The Three Theban Plays

One of the most famous poets from classical antiquity, Sophocles was one of three important ancient Greek tragedians, the others being Aeschylus and Euripides. Writing during the 5th century BC, Sophocles created some one hundred and twenty three plays during his lifetime, of which only seven have survived in their entirety. In this edition are included the three so-called Theban plays, as translated by Francis Storr, which are widely considered his most important works. These works include «Antigone» the story of its title character, a strong heroine whose complete commitment to familial duty brings her to challenge the will of her king; «Oedipus the King», the legend of Oedipus who is exiled as an infant by his royal father because of a prophesy of patricide and incest; and «Oedipus at Colonus», a drama which finds Oedipus at the end of his life caught between the warring kings of Athens and Thebes who each desire that Oedipus' final resting place be in their respective lands. These classic tragedies are essential reading and their influence on modern literature and drama is a profound one.