aias. Odysseus has a compelling scene, which is in itself a reason to read this play. Fascinatingly, there became a hero-cult to Aias at the mound of his burial that even Alexander the Great is said to have visited several centuries later near Ilium. Apparently there were burial mounds to many of the fallen heroes.
Philoctetes centers on an injured and disabled older Thessalian warrior, one who fought alongside Heracles and was gifted his bow in reward for his goodness—arrows shot from this bow do not miss. But his goodness was not to be widely reciprocated. The Greek leaders would abandon him on the island of Lemnos because of his screams and agonizing over an ulcerous foot. It is only a Phrygian oracle Hellenis who makes it clear the Greeks cannot win without Philoctetes’ bow. Enter the hated, resented Odysseus, the man who left Philoctetes there to begin with. He convinces Achilles’ son Neoptolemus to use deception to win Philoctetes to lend his bow to the defeat of Troy. It becomes a great psychological portrayal of pity and friendship among strangers, resentment in betrayal, and the obeisance of an oracle to reach one’s goals.
The themes and motifs from Aias and Philoctetes both offer rather pastoral settings, calm in the war, dramatic intrigue among warring allies, and the diplomacy and politicking needed among a war-wearied troop of warriors. I love Sophocles. Now two more plays remain: Electra and Women of Trachis.
Aias [eye-ass] examines the wrath, delusion, and despair of Aias, son of Telamon. Aias’ flaw is his arrogance and self-grandeur in denying the gods their dutiful prominence throughout the entire war. In reading The Iliad I had not picked up on his disregard of Athena’s direction, nor his ignoring of Apollo’s. He cannot help but celebrate himself. Aias has the character and conviction that he must become a worthy, legendary warrior like his father King Telamon and return to Salamis as the greatest Greek in glory and honor. This seemed overblown in The Iliad. The celebration of Aias the Great was always such a bizarre and confusing aggrandizement as yet his name is far from celebrated despite his superiority as a warrior—he fought Hector one-on-one to a draw, did not lose, and Hector gifted him a sword for his ferocity. Thus, later when Odysseus is awarded Achilles’ armor, Aias rages against the injustice of a deceitful trickster like the son of Sisyphus ‘defeating’ him. His conviction of an injustice consumes him and spills out into a delirium. Luckily with Athena’s assistance a brutal massacre of Greek warriors is averted—Aias is found instead brutally slaughtering the captured flocks. The opening scene of this tragedy is marvelous, and oh so Sophoclean. If this had happened, the story of the Trojan War would be so different. What makes Aias’ story so interesting is how his story of human agency AND the denial of the gods is contrasted with the foil of Odysseus who uses his free will WHILE embracing the gods. But Aias will have the last word. His suicide upon the sword gifted by Hector, now dead, is an act of the ultimate victory of Aias the man over the involvement of the gods—it is his will, or so he thinks.
CHORUS
I see my blind folly;
you blood-soaked, lonely,
no friend, unshielded.
I was so stupid,
wholly unwary,
I was uncaring.
Where is he lying?
Unyielding, alas,
ill-omened Aias.
The sad and worrisome fate of Aias’ remaining family is perhaps what is most tragic here: his half-brother Teucer, his Phrygian slave-wife Tecmessa and their son Eurysaces. Appearances by Menelaus and Agamemnon make the two brothers Atreus seem like bad men trying to deny the burial of Aias. Odysseus has a compelling scene, which is in itself a reason to read this play. Fascinatingly, there became a hero-cult to Aias at the mound of his burial that even Alexander the Great is said to have visited several centuries later near Ilium. Apparently there were burial mounds to many of the fallen heroes.
Philoctetes centers on an injured and disabled older Thessalian warrior, one who fought alongside Heracles and was gifted his bow in reward for his goodness—arrows shot from this bow do not miss. But his goodness was not to be widely reciprocated. The Greek leaders would abandon him on the island of Lemnos because of his screams and agonizing over an ulcerous foot. It is only a Phrygian oracle Hellenis who makes it clear the Greeks cannot win without Philoctetes’ bow. Enter the hated, resented Odysseus, the man who left Philoctetes there to begin with. He convinces Achilles’ son Neoptolemus to use deception to win Philoctetes to lend his bow to the defeat of Troy. It becomes a great psychological portrayal of pity and friendship among strangers, resentment in betrayal, and the obeisance of an oracle to reach one’s goals.
ODYSSEUS
You are your noble father's son.
I was young once as well, and I was slow with speech, but had a ready hand for deeds.
But now that I have gained experience,
I see that in the human world it is your speech
and not your deeds that manage everything.
NEOPTOLEMUS
So your command is simply that I should tell lies?
ODYSSEUS
I'm saying you should capture Philoctetes by deceit.
NEOPTOLEMUS
But why by trickery rather than persuasion?
The themes and motifs from Aias and Philoctetes both offer rather pastoral settings, calm in the war, dramatic intrigue among warring allies, and the diplomacy and politicking needed among a war-wearied troop of warriors. I love Sophocles. Now two more plays remain: Electra and Women of Trachis.
July 8, 2020
Oedipus never fails to grip; genius story-telling. Each one though rewards deeper study, or even reflective reading. Oedipus at Colonus gives us something of the strangeness of Greek religion, as well as an exemplification of its operative values. Philoctetes keeps reverberating and one can see why people see Plato's writings not as philosophic texts but texts that saw it's contemporaries as those of Sophocles, and so on. Yet for me it's Aias that keeps haunting me. Aias is worth the price of admission alone. It's Aias' laments that keeps returning, and won't leave me in peace.
March 7, 2020
A gripping set of tales, the plays are truly tragic... emphasising the bliss in ignorance and the suffering in truth. The pain in looking back with hindsight, unable to change what has past. How insult led to curiosity, to anxiety, and finally to shame. They also showcase the idea of hubris, highlighting how the mighty succumb to the human condition.
October 11, 2019
As far as 2500 year old plays go - this was simple to read and evoked empathy.
May 23, 2022
clunky translation...can't read greek but meh
January 19, 2024
Great translation, and interesting introductions and background
January 20, 2025
Listen, I love a Greek tragedy. But none come close to the beauty and the gut-wrenching emotion of Ajax. What a gorgeous translation.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews