Sophocles biography tells us that he was one of the greatest writers of all time. He wrote plays which are being read even today. He wrote an excess of 120 plays during his career.
His most popular plays are: Oedipus at Colonus, Ajax, Philoctetes, Oedipus Rex, Antigone and Women of Trachis among others.
According to Sophocles biography, he was the most celebrated writer for more than five decades. He participated in over 30 competitions in the City of Athens, Dionysia and Lenaea. Out of which he was the winner for 24 of those competitions. He was never judged less than position two during any competition.
Sophocles competitors such as Aeschylus won 13 competitions while Euripides won only 4 competitions. Antigone and Oedipus were the most featured characters in Sophocles’ plays.
Sophocles was an influential person in development of drama in the ancient times.
Sophocles was the son of Sophilus and was born in Attica which was featured in some of his work. Sophocles was born into a rich family. His father was a manufacturer of military attires and above he had reached advanced levels of education.
Sophocles died at the age of 90 or 91 years old in 406 or 405 BC. Just like many other prominent artists, Sophocles inspired many stories. There was one particular interesting story that Sophocles died from straining to recite a long sentence from one of his dramas known as Antigone. The death was a result of failing to pause to take breath.
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A second story is told where they say he choked and died while eating grapes at a festival in Athens. Finally another story is told that he died out of happens after winning a competition which took place at the city of Dionysia.
Sexuality
Some accounts say that Sophocles was gay or bisexual. One writer particularly says that Sophocles loved boys the same way Euripides loved women.
Works
Sophocles was a prominent playwright in Athens. Sophocles was also victorious at various dramatic competitions which were held across Athens.
Foreign kings and emperors always invited Sophocles to their courts following his reputation as a reigning playwright. Unfortunately, Sophocles never accepted these invitations.
Sophocles spent 36 years of his career producing masterpieces of literature.
Works of Sophocles:
- The Sons of Aleus
- The Captive Women
- The Ethiopians
- Ajax the Whip-Bearer
- Ajax the Locrian
- Aegeus
- Alexander
- Lovers of Achilles
- Mutes Ones
- Judgment
- The Progeny
- Helen’s Demand
- Lacaenian Women
- The Prophets of Polyidus
- Odysseus Gone Mad
- The Root cutters
- The Banqueters
