Secondary sourceBook1906 (translation)
The Seven Plays in English Verse
Lewis Campbell (translator); Sophocles (original author) · 1906 (translation)
An English verse translation of all seven of Sophocles' surviving tragedies, by Lewis Campbell.
This volume collects English translations of all seven surviving plays Sophocles wrote.
About this source
What it is
This is an English verse translation of all seven surviving tragedies by Sophocles, made by classical scholar Lewis Campbell. It was first published in 1906 as part of 'The World's Classics' series and is freely available to read.
Why it matters
Since most readers today cannot read ancient Greek, translations like this one have been the main way English-speaking students and general readers encounter Sophocles' complete surviving work. The edition also records basic facts about Sophocles' life: born around 495 BCE, died 406 BCE.
Look closer
- What might be gained or lost when a Greek tragedy is translated into English verse rather than plain prose?
- Why do you think a translator like Campbell chose to render the plays in verse rather than ordinary language?
- How does having all seven surviving plays together change how we understand Sophocles as a playwright?
This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Sophocles on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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