Sophocles: Oedipus the King

Description

Sophocles' great masterpiece, Oedipus the King, is here translated into highly-polished English verse alongside an introduction and notes to the translation which seek to make his achievements in both plot and language accessible to students at graduate, undergraduate, and secondary school level.

• Includes a lively and engaging introduction and detailed notes, elucidating Sophocles' masterpiece for students at both school and university level
• Offers an accurate yet elegant and accessible English verse translation that seeks to capture and convey the formal beauty of the Greek verse while correcting important mistranslations
• Sets out all the staging that can be inferred from what the characters say, allowing the reader to envision the actions and providing guidance on possible productions of the play

About the Author(s)

David Kovacs, Hugh H. Obear Professor of Classics (Emeritus), University of Virginia

After receiving his doctorate from Harvard University in 1976, David Kovacs joined the classics faculty at the University of Virginia, where he taught Greek and Latin language and literature for forty years.

Table of Contents

Introduction
1. Sophocles and the great age of Athenian tragedy
1a. What we know of Sophocles' life
1b. How to avoid turning Sophocles into the wrong kind of classic
2. The conditions of tragic performance in the fifth century BC
3. The divine dimension: on not misunderstanding Sophocles' Oedipus the King
3a. The role of Apollo in what happens before the play opens
3b. Apollo at work within the play
3c. Some general considerations in favour of an active Apollo
3d. How much pure coincidence is there in Oedipus the Kinga
3e. What was Apollo's reason for ruining Oedipusa
3f. Justifying the ways of God to man
4. A further source of confusion: Sophocles' manipulation of the plot
5. The ending
5a. The scene with the daughters
5b. Why is Oedipus made to re-enter the palacea
6. The translation: its aims and methods
7. The Greek text: departures from Lloyd-Jones and Wilson, Sophoclis Fabulae (second impression, Oxford 1992)
Works cited
OEDIPUS THE KING, a verse translation
Notes to the translation
Endmatter
Suggestions for further reading
Index

Reviews

"Kovacs, as is evident from his self-citation, focuses heavily on the religious context to Oedipus. The use of the introduction to lay out important background for novice readers, while simultaneously reflecting recent developments in scholarship is another elegant characteristic..." - Cressida Ryan, Classical Review

"Kovacs' lively verse translation, with introduction and notes, of this seminal play, will be of value to students and lay readers alike." - Michael Halleran, William & Mary, Bryn Mawr Classical Review