Sophocles

— Ajax — Electra — Oedipus Rex — Antigone — Trachiniae — Philoctetes — Oedipus at Colonus — Fragments —

General Resources

English Translations

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Complete Works

  • Oxford (GTNT): Complete Sophocles, 2 vols. (2011), collecting translations previously published separately in the Greek Tragedy in New Translations series — vol. 1: The Theban Plays [Antigone (Gibbons / Segal), Oedipus the King (Berg / Clay), Oedipus at Colonus (Grennan / Kitzinger); vol. 2: Electra and Other Plays [Aias (Ajax) (Golder / Pevear), Women of Trachis (Williams / Dickerson), Electra (Carson with intro and notes by Shaw), Philoctetes (Phillips with intro and notes by Clay)]
  • R. Bond (2014-15) [CC License] [Online at UC Research Repository]
  • R. Bagg and J. Scully, The Complete Plays of Sophocles: A New Translation (New York: HarperPerennial, 2011) [Google Books preview] [WorldCat] [ProSe blog review] [Review by Green (NYROB, 5.10.2012)] [Bagg responds to Green, Green replies (NYROB)] [Bagg’s more detailed response] — cf. Bagg (with Bagg) below for the Theban cycle alone
  • P. Roche (NY: Signet Classic, 2001) [WorldCat]
  • C. R. Mueller and A. Krajewska-Wieczorek (Hanover, NH: Smith and Kraus, 2000) [Review by Brewer in PAJ]
  • Penn: K. Cherry [Antigone], B. Galvin [Trachiniae], G. Garrett [Oedipus at Colonus], J. F. Kessler [Oedipus Rex], F. Raphael and K. McLeish [Ajax], A. Schwerner [Philoctetes], H. Taylor [Electra] (Philadelphia: Pennsylvania University Press, 1998) [Google Books preview: vol. 1; vol. 2]
  • Loeb (current): H. Lloyd-Jones, LCL (1994)
  • Methuen: R. Cannon [Ajax], K. McLeish [Electra, Philoctetes], D. Taylor [repr. from Theban Plays], J. M. Walton [Trachiniae], Sophocles: Plays, 2 vols. (London: Methuen, 1990, 1998)
  • Chicago: E. Wyckoff [Antigone]; R. Fitzgerald [Oedipus at Colonus], D. Grene [Oedipus Rex, Electra, Philoctetes], M. Jameson [Trachiniae], J. Moore [Ajax] (1957) — (3rd edition 2013)
  • Loeb (old): F. Storr, LCL, 2 vols. (1912-13) [Loebolus: vol. 1; vol. 2]
  • A. S. Way, Sophocles in English Verse (1909-14) [HathiTrust] [Archive.org: vol. 1]
  • R. C. Jebb, Sophocles: The Plays and Fragments, multiple volumes including text, translation, and commentary (Cambridge, 1883-96); translation reprinted as The Tragedies of Sophocles (1904 etc.) [Google Books] — for individual plays, see list of individual Jebb volumes in ClassicsIndex at PBWorks; these have been reprinted (with introduction by J. Rusten?) by Bristol Classical Press in their “Classic Commentaries” series [WorldCat]
  • E. P. Coleridge (1893, 1910) (London, 1905) [Archive.org] [Review in the Spectator: “Moreover, the book is cheap, and Professor Jebb’s is dear; this accounts for its existence;—and we wish we could commend it further. But, unfortunately, the version is ‘produced as well for the general reader as for the critical scholar,’ and this has been its ruin.”]
  • G. Young, The Dramas of Sophocles (Cambridge, 1888 [Archive.org]; London, 1899, 1906 [Google Books] [Archive.org])
  • R. Whitelaw (London, 1883 [Archive.org], 1904 [Archive.org])
  • L. Campbell, Sophocles’ Seven Plays in English Verse (London, 1883) [some revised from Campbell 1873]; rev. version (Oxford, 1906) [Archive.org] [html version at Project Gutenberg]
  • E. H. Plumptre (London, 1865, 1871, 1902, 1908; Boston / NY, 1866, 1872-6, 1908) [Boston 1902 printing at Google Books (following the “2nd ed.”)] [html version from 1878 printing at WikiSource]
  • T. A. Buckley [revision of the “Oxford translation”] (London: Bohn, 1849; NY, 1855; variously reprinted; selected, Philadelphia, 1897) [Archive.org]
  • C. D. Yonge, The Tragedies of Sophocles in English Verse (Cambridge, 1849) [This entry appears to be in error: no such translation exists]
  • anon., The Tragedies of Sophocles in English Prose (Cambridge, 1844) [Google Books]
  • T. Dale, Sophocles: Works in English Verse, 2 vols. (London, 1824) [Archive.org (2 vols. in 1)] [Google Books]
  • anon., The Tragedies of Sophocles [the “Oxford translation”] (Oxford, 1823; 1828, 1833 [Google Books]; 1842 [Google Books]) — cf. Buckley 1849
  • R. Potter (London, 1788; “a new edition” Oxford 1808 [Google Books]; 1813 [Google Books]; 1820 [Google Books])
  • T. Francklin, 2 vols. (London, 1759, 1766, 1832; 1886) (1834) [Archive.org]
  • G. Adams, Sophocles Translated into English Prose, 2 vols. (1729) (“a new edition” (1818) [Archive.org])

Collections (“The Theban Plays” / Oedipus “Trilogy”)

  • F. Nisetich, in M. Lefkowitz and J. Romm (eds.), The Greek Plays: Sixteen Plays by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, Modern Library (NY, 2016) [Google Books preview]
  • P. J. Ahrensdorf and T. L. Pangle (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2014) [Google Books preview] [WorldCat] [Review by Fontaine and Fontaine in BMCR] [Review by Nooter in CR]
  • R. Fainlight and R. J. Littman (tr.), Sophocles:  The Theban Plays:  Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone (Baltimore, 2009) [Google Books preview] [Review by Levett in Mouseion]
  • D. R. Slavitt, Sophocles: The Theban Plays (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2007) [Google Books preview] [WorldCat]
  • H. Love, Introductions and Translations to the Plays of Sophocles and Euripides, vol. 1 [Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone] (Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Press, 2006) [WorldCat]
  • P. Constantine (tr.), Sophocles:  Three Theban Plays, with intro and notes by P. de Blas, Barnes & Noble (New York, 2004 / 2007) [Review of production in NYTimes] — however, is the B&N publication the same as the script produced for the Pearl Theatre? (Constantine lists them separately on his CV.)
  • R. Bagg (with M. Bagg), The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles (Amherst: U Mass Press, 2004); repr. as The Oedipus Cycle (New York: HarperPerennial, 2012) [Review by Markantonatos in BMCR] — also incorporated into Bagg and Scully (2011) [but revised? — copyright there given as 2011]
  • J. Hecht, Three Theban Plays (Wordsworth, 2004) [Google Books preview] [WorldCat]
  • P. Woodruff and P. Meineck, The Theban Plays (Hackett, 2003) [WorldCat] [Review by Cohen in BMCR (of Woodruff and Meineck along with Blondell [below]) although the heading of the review makes it look like it only deals with Blondell]
  • R. Blondell, The Theban Plays (Focus, 2002) [Google Books preview] [WorldCat] [Review by Cohen in BMCR] — cf. King Oidipous printed separately (Focus, 2002)
  • D. Grene, The Theban Plays, Everyman’s Library (London, 1994) [Penguin RandomHouse] [NB: translation of OT copyright 1942; Antigone and OC 1991 (University of Chicago)]
  • T. Wertenbaker, The Thebans / Antigone (London, 1992) [Dramatic Publishing] — only Antigone, rather than the cycle?
  • C. A. Trypanis, The Three Theban Plays (Aris & Phillips, 1986) [Review by Ireland in CR] [commissioned for BBC broadcast 1957-8] [WorldCat]
  • D. Taylor, The Theban Plays (London: Methuen, 1986) [HathiTrust (limited)] [Google Books preview (none)]– see Methuen above
  • S. Spender, The Oedipus Trilogy (London, 1985; NY, 1985) [WorldCat]
  • R. Fagles, Sophocles: The Three Theban Plays (NY: Viking Press, 1982; Penguin, 1984) [Google Books preview] [WorldCat] [Review by Lloyd-Jones in NYRoB]
  • P. Roche, The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles (NY, 1958) (rev. 1991) [then incorporated into Roche’s complete Sophocles (2001) ?] [WorldCat]
  • T. H. Banks, Three Theban Plays (NY: Oxford University Press, 1956) [Archive.org]
  • P. Mullahy, in Oedipus: Myth and Complex (NY, 1948) [Antigone, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus] [WorldCat] [OpenLibrary]
  • E. F. Watling, The Theban Plays (Penguin, 1947) [Google Books preview]
  • J. S. Phillimore, Oedipus Tyrannus, Oedipus up at Colonos, Antigone [= The Athenian Drama, vol. 2] (London, 1902) [Archive.org] [Archive.org alternate link]

Collections (other)

  • O. Taplin, Sophocles: Antigone and Other Tragedies (Oxford, 2020) [Antigone; Deianeira (sic); Electra] [Google Books preview] [WorldCat]
  • O. Taplin (tr.), Sophocles:  Four Tragedies (Oxford, 2015) [Oedipus the King; Aias; Philoctetes; Oedipus at Colonus] [Google Books preview] [WorldCat]
  • McDonald, McLeish and Raphael (tr.), Greek Tragedy, Drama Classic Collections (London, 2005) [includes Antigone]
  • M. Ewans, G. Ley, G. McCart, Sophokles: Three Dramas of Old Age (London: Dent, 2000) [Electra, Philoctetes, Oedipus at Colonus]
  • M. Ewans, G. Ley, G. McCart, Sophokles: Four Dramas of Maturity (London: Dent, 1999) [Ajax, Antigone, Trachiniae, Oedipus Rex] [OpenLibrary] [WorldCat] [Review by Talboy in Classics Ireland] [performance oriented, “their discussions of staging are often stimulating,” per Lloyd in CR 50.2 (2000): 575]
  • K. McLeish (Cambridge, 1979) [Electra, Antigone, Philoctetes]
  • T. H. Banks, Four Plays by Sophocles (NY: Oxford University Press, 1966) [Ajax, Electra, Philoctetes, Trachiniae]
  • H. D. F. Kitto, Three Tragedies (Oxford, 1962) [Antigone, Oedipus Rex, Electra]; repr. with intro and notes by E. Hall (Oxford, 1994) [WorldCat]
  • E. F. Watling, Electra and Other Plays (Penguin, 1953) [Electra, Ajax, Philoctetes, Trachiniae]
  • D. Grene, Three Greek Tragedies in Translation (Chicago, 1942) [includes Oedipus Rex]
  • L. Campbell, Three Plays of Sophocles: Antigone, Electra, Deianira or the Death of Hercules (Edinburgh, 1873)
  • J. B. Rose, Greek Dramas [adapted from R. Potter] (London, 1867-72) [WorldCat] [Ajax, Antigone, Oedipus at Colonus, Philoctetes] [Google Books: vol. 1 (Prometheus, Agamemnon, Oedipus [Rex], Ajax, Alcestis, Hecuba); vol. 2 (Iphigenia in Aulis, Choephoroi, Eumenides, Iphigenia in Tauris; vol. 3 (Supplicants [Aeschylus], Andromache, Medeia, Antigone, Philoctetes, Helena]
  • P. Brumoy, The Greek Theatre of Father Brumoy, tr. C. Lennox, 3 vols. (London, 1759) [details on Brumoy page] [Google Books: vol. 1; vol. 2; vol. 3]

Freer Adaptations

  • C. Reader, The Oedipus Plays [“adapted”] (London: Samuel French, 2002) [Concord Theatricals (UK)] [WorldCat]
  • K. McLeish, Four Greek Plays [“translated and adapted”] (London, 1964) [including Antigone, Oedipus Rex] — heavily adapted and simplified, reportedly

Scholia

  • G. A. Xenis (ed.), Scholia vetera in Sophoclis Oedipum Coloneum, Sammlung griechischer und lateinischer Grammatiker 18 (Berlin: De Gruyter, 2018) [review by Finglass in BMCR]
  • Georgios A. Xenis (ed.), Scholia vetera in Sophoclis Electram, Sammlung griechischer und lateinischer Grammatiker 12 (Berlin/New York: De Gruyter, 2010) [review by Finglass in BMCR]
  • Georgios A. Xenis (ed.), Scholia vetera in Sophoclis Trachinias, Sammlung griechischer und lateinischer Grammatiker 13 (Berlin/New York: De Gruyter, 2010) [review by Finglass in BMCR]

Newer Scholarship

  • A. E. Brook, Tragic Rites: Narrative and Ritual in Sophoclean Drama (Madison, 2018) [Google Books preview] [review by Catenaccio in BMCR]
  • B. Reitze, Der Chor in den Tragödien des Sophokles. Person, Reflexion, Dramaturgie, Drama: Studien zum antiken Drama and zu seiner Rezeption, neue Serie 20 (Tübingen: Narr Francke Attempo, 2017) [review by Finglass in BMCR]
  • E. Paillard, The Stage and the City: Non-Elite Characters in the Tragedies of Sophocles, Chorégie, 3 (Paris: Éditions de Boccard, 2017) [review by Lagrou in BMCR]
  • T. Van Nortwick, Late Sophocles: The Hero’s Evolution in Electra, Philoctetes, and Oedipus at Colonus (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2015) [Google Books preview] [review by Sewell-Rutter in BMCR]
  • S. Nooter, When Heroes Sing: Sophocles and the Shifting Soundscape of Tragedy. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012) [Google Books preview] [review by Mahoney in BMCR]
  • P. J. Ahrensdorf, Greek Tragedy and Political Philosophy: Rationalism and Religion in Sophocles’ Theban Plays (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009) [Google Books preview] [review by Ryan in BMCR]
  • S. Goldhill and E. Hall (ed.), Sophocles and the Greek Tragic Tradition (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009) [review by Rader in BMCR]
  • C. Menke, Tragic Play: Irony and Theater from Sophocles to Beckett (translated by James Phillips; first published 2005), Columbia Themes in Philosophy, Social Criticism, and the Arts (New York: Columbia University Press, 2009) [Google Books preview] [review by Billings in BMCR]

Reception