Sophocles Biography

Sophocles, Author
Known asSophocles of Athens
Occup.Author
FromGreece
Born496 BC
Athens, Greece
Died405 BC
Athens, Greece
Sophocles, among the greatest and most influential Greek playwrights, was born in 496 BCE in Colonus Hippius, a town near Athens, Greece. He belonged to a well-off and noticeable family and also took pleasure in a blessed upbringing. His papa, Sophilus, was an effective business person as well as supplied Sophocles with a superb education and learning that consisted of songs, gymnastics, and poetry.

As a young man, Sophocles won numerous honors and obtained an online reputation for his musical and poetic ability. At the age of 16, he was selected to lead the young boys' chorus that celebrated the Greek victory over the Persians at the Fight of Salamis. This honor marked the beginning of his public profession, as well as Sophocles assumed different political, armed forces, and also spiritual roles along with his remarkable work in drama.

Sophocles was a modern of other wonderful Athenian dramatists such as Aeschylus and Euripides. The three of them participated and also often completed in the famous significant celebrations kept in Athens, the City Dionysia. Although Aeschylus is thought to have been his advisor, Sophocles made significant innovations to the typical movie theater of his time. He raised the number of actors on phase as well as lowered the duty of the carolers. This shift boosted the character's growth, allowing for more facility and psychological plotlines.

Throughout his career, Sophocles edited 120 plays, yet however, only seven have actually been maintained in their full form: Ajax, Antigone, Oedipus the King, The Females of Trachis, Electra, Philoctetes, and also Oedipus at Colonus. Several of these plays, especially Antigone and Oedipus the King, are considered masterpieces of ancient Greek misfortune.

His job largely focused on human frailty, tensions within families, as well as the battle in between personal and also public tasks. Sophocles frequently depicted the terrible repercussions that arised from the clash between divine will as well as human endeavor. As an example, in Oedipus the King, the protagonist's quest for fact results in the discovery that he has unsuspectingly satisfied a heartbreaking prediction.

Throughout his life, Sophocles got numerous honors and also honors for his operate in dramatization. He won the very first prize at the City Dionysia celebration over 20 times and was never ranked less than 2nd area. His success were not limited to drama, nonetheless. Sophocles was also a valued military leader as well as, along with his pal Pericles, joined the Samian expedition in 440 BCE. Moreover, he functioned as a clergyman of Alcon and was chosen to the setting of basic (strategoi) two times in his life.

Sophocles' impact on ancient Greek dramatization and society is evident also today, especially in regards to significant structure, personality development, as well as thematic exploration. His misfortunes act as ageless reminders of the human condition and the unpreventable effects of hubris and blind aspiration. Sophocles passed away around 405 BCE at the age of 91, leaving behind an abundant cultural legacy that remains to be significant as well as pertinent throughout the globe.

Our collection contains 101 quotes who is written / told by Sophocles, under the main topics: Age - Motivational - Mom.

Related authors: Euripides (Poet), Philo (Philosopher), Aeschylus (Playwright), Pericles (Statesman), Pindar (Poet), Lawrence Taylor (Athlete)

Frequently Asked Questions
  • Q: Where did Sophocles live?
    A: Ancient Athens, Greece
  • Q: What is Sophocles known for?
    A: Writing Greek tragedies, such as 'Oedipus Rex', 'Antigone', and 'Electra'
  • Q: How many of Sophocles plays survived?
    A: 7 out of approximately 120
  • Q: Sophocles Full Name
    A: Sophocles, son of Sophilus
  • Q: Sophocles Family
    A: Father: Sophilus; Mother: Unknown; Spouse: Nicostrate or Nicippe; Children: Iophon, Agathon, and Ariston
Sophocles Famous Works:
Source / external links:

101 Famous quotes by Sophocles

Small: The oaths of a woman I inscribe on water
"The oaths of a woman I inscribe on water"
Small: I would prefer even to fail with honor than win by cheating
"I would prefer even to fail with honor than win by cheating"
Small: Trust dies but mistrust blossoms
"Trust dies but mistrust blossoms"
Small: A human being is only breath and shadow
"A human being is only breath and shadow"
Small: Wisdom is the supreme part of happiness
"Wisdom is the supreme part of happiness"
Small: A man growing old becomes a child again
"A man growing old becomes a child again"
Small: It is the merit of a general to impart good news, and to conceal the truth
"It is the merit of a general to impart good news, and to conceal the truth"
Small: War never takes a wicked man by chance, the good man always
"War never takes a wicked man by chance, the good man always"
Small: No one longs to live more than someone growing old
"No one longs to live more than someone growing old"
Small: Despair often breeds disease
"Despair often breeds disease"
Small: But this is a true saying among men: the gifts of enemies are no gifts and profitless
"But this is a true saying among men: the gifts of enemies are no gifts and profitless"
Small: A short saying often contains much wisdom
"A short saying often contains much wisdom"
Small: Enemies gifts are no gifts and do no good
"Enemies' gifts are no gifts and do no good"
Small: All a mans affairs become diseased when he wishes to cure evils by evils
"All a man's affairs become diseased when he wishes to cure evils by evils"
Small: There is a point at which even justice does injury
"There is a point at which even justice does injury"
Small: When trouble ends even troubles please
"When trouble ends even troubles please"
Small: What house, bloated with luxury, ever became prosperous without a womans excellence?
"What house, bloated with luxury, ever became prosperous without a woman's excellence?"
Small: Not knowing anything is the sweetest life
"Not knowing anything is the sweetest life"
Small: Men of ill judgment ignore the good that lies within their hands, till they have lost it
"Men of ill judgment ignore the good that lies within their hands, till they have lost it"
Small: Its a terrible thing to speak well and be wrong
"It's a terrible thing to speak well and be wrong"
Small: If you were to offer a thirsty man all wisdom, you would not please him more than if you gave him a dri
"If you were to offer a thirsty man all wisdom, you would not please him more than if you gave him a drink"
Small: I see the state of all of us who live, nothing more than phantoms or a weightless shadow
"I see the state of all of us who live, nothing more than phantoms or a weightless shadow"
Small: Do not grieve yourself too much for those you hate, nor yet forget them utterly
"Do not grieve yourself too much for those you hate, nor yet forget them utterly"
Small: A soul that is kind and intends justice discovers more than any sophist
"A soul that is kind and intends justice discovers more than any sophist"
Small: A lie never lives to be old
"A lie never lives to be old"
Small: You should not consider a mans age but his acts
"You should not consider a man's age but his acts"
Small: Better not to exist than live basely
"Better not to exist than live basely"
Small: A word does not frighten the man who, in acting, feels no fear
"A word does not frighten the man who, in acting, feels no fear"
Small: He who throws away a friend is as bad as he who throws away his life
"He who throws away a friend is as bad as he who throws away his life"
Small: Evil counsel travels fast
"Evil counsel travels fast"
Small: Every man can see things far off but is blind to what is near
"Every man can see things far off but is blind to what is near"
Small: There is no greater evil for men than the constraint of fortune
"There is no greater evil for men than the constraint of fortune"
Small: Now I see that going out into the testing ground of men it is the tongue and not the deed that wins the
"Now I see that going out into the testing ground of men it is the tongue and not the deed that wins the day"
Small: Not all things are to be discovered many are better concealed
"Not all things are to be discovered; many are better concealed"
Small: Money is the worst currency that ever grew among mankind. This sacks cities, this drives men from their
"Money is the worst currency that ever grew among mankind. This sacks cities, this drives men from their homes, this teaches and corrupts the worthiest minds to turn base deeds"
Small: If it were possible to cure evils by lamentation and to raise the dead with tears, then gold would be a
"If it were possible to cure evils by lamentation and to raise the dead with tears, then gold would be a less valuable thing than weeping"
Small: I see that all of us who live are nothing but images or insubstantial shadow
"I see that all of us who live are nothing but images or insubstantial shadow"
Small: Hush! Check those words. Do not cure ill with ill and make your pain still heavier than it is
"Hush! Check those words. Do not cure ill with ill and make your pain still heavier than it is"
Small: How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when theres no help in the truth
"How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there's no help in the truth"
Small: Whoever lives among many evils just as I, how can dying not be a source of gain?
"Whoever lives among many evils just as I, how can dying not be a source of gain?"
Small: Whoever gets up and comes to grips with Love like a boxer is a fool
"Whoever gets up and comes to grips with Love like a boxer is a fool"
Small: When a man has lost all happiness, hes not alive. Call him a breathing corpse
"When a man has lost all happiness, he's not alive. Call him a breathing corpse"
Small: Bear up, my child, bear up Zeus who oversees and directs all things is still mighty in heaven
"Bear up, my child, bear up; Zeus who oversees and directs all things is still mighty in heaven"
Small: All is disgust when a man leaves his own nature and does what is unfit
"All is disgust when a man leaves his own nature and does what is unfit"
Small: A state is not a state if it belongs to one man
"A state is not a state if it belongs to one man"
Small: One who knows how to show and to accept kindness will be a friend better than any possession
"One who knows how to show and to accept kindness will be a friend better than any possession"
Small: Not even old age knows how to love death
"Not even old age knows how to love death"
Small: Not even Ares battles against necessity
"Not even Ares battles against necessity"
Small: Men may know many things by seeing but no prophet can see before the event, nor what end waits for him
"Men may know many things by seeing; but no prophet can see before the event, nor what end waits for him"
Small: If my body is enslaved, still my mind is free
"If my body is enslaved, still my mind is free"
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