DOCSLIB.ORG

Antigone by Sophocles

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Antigone by Sophocles Antigone by Sophocles Copyright Notice ©2011 eNotes.com Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution or information storage retrieval systems without the written permission of the publisher. ©1998-2002; ©2002 by Gale Cengage. Gale is a division of Cengage Learning. Gale and Gale Cengage are trademarks used herein under license. For complete copyright information on these eNotes please visit: http://www.enotes.com/antigone/copyright eNotes: Table of Contents 1. Antigone: Introduction 2. Antigone: Sophocles Biography 3. Antigone: Summary ♦ Scene I Summary ♦ Scene II Summary ♦ Scene III Summary ♦ Scenes IV-V Summary ♦ Scene VI Summary ♦ Scenes VII-VIII Summary 4. Antigone: Essential Passages ♦ Essential Passages by Character: Antigone ♦ Essential Passages by Theme: Law vs. Love 5. Antigone: Themes 6. Antigone: Style 7. Antigone: Historical Context 8. Antigone: Critical Overview 9. Antigone: Character Analysis ♦ Antigone ♦ Creon ♦ Other Characters 10. Antigone: Essays and Criticism ♦ Family versus Community in Antigone ♦ The Antigone and its Moral ♦ Dramatic Effect in Sophocles 11. Antigone: Compare and Contrast 12. Antigone: Topics for Further Study 13. Antigone: Media Adaptations Antigone 1 14. Antigone: What Do I Read Next? 15. Antigone: Bibliography and Further Reading 16. Antigone: Pictures 17. Copyright Antigone: Introduction Greek playwright Sophocles wrote the last play in the Theban Trilogy, Antigone, around 442 B.C. The Theban Trilogy consists of Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King), Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone, but the play considered the last of the three was, ironically, written first. Only seven of Sophocles's one hundred-twenty-three tragedies have survived to the modern era—with the trilogy surviving the ages intact. These three plays are perhaps the most famous of the seven, with Antigone performed most often. Antigone tells the story of the title character, daughter of Oedipus (the former king of Thebes, who unknowingly killed his father and married his mother, and who renounced his kingdom upon discovering his actions), and her fight to bury her brother Polyneices against the edict of her uncle, Creon, the new king of Thebes. It is a story that pits the law of the gods—"unwritten law"—against the laws of humankind, family ties against civic duty, and man against woman. Many playwrights in Ancient Greece used mythological stories to comment on social and political concerns of their time. This is what Sophocles may have intended when he wrote Antigone. Based on the legends of Oedipus, Sophocles may have been trying to send a message to the Athenian general, Pericles, about the dangers of authoritarian rule. These tragedies were written to be performed at the Great Dionysia (a festival in honor of the god Dionysus, the god of fertility, theater, and wine) in Athens. Attending these plays was considered a civic duty, and even criminals were let out of jail to attend. Antigone won Sophocles first prize at the festival and was an enormous success. It is still performed today, and has been adapted by French playwright Jean Anouilh, who set the play during World War II. Antigone: Sophocles Biography Sophocles lived from c.496 to c.406 B.C., during the Golden Age of Athens (480-404 B.C.), the Greek city-state of which he was a citizen. He was an active citizen, participating in the city's infant democracy. He was involved in the war against the Samians and during the war became friends with Athens's popular general, Pericles. He founded the Thiasos of Muses (a society for the advancement of music and literature), and was an ambassador to many foreign countries throughout his lifetime. He was also a priest of the healing god Amynos and kept the sacred snake representing the god Aeschulapius while his temple was being built. He was a very well-rounded citizen, not only leading an active political and religious life but also writing one hundred and twenty-three tragedies, of which only seven remain intact for modern readers. Sophocles was married to a woman named Nicostrata, with whom he had a son, Iophon; he also had a son (out of wedlock) with Theoris of Sicyon named Ariston. He studied music under Lamprus and tragedy under Aeschylus before writing his own tragedies. His was a wealthy family and powerful in political and religious affairs. Of his seven plays to survive, Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King) (c. 430 B.C.), Oedipus at Colonus (c. 404 B.C.), and Antigone (c. 442 B.C.), comprise the "Theban Trilogy," three plays which deal with King Oedipus's tragic fall from power and the ruin of his children. Sophocles also wrote Ajax (c. 450 B.C.), Trachiniae (The Women of Trachis) (440 B.C.), and Electro and Philoctetes (both c. 409 B.C.). The titles of ninety other Sophoclean dramas survive, including Triptolemos, which was honored at the dramatic competition the Great Dionysia c. 468 B.C., when Sophocles defeated his onetime mentor Aeschylus. eNotes: Table of Contents 2 In Antigone, the title character asserts that the laws of Zeus and "unwritten law" justify her burial of her brother, Polyneices. The popular general Pericles himself addressed the issue of unwritten law. To many scholars the play was Sophocles's message to Pericles on the dangers of authoritarian rule, and the playwright's assertion of the general's need to remain conscious of his duty to the citizens of Athens. It was the duty of playwrights in Athens to address social and political issues, and this play not only addresses authoritarian rule, but also familial duty and the status of women in society. When Antigone stands up to Creon she not only defies the edict, but also the traditional behavior of Greek women of the time. During the Golden Age of Athens, Sophocles was one of the city's most prolific and beloved playwrights. Antigone is still performed all over the world, and though it may seem different in theme and structure to modern works, it continues to move audiences just at it did when it was first produced. Many scholars have remarked on Sophocles's ability to create dramatic, complex, and unique characters and situations, all of which have withstood the passage of time. Antigone: Summary Scene I Summary Antigone opens shortly before dawn outside of the palace at Thebes, where Antigone meets her sister Ismene. Together they grieve over the losses their family has suffered. First, their father, Oedipus, had unknowingly murdered his own father, ascended the throne, and married his mother. When Oedipus discovered this, he put out his eyes and wandere'd as an exile from Thebes until his death. Then their brothers Polyneices and Eteocles had killed each other in a battle between Thebes and the city of Argos. Now, because Polyneices fought against Thebes, Creon, the new king of Thebes, has ordered that his corpse remain unburied, thus condemning his spirit to roam the earth for one hundred years. Grieved, Antigone calls on Ismene to join her in carrying out their duty to their brother in spite of the edict. Antigone appeals to her sister's familial duty. Ismene, on the other hand, argues that, as women, they should not question the decisions of men— especially an edict from the king. Each fails to persuade the other and the sisters exit as the chorus of elders approaches. Scene II Summary Because Thebes has stood victorious in the battle against Argos, the chorus calls for a celebration. Then, as they begin to wonder why they have been summoned to the palace, Creon, newly crowned as king over the city-state, comes from the palace. He asks the elders to show him the same loyalty they had previously awarded Oedipus. He restates his edict that Polyneices shall not be buried, vowing that no foe of the city shall be his friend. The chorus seems uncertain about administering Creon's edict and ask that younger men perform the task. One of the young men guarding the body of Polyneices comes forward. The sentry guard tells Creon that someone has sprinkled dust on the body of Polyneices—an attempt at burial that violates Creon's decree. An elder suggests that the act is the work of a god. Creon disagrees and warns the old man against such foolish proclamations. It is base, he argues, to defy the state, not the glorious act of a god. The king suspects that money has provoked someone to attempt Polyneices's burial. Creon tells the sentry that he will be held responsible for the crime until the guard finds the actual perpetrator. He sends the sentry back to his post, commanding that he find the lawbreaker. Antigone: Sophocles Biography 3 Scene III Summary The chorus praises the wonder that is man and the cunning by which he can capture all of nature, or, conversely, escape nature's snares, all, that is, except death. Then the guard returns bringing Antigone as his captive. The guard reports that just after they had removed the dust from Polyneices, Antigone was caught trying to bury her brother a second time. When questioned by Creon, Antigone admits to both attempts at burial. Creon condemns her; Antigone asserts that she has done a noble deed by honoring her family and following the "unwritten law." Creon suspects that, due to her odd behavior earlier, Ismene may be an accomplice in her sister's crimes. When she comes forth, the chorus of elders recognizes that Ismene is innocent; her tears are not of guilt but sorrow for her sister. Yet Creon demands her confession, and she gives it.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Actors on High: the Skene Roof, the Crane, and the Gods in Attic Drama
    UC Berkeley Classical Papers Title Actors on High: The Skene Roof, the Crane, and the Gods in Attic Drama Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/61w4628m Author Mastronarde, Donald J. Publication Date 1990-10-01 eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California Published as “Actors on High: The Skene Roof, the Crane, and the Gods in Attic Drama” in Classical Antiquity Volume 9, No. 2, October 1990, pages 247-294, ©1990 by The Regents of the University of California. Copying and Permissions notice: Authorization to copy this content beyond fair use (as specified in Sections 107 and 108 of the U. S. Copyright Law) for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by the Regents of the University of California for libraries and other users, provided that they are registered with and pay the specified fee via Rightslink® on Caliber (http://caliber.ucpress.net/) or directly with the Copyright Clearance Center, http://www.copyright.com. [247]DONALD J. MASTRONARDE ACTORS ON HIGH: THE SKENE ROOF, THE CRANE, AND THE GODS IN ATTIC DRAMA* Many recent studies of Greek tragedy and comedy have shown a special interest in staging, not only with a view to antiquarian accuracy, but also in order to assess the playwrights’ techniques and skills in manipulating the visual elements of the performance for dramatic effect.1 The present study addresses a particularly controversial aspect of staging, the appearance of actors “on high.” It is generally agreed that the crane was available in the late fifth century, and it is also widely assumed that the wooden skene building of the late fifth and early fourth centuries had a flat roof, at least a part of which could serve as an additional acting space.
    [Show full text]
  • Athenian Democracy at War David M
    Cambridge University Press 978-1-108-42291-8 — Athenian Democracy at War David M. Pritchard Frontmatter More Information i ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY AT WAR Classical Athens perfected direct democracy. Th e plays of this ancient Greek state are still staged today. Th ese achievements are rightly revered. Less well known is the other side of this success story. Democratic Athens completely transformed warfare and became a superpower. Th e Athenian armed forces were unmatched in size and professionalism. Th is book explores the major reasons behind this military success. It shows how democracy helped the Athenians to be better soldiers. For the fi rst time David M. Pritchard studies, together, all four branches of the armed forces. He focuses on the background of those who fought Athens’ wars and on what they thought about doing so. His book reveals the common practices that Athens used right across the armed forces and shows how Athens’ pro- war culture had a big impact on civilian life. Th e book puts the study of Athenian democracy at war on an entirely new footing. David M. Pritchard is an ancient historian at the University of Queensland (Australia). He has obtained ten research fellowships in Australia, Denmark, France, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. In 2018 Pritchard is again a research fellow in the University of Strasbourg’s Institute for Advanced Study. He has authored Sport, Democracy and War in Classical Athens (Cambridge, 2013) and Public Spending and Democracy in Classical Athens (2015), edited War, Democracy and Culture in Classical Athens (Cambridge, 2010), and co- edited Sport and Festival in the Ancient Greek World (2003).
    [Show full text]
  • Greek Religious Thought from Homer to the Age of Alexander
    'The Library of Greek Thought GREEK RELIGIOUS THOUGHT FROM HOMER TO THE AGE OF ALEXANDER Edited by ERNEST BARKER, M.A., D.Litt., LL.D. Principal of King's College, University of London tl<s } prop Lt=. GREEK RELIGIOUS THOUGHT FROM HOMER TO THE AGE OF ALEXANDER BY F. M. CORNFORD, M.A. Fellow and Lecturer of Trinity College, Cambridge MCMXXIII LONDON AND TORONTO J. M. DENT & SONS LTD. NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON tf CO. HOTTO (E f- k> ) loUr\ P. DOTTO/U TALKS ) f^op Lt=. 7 yt All rights reserved f PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN TO WALTER DE LA MARE INTRODUCTION The purpose of this book is to let the English reader see for himself what the Greeks, from Homer to Aristotle, thought about the world, the gods and their relations to man, the nature and destiny of the soul, and the significance of human life. The form of presentation is prescribed by the plan of the series. The book is to be a compilation of extracts from the Greek authors, selected, so far as possible, without prejudice and translated with such honesty as a translation may have. This plan has the merit of isolating the actual thought of the Greeks in this period from all the constructions put upon it by later ages, except in so far as the choice of extracts must be governed by some scheme in the compiler's mind, which is itself determined by the limits of his knowledge and by other personal factors. In the book itself it is clearly his business to reduce the influence of these factors to the lowest point; but in the introduction it is no less his business to forewarn the reader against some of the consequences.
    [Show full text]
  • Greek Mythology / Apollodorus; Translated by Robin Hard
    Great Clarendon Street, Oxford 0X2 6DP Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Athens Auckland Bangkok Bogotá Buenos Aires Calcutta Cape Town Chennai Dar es Salaam Delhi Florence Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai Nairobi Paris São Paulo Shanghai Singapore Taipei Tokyo Toronto Warsaw with associated companies in Berlin Ibadan Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries Published in the United States by Oxford University Press Inc., New York © Robin Hard 1997 The moral rights of the author have been asserted Database right Oxford University Press (maker) First published as a World’s Classics paperback 1997 Reissued as an Oxford World’s Classics paperback 1998 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organizations. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above You must not circulate this book in any other binding or cover and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Data available Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Apollodorus. [Bibliotheca. English] The library of Greek mythology / Apollodorus; translated by Robin Hard.
    [Show full text]
  • The Three Theban Plays Pdf
    The three theban plays pdf Continue For scripting software, see Ships, see SS Sophocles (1900) and SS Sophocles (1921). ancient Athenian tragic playwright SophoclesBorn497/496 BC Colonus, AtticaDied406/405 BC (aged 90-92) AthensOccupationTragedianGenreTragedyNotable works by Ajax Antigone Oedip Rex Electra Oedip in Colon Sophocles (/ ˈsɒfəkliːz/; 1 Greek: Σοφοκλῆς Sophocles, pronounced so.pho.klɛ̂ ːs; c. 497/6 - winter 406/5 BC) is one of three ancient Greek tragedies whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than, or modern with, those of Aeschylus; and earlier than, or modern with, those of Euripides. Sophocles has written more than 120 plays, but only seven of them have survived in full form: Ajax, Antigone, Women of Trachis, Oedip Rex, Electra, Philotte and Oedipne in Colon. For almost fifty years, Sophocles was the most famous playwright in the dramatic competitions of the city-state of Athens, which took place during the religious holidays of Leneya and Dionysius. He participated in thirty competitions, won twenty-four, and was never judged lower than second place. Aeschylus won thirteen contests, and was sometimes defeated by Sophocles; Euripides won four. The most famous tragedies of Sophocles are related to Oedipal and Antigone: they are usually known as Teban's plays, although each of them was part of a different tetralogy (other members of which are now lost). Sophocles influenced the development of the drama, most importantly by adding a third actor (attributed to aristotle Sophocles; to Aeschylus Themistius), thus reducing the importance of the choir in the presentation of the plot. He also developed his characters more than previous playwrights.
    [Show full text]
  • Actors on High: the Skene Roof, the Crane, and the Gods in Attic Drama” in Classical Antiquity Volume 9, No
    Published as “Actors on High: The Skene Roof, the Crane, and the Gods in Attic Drama” in Classical Antiquity Volume 9, No. 2, October 1990, pages 247-294, ©1990 by The Regents of the University of California. Copying and Permissions notice: Authorization to copy this content beyond fair use (as specified in Sections 107 and 108 of the U. S. Copyright Law) for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by the Regents of the University of California for libraries and other users, provided that they are registered with and pay the specified fee via Rightslink® on Caliber (http://caliber.ucpress.net/) or directly with the Copyright Clearance Center, http://www.copyright.com. [247]DONALD J. MASTRONARDE ACTORS ON HIGH: THE SKENE ROOF, THE CRANE, AND THE GODS IN ATTIC DRAMA* Many recent studies of Greek tragedy and comedy have shown a special interest in staging, not only with a view to antiquarian accuracy, but also in order to assess the playwrights’ techniques and skills in manipulating the visual elements of the performance for dramatic effect.1 The present study addresses a particularly controversial aspect of staging, the appearance of actors “on high.” It is generally agreed that the crane was available in the late fifth century, and it is also widely assumed that the wooden skene building of the late fifth and early fourth centuries had a flat roof, at least a part of which could serve as an additional acting space. There is much less agreement, however, about other questions, such as: how early in the fifth century was the crane introduced? When, even after its introduction, was it used in preference to some other manner of staging? When did gods appear on the roof instead of stage level?Were there structures above the main-story level of the stage building, and if so, what was their appearance? All these disagreements arise because of the inadequacy of our evidence, which permits at most a reconstruction of possibilities and probabilities.
    [Show full text]
  • Finglass, PJ (2015) Ancient Reperformances of Sophocles
    CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Nottingham ePrints Finglass, P.J. (2015) Ancient reperformances of Sophocles. Trends in Classics, 7 (2). pp. 207-223. ISSN 1866-7473 Access from the University of Nottingham repository: http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/32010/1/Reperformances%20of%20Sophocles%20%28ed. %20Lamari%29.pdf Copyright and reuse: The Nottingham ePrints service makes this work by researchers of the University of Nottingham available open access under the following conditions. This article is made available under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives licence and may be reused according to the conditions of the licence. For more details see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ A note on versions: The version presented here may differ from the published version or from the version of record. If you wish to cite this item you are advised to consult the publisher’s version. Please see the repository url above for details on accessing the published version and note that access may require a subscription. For more information, please contact [email protected] ANCIENT REPERFORMANCES OF SOPHOCLES The sheer length of Sophocles’ career is humbling. Born some time in the 490s, he began to produce plays perhaps as early as the 470s; certainly no later than 468, when he won his first victory.1 He died in 405, leaving at least one work, his Oedipus at Colonus, to be performed posthumously; the production of Philoctetes in 409 is a further sign that he went on writing and putting on plays well into his eighties, perhaps even his nineties.
    [Show full text]
  • Oedipus by Sophocles in a New Version by Frank Mcguinness
    Oedipus by Sophocles in a new version by Frank McGuinness The National’s production 2 Synopsis of Oedipus 3 Sophocles – The Man and his Work 4 Ancient Greece 6 Theatre 6 The Origins of Greek Theatre 6 Theatre in the Athenian Golden Age 6 Tragedy 7 Comedy 8 Religion 9 The Growth of Democracy 10 History Timeline 11 Map of Ancient Greece 12 Creating Oedipus 13 Interview with Derek Barnes (Musical Director on Oedipus and member of the Chorus) and Christopher Saul (member of the Chorus) 13 Interview with Denni Sayers (Movement Director) 15 Interview with Jonathan Kent 17 Photo (Ralph Fiennes) by Jillian Edelstein Further Exploratory Tasks and Exercises 19 Bibliography and Further Reading 21 Further production details: This workpack is published Director NT Education Workpack writer nationaltheatre.org.uk by and copyright The Royal Jonathan Kent National Theatre Elly Green National Theatre Board South Bank Reg. No. 1247285 London SE1 9PX Editor Registered Charity No. T 020 7452 3388 Alice Massey 224223 F 020 7452 3380 Views expressed in this E educationenquiries@ Design workpack are not necessarily nationaltheatre.org.uk Rosanne Liu those of the National Theatre Clare Parker Sources for some of the dates Photographs given in this workpack differ. Jillian Edelstein In each case the most likely Catherine Ashmore date has been chosen, given the available evidence discover: National Theatre Workpack 1 The National’s production This production of Oedipus had its premiere at the National’s Olivier Theatre on 15 October 2008 Characters, in order of speaking Oedipus . .RALPH FIennes Priest. DAVID BURKE Director. JOnatHan Kent Creon .
    [Show full text]
  • Greek Mysteries
    GREEK MYSTERIES Mystery cults represent the spiritual attempts of the ancient Greeks to deal with their mortality. As these cults had to do with the individual’s inner self, privacy was paramount and was secured by an initiation ceremony, a personal ritual that estab- lished a close bond between the individual and the gods. Once initiated, the indi- vidual was liberated from the fear of death by sharing the eternal truth, known only to the immortals. Because of the oath of silence taken by the initiates, a thick veil of secrecy covers those cults and archaeology has become our main tool in deciphering their meaning. In a field where archaeological research constantly brings new data to light, this volume provides a close analysis of the most recent discoveries, as well as a critical re-evaluation of the older evidence. The book focuses not only on the major cults of Eleusis and Samothrace, but also on the lesser-known Mysteries in various parts of Greece, over a period of almost two thousand years, from the Late Bronze Age to the Roman Imperial period. In our mechanized and technology-oriented world, a book on Greek spirituality is both timely and appropriate. The authors’ inter-disciplinary approach extends beyond the archaeological evidence to cover the textual and iconographic sources and provides a better understanding of the history and rituals of those cults. Written by an international team of acknowledged experts, Greek Mysteries is an important contribution to our understanding of Greek religion and society. Michael B. Cosmopoulos is the Hellenic Government–Karakas Foundation Profes- sor of Greek Studies and Professor of Greek Archaeology at the University of Missouri-St.
    [Show full text]
  • Greece and Rome
    The Giant List of Stories - Vol. 1 Pattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay Skim and Scan The Giant List of Folklore Stories Folklore, Folktales, Folk Heroes, Tall Tales, Fairy Tales, Hero Tales, Animal Tales, Fables, Myths, and Legends. Vol. 1 – Europe: South: Greece and Rome Presented by Pattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay The fastest, most effective way to teach students organized multi-paragraph essay writing… Guaranteed! Beginning Writers Struggling Writers Remediation Review 1 Pattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay – Guaranteed Fast and Effective! © 2018 The Giant List of Stories - Vol. 1 Pattern Based Writing: Quick & Easy Essay The Giant List of Folklore Stories – Vol. 1 This volume is one of six volumes related to this topic: Vol. 1: Europe: South: Greece and Rome Vol. 4: Native American & Indigenous People Vol. 2: Europe: North: Britain, Norse, Ireland, etc. Vol. 5: The United States Vol. 3: The Middle East, Africa, Asia, Slavic, Plants, Vol. 6: Children’s and Animals So… what is this PDF? It’s a huge collection of tables of contents (TOCs). And each table of contents functions as a list of stories, usually placed into helpful categories. Each table of contents functions as both a list and an outline. What’s it for? What’s its purpose? Well, it’s primarily for scholars who want to skim and scan and get an overview of the important stories and the categories of stories that have been passed down through history. Anyone who spends time skimming and scanning these six volumes will walk away with a solid framework for understanding folklore stories.
    [Show full text]
  • THE SUDA's LIFE of SOPHOCLES (SIGMA 815): TRANSLATION and COMMENTARY with SOURCES Wm. Blake Tyrrell (Michigan State Universit
    THE SUDA’S LIFE OF SOPHOCLES (SIGMA 815): TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY WITH SOURCES Wm. Blake Tyrrell (Michigan State University) Table of Contents Preface Introduction The Suda sigma 815: Translation and Text Index to Notes and Sources Texts, Translation, and Commentary Appendix: Text and Translation of Family and Life of Sophocles Bibliography 4 Electronic Antiquity 9.1 Preface This project is offered as a resource for those interested in the life of Sophocles. Sigma 815 of the Byzantine lexicon, The Suda, forms its core. The Suda entry is annotated with thirteen notes which treat discrete subjects and around which are organized the sources for Sophoclesʹ life. An index to the notes has been provided. The sources are presented with the Greek and accompanying English translation. Commentary is interspersed among them where it is useful. The commentary does not attempt to build up a biography of Sophocles, for in the present condition of the sources none is possible. Ada Alder’s monumental edition of The Suda is currently being translated by numerous scholars under the direction of Suda On Line, published by the Stoa Consortium. The author’s translation of sigma 815 forms part of this effort. I have used T enclosed in parenthesis with a number in the reference line of a source to designate the number of the source, where available, in the list of testimonia collected by Stefan Radt in Tragicorum Graecorum Fragmenta. Vol. 4: Sophocles. A bolded number in parenthesis designates a source in the present work. Tyrrell The Suda’s Life of Sophocles 5 Introduction Ἡ Σοῦδα, The Suda, perhaps The Fortress or The Stronghold, denotes the title, not the author as long thought, of a Byzantine lexicon.1 The Suda was complied after the time of Photius (ninth century) whom it cites and Eustathius (twelfth century) who cites it.
    [Show full text]
  • Studies on the Iconography of Divine and Heroic
    STUDIES ON THE ICONOGRAPHY OF DIVINE AND HEROIC CHILDREN IN ATTIC RED-FIGURE VASE-PAINTING OF THE FIFTH CENTURY BC (Volume One) THESIS SUBMITTED P02 THE DEGREE OP PhD by LESLEY ANNE BEAUMONT Ff3 University College London (ION DL) P02 MUM 4. A)STR ACT The thesis is an examination of the iconography of children in Attic red-figure vase-painting, concentrat.ng mainly on the representation of mythological children, but considering also the applications of the study to red-figure scenes of everyday life. The aims are two-fold: firstly to analyse iconographiq types employed for the depiction of children by vase-painters, and secondly to use such a study to establish a foundation for the objective analysis of age representation of children in vase-painting. The catalogue of vases comprises one hundred and ninety six entries. Discussion of this material is split into two sections; one dealing with the birth and childhood of the gods, and the other with that of the heroes. The first section is divided into two chapters, one on the most commonly represented infant god, Dionysos, and a second devoted to the remainder of the gods who appear as children. The second section comprises a chapter each on Attic and non-Attic heroes, and a further chapter considers representations of mythological female children. The thesis concludes that divine and heroic children are represented o vases throughout the red-figure period, finding their phase of greatest popularity between about 490-40 BC. It iS shown that most of the iconographic types employed for children are interchangeable for a variety of mythological, and often also mortal, offspring.
    [Show full text]