Welcome back myth readers. During the coming weeks we will be starting our reading of Sophocles famous plays, centering around the character of Oedipus. Online, these plays are known collectively under a couple of different names: the Oedipus Trilogy or the Theban Plays, which may be confusing to some, so I felt I should mention that.

The plays that we will be reading are:

• Antigone
• Oedipus the King
• Oedipus at Colonus

Please note that this set of plays can be read in different orders, which some of the translations I list below may reflect. However, to be clear, we are reading them in the order I’ve mentioned above. Most of the readings for each play will take a couple of weeks. After we finish Oedipus at Colonus we will be taking a weeks break and then we will be back with our next read, Ovid's Metamorphoses. Our full 2024 schedule can be seen here.

Reading/Discussion Schedule:

Antigone:

• Start Date: 01/04/24
• Week 1 - Lines 1 -700 - 06/04/24
• Week 2 - Lines 700 - End - 13/04/24

Oedipus the King:

• Start Date: 14/04/24
• Week 1 - Lines 1 - 800 - 20/04/24
• Week 2 - Lines 800 - End - 27/04/24

Oedipus at Colonus:

• Start Date: 28/04/24
• Week 1 - Lines 1 - 1000 - 04/05/24
• Week 2 - Lines 1000 - End - 11/05/24

Before I begin, I want to say that there are a lot of translations available for these plays. Compiling this post was difficult due to the sheer number available. My original list was huge. I narrowed this list down using two criteria: the translations I mention all had to include the three plays that we are reading, and they had to have a few reviews available to read online.

Only one volume on this list contains translations of the three plays by different authors. Most of them are all one consistent translator throughout, as I think this makes more sense for our read along. However, there are some amazing translations for the individual plays out there that I had to leave off the list, due to them not fitting my criteria. I didn’t want to use my list to make anyone feel like they would have to make multiple purchases to take part in the read-along. For example, Hugh Lloyd-Jones has published some very well received translations of the plays on our list, but they are spread across two separate volumes.

If you are interested in branching out and finding the best translations of the induvial plays out there for you, I did find this website that covers quite a few of them.

If you have any recommendations for us, for translations of single plays and/or the trio, please share them in the comments. I will edit them into this post.

Translations:

• Bryan Doerries, Knopf Doubleday, 2021. Doerries is not just a translator but also a very well-known writer/director in the theatre world. This version is seen as modern but true to the original and very readable. It comes in physical and eBook format and has some stellar reviews out there from people like Oscar Issac. Oedipus Trilogy: New Versions of Sophocles' Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone: Amazon.co.uk: Sophocles, Doerries, Bryan: 9780593314951: Books
• Sir George Young, Dover Thrift Editions, 2012. This is an older translation but is still used in schools. It is seen as readable if a bit antiquated in parts. This edition is available in physical and eBook format. The Theban Plays: Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone (Dover Thrift Editions: Plays) eBook : Sophocles, Young, Sir George: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
• Robert Fagles, Penguin Classics,1984. Fagles is a huge name in the Greek Classics world. He's translated most of the books we've read so far, so his name has been on nearly all of these lists. This translation is seen as good, if dry in some places. It comes with introductions (by Brian Knox) to each play, providing context to each one. It comes in physical and eBook formats. The Three Theban Plays: 'Antigone', 'Oedipus the King', 'Oedipus at Colonus' (Penguin Classics) : Sophocles, Bernard Knox, Robert Fagles: Amazon.co.uk: Books
• E Watling, Penguin Classics, 1973. This translation is very readable and has been used by academics for decades. It comes in eBook and physical formats. The Theban Plays: King Oedipus; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone (Penguin Classics) : Sophocles, Watling, E., Watling, E.: Amazon.co.uk: Books
• Davud Grene, Everyman, 1994. This translation has been called 'legendary' by some. It is very good - both poetic and modern, capturing the vividness of the original text. It is available in physical format. The Theban Plays: Oedipus the King,Oedipus at Colonus, JACKET LO D2K (Everyman's Library CLASSICS) : Sophocles: Amazon.co.uk: Books
• David R Slavitt, Yale University Press, 2007. This translation has received a lot of praise and is seen by many as the new 'standard' version of the text. It is accessible, with modern language that captures the energy of the original text. It also seems to capture the simple yet poetic aesthetic that the ancient Greeks loved. This version comes in both physical and eBook formats. The Theban Plays of Sophocles (The Yale New Classics Series) eBook : Sophocles, Slavitt, David R.: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
• Peter J. Ahrensdorf, Thomas Pangle, Cornell University Press, 2014. This translation is very accurate to the original text but also readable to beginners. It is one of the most highly reviewed translations on this list. It comes with some great introductions that provide a lot of the historical and mythological context to the plays. It comes in physical and eBook formats and is one of the editions that I am considering buying. The Theban Plays: "Oedipus the Tyrant"; "Oedipus at Colonus"; "Antigone" (Agora Editions) eBook : Sophocles, Ahrensdorf, Peter J., Pangle, Thomas L.: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
• Don Taylor, Methuen Drama, Bloomsbury, 2014. Taylor was a famous playwright and theatre director. This translation ties in with the plays directed by Taylor in the 1980s and 1990s, for the BBC. Reviews say that this translation is poetic while remaining accurate and translates well from page to the screen. As these translations were designed to by performed on stage, like the original texts by Sophocles, this edition may contain elements that some others on this list may be lacking. It comes in physical and eBook formats (plus tying in with the BBC adaptions that you could find online). Sophocles Plays: 1: Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonnus; Antigone eBook : Sophocles, Don Taylor And J. Michael Walton, Taylor, Don: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
• Ruby Blondell, Focus Classical Library, 2019. Blondell's translation has a lot of good reviews. It is written in clear language that is accessible to beginners while remaining true to the original Greek texts. However, due to some linguistic choices made by Blondell this translation can read a little awkwardly at times. It also comes with an in-depth introduction to Sophocles life as well as the historical and mythical background to the plays. It comes in physical and eBook editions. The Theban Plays: Antigone, King Oidipous and Oidipous at Colonus (Focus Classical Library) eBook : Sophocles, Ruby Blondell, Blondell, Ruby: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store
• Mark Griffith (Ed), Assorted Translators, University of Chicago Press, 3rd Edition, 2013. This volume is known as 'Sophocles I' and it contains the plays “Antigone,” translated by Elizabeth Wyckoff; “Oedipus the King,” translated by David Grene; and “Oedipus at Colonus,” translated by Robert Fitzgerald. I've seen good reviews for all of these plays, respectively. I have read Grene's translation of the Iliad and can vouch that his translations are accurate and capture the vibrancy of the original texts. This volume also comes with a few other plays, like Medea, which we read last year and highly recommend. It comes in physical and eBook formats. Sophocles I: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus (The Complete Greek Tragedies): Amazon.co.uk: Sophocles, ., Griffith, Mark, Most, Glenn W., Grene, David, Lattimore, Richmond, Griffith, Mark, Most, Glenn W., Grene, David, Lattimore, Richmond: 9780226311517: Books
• Ruth Fainlight, Robert J Littman, John Hopkins University Press, 2009. This translation is on the more expensive side, but it has great reviews. It comes with extensive notes and in-depth introductions as well as a glossary. John Hopkins University Press are a publisher that is beloved of academics and used frequently in universities. If I had to guess, this is probably why it is so expensive, even in eBook form. If you are looking for a version of the plays that is both readable and more academically focused, this one may be for you. It comes in physical and eBook formats. The Theban Plays: Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone (Johns Hopkins New Translations from Antiquity) eBook : Sophocles, Fainlight, Ruth, Littman, Robert J.: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

Free Translations:

• The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Oedipus Trilogy, by Sophocles translated by F. Storr
• LibriVox has audio versions available for free for multiple translations of the plays.

Audio Versions:

• The Plays of Sophocles: Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone (Audio Download): Sophocles, David McCallion, A.R.N. Publications: Amazon.co.uk: Audible Books & Originals
• Ian Johnston, Ukemi Productions/Audible, 2016. This performance has a star-studded cast and some really good reviews. It has a full cast audio production, available on Audible as well as an eBook version. Audio: Audible Theatre Collection: Oedipus : Sophocles, Ian Johnston - translator, Jamie Glover, Hayley Atwell, Michael Maloney, Samantha Bond, Julian Glover, David Horovitch, Audible Originals: Amazon.co.uk: Audible Books & Originals Ebook: The Oedipus Plays: Oedipus the King • Oedipus at Colonus • Antigone eBook : Sophocles, Sophocles, Johnston, Ian: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store

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