Sophocles Plays

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Oedipus Trilogy, by Sophocles

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Title: The Oedipus Trilogy

Author: Sophocles

Translator: F. Storr

Release Date: March 7, 2006 [EBook #31]

Last Updated: February 6, 2013

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OEDIPUS TRILOGY ***

Produced by An Anonymous Volunteer and David Widger

PLAYS OF SOPHOCLES

OEDIPUS THE KING

OEDIPUS AT COLONUS

ANTIGONE

OEDIPUS THE KING

Translation by F. Storr, BA

Formerly Scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge

From the Loeb Library Edition

Originally published by

Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA

and

William Heinemann Ltd, London

First published in 1912

ARGUMENT

To Laius, King of Thebes, an oracle foretold that the child born to him by his queen Jocasta would

slay his father and wed his mother. So when in time a son was born the infant's feet were riveted

together and he was left to die on Mount Cithaeron. But a shepherd found the babe and tended him,

and delivered him to another shepherd who took him to his master, the King of Corinth. Polybus

being childless adopted the boy, who grew up believing that he was indeed the King's son.

Afterwards doubting his parentage he inquired of the Delphic god and heard himself the word

declared before to Laius. Wherefore he fled from what he deemed his father's house and in his flight

he encountered and unwillingly slew his father Laius. Arriving at Thebes he answered the riddle of

the Sphinx and the grateful Thebans made their deliverer king. So he reigned in the room of Laius,

and espoused the widowed queen. Children were born to them and Thebes prospered under his rule,

but again a grievous plague fell upon the city....