Oedipus at Colonus

Sophocles (c.496–c.406 BC), translated by Theodoridis, G., (contributor-contact-email)

Oedipus at Colonus, one of Sophocles’ final Theban plays, was composed shortly before his death in 406 BC and premiered posthumously in 401 BC at the Festival of Dionysus, under the direction of his grandson, also named Sophocles. Chronologically, the play’s events are set after Oedipus Rex and before Antigone. The narrative focuses on the final days of Oedipus, choosing Colonus, a village near Athens and Sophocles’ birthplace, as the setting for his death. Oedipus, now blind, arrives there with his daughters Antigone and Ismene, seeking refuge. The period between the play’s creation and its first performance was tumultuous for Athens. Following defeat to Sparta, the city fell under the harsh regime of the Thirty Tyrants, leading to the widespread exile and execution of dissenting citizens. These events likely influenced both Sophocles’ writing and the initial reception of the play by its audience.

Author Details

Sophocles, born around 497/496 BC in the deme of Hippeios Colonus in Attica, was a pivotal figure in ancient Greek tragedy. Born into a wealthy family, he received a broad education and achieved early artistic success, his work notably outperforming that of the distinguished Aeschylus at the Dionysia in 468 BC. His career spanned more than six decades, during which he wrote over 120 plays, though only seven complete works survive today, namely, “Ajax,” “Antigone,” “Women of Trachis,” “Oedipus Rex,” “Electra,” “Philoctetes,” and “Oedipus at Colonus.”

Sophocles’ theatrical innovations were significant. He introduced a third actor to the stage, a move that diminished the role of the chorus and enhanced character development. As a result, his characters displayed previously uncharted depths and complexity.

His civic roles in Athens were diverse, ranging from leading the paean after the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC to serving under Pericles’ political leadership as one of the Hellenotamiai, the treasurers of Athena. He also served as a general during the Samian War and participated in the introduction of the Asclepius cult to Athens.

He died in the winter of 406/405 BC, having witnessed the heights of Athenian power during the Persian Wars and its decline in the Peloponnesian War. His legacy includes both his literary excellence and the influence he had on the development of drama.

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Theodoridis, G.,

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