Oedipus the King Sophocles (c. 420 BCE) This translation, which has been prepared by Ian Johnston of Malaspina University-College, Nanaimo, BC, is in the public. OEDIPUS THE KING An Abridged and Adapted Version of Sophocles' Play* by Nick Bartel, 1999 (Intended for use as Readers' Theater in the Junior - Senior High School. Vlc Media Player On Dreambox 800.
• • • • • Sophocles (;: Σοφοκλῆς, Sophoklēs, Ancient Greek:; c. 497/6 – winter 406/5 BC) is one of three whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than those of, and earlier than or contemporary with those of. Sophocles wrote over 120 plays during the course of his life, but only seven have survived in a complete form:,,,,, and. For almost 50 years, Sophocles was the most celebrated playwright in the dramatic competitions of the of that took place during the religious festivals of the and the. He competed in 30 competitions, won 24, and was never judged lower than second place. Aeschylus won 13 competitions, and was sometimes defeated by Sophocles, while Euripides won 4 competitions.
The most famous tragedies of Sophocles feature and also: they are generally known as the, although each play was actually a part of a different, the other members of which are now lost. Sophocles influenced the development of drama, most importantly by adding a third actor, thereby reducing the importance of the in the presentation of the. He also to a greater extent than earlier playwrights such as Aeschylus. A marble relief of a poet, perhaps Sophocles Sophocles, the son of Sophilus, was a wealthy member of the rural (small community) of in, which was to become a setting for one of his plays, and he was probably born there. Sophocles was born a few years before the in 490 BC: the exact year is unclear, although 497/6 is the most likely.