Sophocles' Oedipus Trilogy (Webster's Thesaurus Edition)

305 Pages·2006·2.22 MB·English

by  Sophocles

SOPHOCLES' OEDIPUS
TRILOGY

Webster's Thesaurus Edition for PSAT®, SAT®, GRE®, LSAT®,
GMAT®, and AP® English Test Preparation

Sophocles

PSAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit Scholarship
Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT is a registered trademark of the College
Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE, AP and Advanced Placement are registered
trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT is a
registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council which is neither affiliated with this book
nor endorses this book, LSAT is a registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council which neither
sponsors nor endorses this product. All rights reserved.
Sophocles' Oedipus
Trilogy

Webster's Thesaurus Edition for PSAT®, SAT®, GRE®, LSAT®,
GMAT®, and AP® English Test Preparation

Sophocles
Translated by F. Storr
®
PSAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the
National Merit Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book;
®
SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses
® ® ®
this book; GRE , AP and Advanced Placement are registered trademarks of the
®
Educational Testing Service which neither sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT is a
registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council which is neither
®
affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT is a registered trademark of the
Law School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses this product. All
rights reserved.
ICON CLASSICS

Published by ICON Group International, Inc.
7404 Trade Street
San Diego, CA 92121 USA

www.icongrouponline.com

Sophocles' Oedipus Trilogy: Webster's Thesaurus Edition for PSAT®, SAT®, GRE®, LSAT®, GMAT®,
and AP® English Test Preparation

This edition published by ICON Classics in 2005
Printed in the United States of America.

Copyright ©2005 by ICON Group International, Inc.

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®
PSAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and the
National Merit Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book;
®
SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses
® ® ®
this book; GRE , AP and Advanced Placement are registered trademarks of the
®
Educational Testing Service which neither sponsors nor endorses this book, GMAT is a
registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council which is neither
®
affiliated with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT is a registered trademark of the
Law School Admissions Council which neither sponsors nor endorses this product. All
rights reserved.

ISBN 0-497-25318-6
iii

Contents

PREFACE FROM THE EDITOR..........................................................................................1

OEDIPUS THE KING.........................................................................................................3

ARGUMENT...............................................................................................................5

PERSONS REPRESENTED.........................................................................................7

OEDIPUS THE KING..................................................................................................9

OEDIPUS AT COLONUS..................................................................................................77

ARGUMENT.............................................................................................................79

PERSONS REPRESENTED.......................................................................................81

OEDIPUS AT COLONUS...........................................................................................83

ANTIGONE....................................................................................................................165

ARGUMENT...........................................................................................................167

PERSONS REPRESENTED.....................................................................................169

ANTIGONE.............................................................................................................171

GLOSSARY...................................................................................................................225

1

PREFACE FROM THE EDITOR

Designed for school districts, educators, and students seeking to maximize performance on
standardized tests, Webster’s paperbacks take advantage of the fact that classics are frequently
assigned readings in English courses. By using a running thesaurus at the bottom of each page, this
edition of Sophocles’ Oedipus Trilogy by Sophocles was edited for students who are actively
building their vocabularies in anticipation of taking PSAT®, SAT®, AP® (Advanced Placement®),
GRE®, LSAT®, GMAT® or similar examinations.1

Webster’s edition of this classic is organized to expose the reader to a maximum number of
synonyms and antonyms for difficult and often ambiguous English words that are encountered in
other works of literature, conversation, or academic examinations. Extremely rare or idiosyncratic
words and expressions are given lower priority in the notes compared to words which are “difficult,
and often encountered” in examinations. Rather than supply a single synonym, many are provided
for a variety of meanings, allowing readers to better grasp the ambiguity of the English language,
and avoid using the notes as a pure crutch. Having the reader decipher a word’s meaning within
context serves to improve vocabulary retention and understanding. Each page covers words not
already highlighted on previous pages. If a difficult word is not noted on a page, chances are that it
has been highlighted on a previous page. A more complete thesaurus is supplied at the end of the
book; Synonyms and antonyms are extracted from Webster’s Online Dictionary.

Definitions of remaining terms as well as translations can be found at www.websters-online-
dictionary.org. Please send suggestions to [email protected]

The Editor
Webster’s Online Dictionary
www.websters-online-dictionary.org
1 P S A T ® i s a r e g i s t e r e d t r a d e m a r k o f t h e College Entrance Examination Board and the National Merit
Scholarship Corporation neither of which sponsors or endorses this book; SAT® is a registered trademark of the
College Board which neither sponsors nor endorses this book; GRE®, AP® and Advanced Placement® are
registered trademarks of the Educational Testing Service which neither sponsors nor endorses this book,
GMAT® is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admissions Council which is neither affiliated
with this book nor endorses this book, LSAT® is a registered trademark of the Law School Admissions Council
which neither sponsors nor endorses this product. All rights reserved.

Sophocles 3

OEDIPUS THE KING

Sophocles 5

ARGUMENT

To Laius, King of Thebes, an oracle foretold that the child born to him by his
queen Jocasta would slay his father and wed his mother. So when in time a son
was born the infant's feet were riveted together and he was left to die on Mount
Cithaeron. But a shepherd found the babe and tended him, and delivered him
to another shepherd who took him to his master, the King or Corinth.
Polybus being childless adopted the boy, who grew up believing that he was
indeed the King's son. Afterwards doubting his parentage he inquired of the
Delphic god and heard himself the weird declared before to Laius. Wherefore
he fled from what he deemed his father's house and in his flight he
encountered and unwillingly slew his father Laius. Arriving at Thebes he
answered the riddle of the Sphinx and the grateful Thebans made their
deliverer king. So he reigned in the room of Laius, and espoused the
widowed queen. Children were born to them and Thebes prospered under his
rule, but again a grievous plague fell upon the city. Again the oracle was
consulted and it bade them purge themselves of blood-guiltiness. Oedipus
denounces the crime of which he is unaware, and undertakes to track out the
criminal. Step by step it is brought home to him that he is the man. The closing
scene reveals Jocasta slain by her own hand and Oedipus blinded by his own
act and praying for death or exile.