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: Trust dies but mistrust blossoms
"Trust dies but mistrust blossoms"
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: A human being is only breath and shadow
"A human being is only breath and shadow"
Small: There is a point at which even justice does injury
"There is a point at which even justice does injury"
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: When trouble ends even troubles please
"When trouble ends even troubles please"
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: No one longs to live more than someone growing old
"No one longs to live more than someone growing old"
Small: Wisdom is the supreme part of happiness
"Wisdom is the supreme part of happiness"
Small: A short saying often contains much wisdom
"A short saying often contains much wisdom"
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: There is no witness so terrible and no accuser so powerful as conscience which dwells within us
"There is no witness so terrible and no accuser so powerful as conscience which dwells within us"
Small: There is no greater evil than anarchy
"There is no greater evil than anarchy"
Small: There are some who praise a man free from disease to me no man who is poor seems free from disease but
"There are some who praise a man free from disease; to me no man who is poor seems free from disease but to be constantly sick"
Small: One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is love
"One word frees us of all the weight and pain in life. That word is love"
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: 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"
Small: How sweet for those faring badly to forget their misfortunes even for a short time
"How sweet for those faring badly to forget their misfortunes even for a short time"
Small: Foolishness is indeed the sister of wickedness
"Foolishness is indeed the sister of wickedness"
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: 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: To live without evil belongs only to the gods
"To live without evil belongs only to the gods"
Small: Time alone reveals the just man but you might discern a bad man in a single day
"Time alone reveals the just man; but you might discern a bad man in a single day"
Small: There is no sense in crying over spilt milk. Why bewail what is done and cannot be recalled?
"There is no sense in crying over spilt milk. Why bewail what is done and cannot be recalled?"
Small: There is a time when even justice brings harm
"There is a time when even justice brings harm"
Small: The gods plant reason in mankind, of all good gifts the highest
"The gods plant reason in mankind, of all good gifts the highest"
Small: Success is dependent on effort
"Success is dependent on effort"
Small: Old age and the passage of time teach all things
"Old age and the passage of time teach all things"
Small: Man is not constituted to take pleasure in the same things always
"Man is not constituted to take pleasure in the same things always"
Small: I would rather miss the mark acting well than win the day acting basely
"I would rather miss the mark acting well than win the day acting basely"
Small: Even a poor man can receive honors
"Even a poor man can receive honors"
Small: Children are the anchors of a mothers life
"Children are the anchors of a mother's life"
Small: Always desire to learn something useful
"Always desire to learn something useful"
Small: Whoever grows angry amid troubles applies a drug worse than the disease and is a physician unskilled ab
"Whoever grows angry amid troubles applies a drug worse than the disease and is a physician unskilled about misfortunes"
Small: No treaty is ever an impediment to a cheat
"No treaty is ever an impediment to a cheat"
Small: Look and you will find it - what is unsought will go undetected
"Look and you will find it - what is unsought will go undetected"
Small: Who seeks shall find
"Who seeks shall find"
Small: To give birth is a fearsome thing there is no hating the child one has borne even when injured by it
"To give birth is a fearsome thing; there is no hating the child one has borne even when injured by it"
Small: Whoever neglects the arts when he is young has lost the past and is dead to the future
"Whoever neglects the arts when he is young has lost the past and is dead to the future"
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