Sŏphŏcles

, a celebrated tragic poet of Athens, educated in the school of Æschylus. He distinguished himself not only as a poet, but also as a statesman. He commanded the A then i an armies, and in several battles he shared the supreme command with Pericles, and exercised the office of archon with credit and honour. The first appearance of Sophocles as a poet reflects great honour on his abilities. The A then i ans had taken the island of Scyros, and to celebrate that memorable event, a yearly contest for tragedy was instituted. Sophocles on this occasion obtained the prize over many competitors, in the number of whom was Æschylus, his friend and his master. This succe contributed to encourage the poet; he wrote for the stage with applause, and obtained the poetical prize 20 different times. Sophocles was the rival of Euripi des for public praise; they divided the applause of the populace, and while the former surpa ed in the sublime and majestic, the other was not inferior in the tender and pathetic. The A then i ans were pleased with their contention, and as the theatre was at that time an object of importance and magnitude, and deemed an e ential and most magnificent part of the religious worship, each had his admirers and adherents; but the two poets, captivated at last by popular applause, gave way to jealousy and rivalship. Of 120 tragedies which Sophocles composed, only seven are extant: Ajax, Electra, Œdip us the tyrant, Anti gone, the Trachiniæ, Phi loc tetes, and Œdip us at Colonos. The ingratitude of the children of Sophocles is well known. They wished to become immediate masters of their father’s po e ions, and therefore, tired of his long life, they accused him before the Areopagus of insanity. The only defence the poet made was to read his tragedy of Œdip us at Colonos, which he had lately finished, and then he asked his judges, whether the author of such a performance could be taxed with insanity? The father upon this was acquitted, and the children returned home covered with shame and confusion. Sophocles died in the 91st year of his age, 406 years before Christ, through exce of joy, as some authors report, of having obtained a poetical prize at the Olympic games. Athenæus has accused Sophocles of licentiousne and debauchery, particularly when he commanded the armies of Athens. The best editions of Sophocles are those of Capperonier, 2  vols. , 4to, Paris, 1780; of Glasgow, 2  vols. , 12mo, 1745; of Geneva, 4to, 1603; and that by Brunck, 4  vols. , 8vo, 1786. Cicero , Against Cat i line ; de Div in at i one , bk. 1 , ch. 25 .— Plutarch , Cimon , . — Quintilian , bk. 1 , ch. 10 ; bk. 10 , ch. 1 .— Valerius Maximus , bk. 8 , ch. 7 ; bk. 9 , ch. 12 .— Pliny , bk. 7 , ch. 53 .— Athenæus , bk. 10 , .