"War never takes a wicked man by chance, the good man always"

Sophocles, through the assertion that "War never takes a wicked man by chance, the good man always", challenges conventional ideas of justice and fate in times of conflict. On its surface, the statement upends the expectation that war’s destruction should fall most heavily on those who perpetrate wrongdoing. Instead, it is the virtuous, the good men, who seem most subject to war's arbitrary or inevitable toll.

The phrase draws upon the Greek tragedy tradition, wherein fate frequently acts with apparent disregard for individual morality. Goodness, heroism, or innocence do not exempt one from suffering; in fact, the very qualities that define a virtuous person often draw them into the epicenter of turmoil. In warfare, the "wicked" may exploit chaos for personal gain, adapt with cold pragmatism, or use cunning to avoid peril. The "good" man, on the other hand, compelled by honor, loyalty, or duty, steps forward to defend, to protest, or to lead, exposing himself willingly to greater risk.

There is a hint of bitter irony in Sophocles' words. The institutions of war, in practice, often punish those who act selflessly or hold to ethical standards, rewarding instead the ruthlessly ambitious or amoral. Randomness, rather than divine or moral justice, seems to determine who survives and who falls. Such a perspective was keenly felt in the ancient world, where war could obliterate generations without regard for their virtue.

Yet, there is also an implicit lamentation and warning. If the moral among us are repeatedly those consumed by conflict, society risks losing its conscience and guideposts, the very people most necessary for rebuilding peace afterward. Sophocles compels his audience to reflect on the high cost of war, not just in terms of lives lost, but in the erosion of virtue and the unintended empowerment of those less worthy.