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sophocles: four tragedies 1 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, ox2 6dp, United Kingdom Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries © Oliver Taplin 2015 The moral rights of the author have been asserted First Edition published in 2015 Impression: 1 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, by licence or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above You must not circulate this work in any other form and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer Published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press 198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, United States of America British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Data available Library of Congress Control Number: 2015930645 ISBN 978–0–19–928623–2 Printed in Great Britain by Clays Ltd, St Ives plc Links to third party websites are provided by Oxford in good faith and for information only. Oxford disclaims any responsibility for the materials contained in any third party website referenced in this work. 9780199286232-Taplin.indb 4 17/02/15 3:45 PM for Beaty and Charis Jas and Silvia FOREWORD I have harboured the ambition to compose a verse translation of Sophocles ever since I was a student, when my first love was Antigone. While Antigone waits impatiently to appear in a companion trio of “female” tragedies, this volume contains the four “male” tragedies. I have hugely enjoyed the challenge of finding a voice for this under- taking – a register that is not mundane, but also not overblown, and a metric which clearly differentiates speech and song. I only hope that it will prove as enjoyable to read as it was to write! This is a complete and unadapted translation for the page (or e-page). I have become increasingly aware that, were I producing a version for the stage, I might mould it rather differently: the pre-awareness of a particular space and performers would interactively prompt shifts of dynamic and emphasis. At the same time, I like to think of readers sounding this published script out loud; and would be only too delighted for it to be put on in performance as it stands. I am most grateful to Hilary O’Shea for commissioning the work in the first place, and to her and Judith Luna for helpful advice in the early stages. Also to Charlotte Loveridge who made it one her first tasks as Hilary’s successor to read through the entire draft and offer perceptive comments. And I thank all those at OUP who have worked on the various stages of bringing the book to actuality. I gladly take this opportunity to pay homage to the scholars and critics who have enriched my reading of Sophocles over the years, and four friends in particular: Colin Macleod, John Gould, Bernard Knox and Pat Easterling. Pat has kindly shown me substantial passages of her forthcoming commentary on Oedipus at Colonus; she also commented on a draft of my notes to the play. Her guidance has been, as ever, invaluable. I dedicate this work to my wife and our daughter who have given me their unfailing encouragement and love and companionship. I add two friends with whom we have shared many delightful and delicious family occasions. O.T. 2 January 2015 CONTENTS Introduction x The Priorities of this Translation xxv Note on the Text and Conventions xxx Select Bibliography xxxiv Maps xxxvii OEDIPUS THE KING 1 Introduction 3 Translation 15 AIAS 75 Introduction 77 Translation 87 PHILOCTETES 139 Introduction 141 Translation 151 OEDIPUS AT COLONUS 209 Introduction 211 Translation 221 Explanatory Notes 293