Vita Sophoclis

Glenn Maur /
  • Created on 2018-04-26 16:29:22
  • Modified on 2018-05-02 03:35:43
  • Translated by S. Burges Watson, Living Poets, (Durham, 2014)
  • Aligned by Glenn Maur
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
Σοφοκλῆς τὸ μὲν γένος ἦν Ἀθηναῖος , υἱὸς δέ Σοφίλλου , ὅς οὔτε , ὡς Ἀριστόξενός φησι , τέκτων ἢ χαλκεὺς ἦν , οὔτε , ὡς Ἴστρος , μαχαιροποιὸς τὴν ἐργασίαν , τυχὸν δʼ ἐκέκτητο δούλους χαλκέας ἢ τέκτονας · οὐ γὰρ εἰκὸς τὸν ἐκ τοῦ τοιούτου γενόμενον στρατηγίας ἀξιωθῆναι σὺν Περικλεῖ καὶ Θουκυδίδῃ , τοῖς πρώτοις τῆς πόλεως , ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ἂν ὑπὸ τῶν κωμικῶν ἄδηκτος ἀφείθη τῶν οὐδὲ Θεμιστοκλέους ἀπεσχημένων . ἀπιστητέον δὲ καὶ τῷ Ἴστρῳ φάσκοντι αὐτὸν οὐκ Ἀθηναῖον , ἀλλὰ Φλιάσιον εἶναι · εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸ ἀνέκαθεν Φλιάσιος ἦν , ἀλλὰ πλὴν Ἴστρου παρʼ οὐδενὶ ἑτέρῳ τοῦτο ἔστιν εὑρεῖν . ἐγένετο οὖν Σοφοκλῆς τὸ γένος Ἀθηναῖος , δήμου Κολωνῆθεν , καὶ τῷ βίῳ καὶ τῇ ποιήσει περιφανής , καλῶς τʼ ἐπαιδεύθη καὶ ἐτράφη ἐν εὐπορίᾳ , καὶ ἐν πολιτείᾳ καὶ ἐν πρεσβείαις ἐξητάζετο . Γεννηθῆναι δʼ αὐτόν φασιν οα ' ὀλυμπιάδι κατὰ τὸ δεύτερον ἔτος ἐπὶ ἄρχοντος Ἀθήνησι Φιλίππου . ἦν δʼ Αἰσχύλου νεώτερος ἔτεσιν ζ ' , Eὐριπίδου δὲ παλαιότερος κδ ' . Διεπονήθη δʼ ἐν παισὶ καὶ περὶ παλαίστραν καὶ μουσικήν , ἐξ ὧν ἀμφοτέρων ἐστεφανώθη , ὥς φησιν Ἴστρος . ἐδιδάχθη δὲ τὴν μουσικὴν παρὰ Λάμπρῳ , καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐν Σαλαμῖνι ναυμαχίαν Ἀθηναίων περὶ τρόπαιον ὄντων μετὰ λύρας γυμνὸς ἀληλιμμένος τοῖς παιανίζουσι τῶν ἐπινικίων ἐξῆρχεν . Παρʼ Αἰσχύλῳ δὲ τὴν τραγῳδίαν ἔμαθε . καὶ πολλὰ ἐκαινούργησεν ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσι , πρῶτον μὲν καταλύσας τὴν ὑπόκρισιν τοῦ ποιητοῦ διὰ τὴν ἰδίαν μικροφωνίαν · πάλαι γὰρ καὶ ὁ ποιητὴς ὑπεκρίνετο αὐτός · τοὺς δὲ χορευτὰς ποιήσας ἀντὶ ιβ ' ιε ' καὶ τὸν τρίτον ὑποκριτὴν ἐξεῦρεν . Φασὶ δὲ ὅτι καὶ κιθάραν ἀναλαβὼν ἐν μόνῳ τῷ Θαμύριδί ποτε ἐκιθάρισεν . ὅθεν καὶ ἐν τῇ ποικίλῃ στοᾷ μετὰ κιθάρας αὐτὸν γεγράφθαι . Σάτυρος δέ φησιν ὅτι καὶ τὴν καμπύλην βακτηρίαν αὐτὸς ἐπενόησεν . φησὶ δὲ καὶ Ἴστρος τὰς λευκὰς κρηπῖδας αὐτὸν ἐξευρηκέναι , ἃς ὑποδοῦνται οἵ τε ὑποκριταὶ καὶ οἱ χορευταί , καὶ πρὸς τὰς φύσεις αὐτῶν γράψαι τὰ δράματα , ταῖς δὲ Μοίσαις θίασον ἐκ τῶν πεπαιδευμένων συναγαγεῖν . Καὶ ὡς ἁπλῶς εἰπεῖν τοῦ ἤθους τοσαύτη γέγονε χάρις ὥστε πάντη καὶ πρὸς ἁπάντων αὐτὸν στέργεσθαι . Νίκας δʼ ἔλαβεν κ ' , ὥς φησι Καρύστιος , πολλάκις δὲ καὶ δευτερεῖα ἔλαβε , τρίτα δʼ οὐδέποτε . Καὶ Ἀθηναῖοι δʼ αὐτὸν ξθʼ ἐτῶν ὄντα στρατηγὸν εἷλοντο πρὸ τῶν Πελοποννησιακῶν ἔτεσιν ζ ' ἐν τῷ πρὸς Ἀναίους πολέμῳ . Οὕτω δὲ φιλαθηναιότατος ἦν ὥστε πολλῶν βασιλέων μεταπεμπομένων αὐτὸν οὐκ ἠθέλησε τὴν πατρίδα καταλιπεῖν . Ἔσχε δὲ καὶ τὴν τοῦ Ἄλκωνος ἱερωσύνην , ὃς ἥρως μετὰ Ἁσκληπιοῦ παρὰ Χείρωνι . . . ἱδρυνθεὶς ὑπὸ Ἰοφῶντος τοῦ υἱοῦ μετὰ τὴν τελευτήν . Γέγονε δὲ καὶ θεοφιλὴς ὁ Σοφοκλῆς ὡς οὐκ ἄλλος , καθά φησιν Ἱερῶνυμος . . . περὶ τῆς χρυσῆς στεφάνης . ταύτης γὰρ ἐξ ἀκροπόλεως κλαπείσης κατʼ ὄναρ Ἡρακλῆς ἐδήλωσε Σοφοκλεῖ , λέγων τὴν † μὴ οἰκοῦσαν † οἰκίαν ἐν δεξιᾷ εἰσιόντι ἐρευνῆσαι , ἔνθα ἐκέκρυπτο . ἐμήνυσε δʼ αὐτὴν τῷ δήμῳ καὶ τάλαντον ἐδέξατο · τοῦτο γὰρ ἦν προκηρυχθέν . λαβὼν οὖν τὸ τάλαντον ἱερὸν ἱδρύσατο Mηνυτοῦ Ἡρακλέους . Φέρεται δὲ καὶ παρὰ πολλοῖς ἡ πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν Ἰοφῶντα γενομένη αὐτῷ δίκη ποτέ . ἔχων γὰρ ἐκ μὲν Nικοστράτης Ἰοφῶντα , ἐκ δὲ Θεωρίδος Σικυωνίας Ἀρίστωνα , τὸν ἐκ τούτου γενόμενον παῖδα Σοφοκλέα τοὔνομα πλέον ἔστεργεν . καί ποτε ἐν δράματι εἰσήγαγε τὸν Ἰοφῶντα αὐτῷ φθονοῦντα καὶ πρὸς τοὺς φράτορας ἐγκαλοῦντα τῷ πατρὶ ὡς ὑπὸ γήρως παραφρονοῦντι · οἵ δὲ τῷ Ἰοφῶντι ἐπετίμησαν . Σάτυρος δέ φησιν αὐτὸν εἰπεῖν " εἰ μέν εἰμι Σοφοκλῆς , οὐ παραφρονῶ , εἰ δὲ παραφρονῶ , οὐκ εἰμὶ Σοφοκλῆς " , καὶ τότε τὸν Οἰδίποδα παραναγνῶναι . Τελευτῆσιι δὲ αὐτὸν Ἴστρος καὶ Νεάνθης φασὶ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον · Καλλιππίδην ὑποκριτὴν ἀπʼ ἐργασίας ἐξ Ὀποῦντος ἥκοντα περὶ τοὺς Χόας πέμψαι αὐτῷ σταφυλήν , τὸν δὲ Σοφοκλέα λαβόντα εἰς τὸ στόμα ῥᾶγα ἔτι ὀμφακίζουσαν ὑπὸ τοῦ ἄγαν γήρως ἀποπνιγέντα τελευτῆσαι . Σάτυρος δέ φησι τὴν Ἀντιγόνην ἀναγιγνώσκοντα καὶ ἐμπεσόντα περὶ τὰ τέλη νοήματι μακρῷ καὶ μέσην ἢ ὑποστιγμὴν πρὸς ἀνάπαυσιν μὴ ἔχοντι , ἄγαν ἐπιτείναντα τὴν φωνὴν σὺν τῇ φωνῇ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀφεῖναι . οἵ δʼ ὅτι μετὰ τὴν τοῦ δράματος ἀνάγνωσιν , ὅτε νικῶν ἐκηρύχθη , χαρᾷ νικηθεὶς ἐξέλιπεν . Καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν πατρῷον τάφον ἐτέθη τὸν παρὰ τὴν ἐπὶ Δεκέλειαν ὁδὸν κείμενον πρὸ τοῦ τείχους ια’ σταδίων . φασὶ δʼ ὅτι καὶ τῷ μνήματι αὐτοῦ σειρῆνα ἐπέστησταν , οἵ δὲ κηληδόνα χαλκῆν . καὶ τοῦτον τὸν τόπον ἐπιτετειχικότων Λακεδαιμονίων κατʼ Ἀθηναίων Διόνυσος κατʼ ὄναρ ἐπιστὰς Λυσάνδρῳ ἐκέλευσεν ἐπιτρέψαι τεθῆναι τὸν ἄνδρα εἰς τὸν τάφον · ὡς δʼ ὠλιγώρησεν ὁ Λύσανδρος , δεύτερον αὐτῷ ἐπέστη ὁ Διόνυσος τὸ αὐτὸ κελεύων . ὁ δὲ Λύσανδρος πυνθανόμενος παρὰ τῶν φυγάδων τίς εἴη ὁ τελευτήσας , καὶ μαθὼν ὅτι Σοφοκλῆς ὑπάρχει . κήρυκα πέμψας ἐδίδου θάπτειν τὸν ἄνδρα . Λόβων δέ φησιν ἐπιγεγράφθαι τῷ τάφῳ αὐτοῦ τάδε · κρύπτω τῷδε τάφῳ Σοφοκλῆ πρωτεῖα λαβόντα τῇ τραγικῇ τέχνῇ , σχῆμα τὸ σεμνότατον . Ἴστρος δέ φησιν Ἀθηναίους διὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀρετὴν καὶ ψήφισμα πεποιηκέναι κατʼ ἔτος αὐτῷ θύειν . Ἔχει δὲ δράματα , ὥς φησιν Ἀριστοφάνης , ρλ ' , τούτων δὲ νενόθευται ιζ ' . Συνηγωνίσατο δὲ καὶ Aίσχύλῳ καὶ Eὐριπίδῃ καὶ Χοιρίλῳ καὶ Ἀριστίᾳ καὶ ἄλλοις πολλοῖς καὶ Ἰοφῶντι τῷ υἱῷ . Τὸ πᾶν μὲν οὖν Ὁμηρικῶς ὠνόμαζε · τούς τε γὰρ μύθους φέρει κατʼ ἴχνος τοῦ ποιητοῦ καὶ τὴν Ὀδύσσειαν δʼ ἐν πολλοῖς δράμασιν ἀπογράφεται . παρετυμολογεῖ δὲ καθʼ Ὁμηρον καὶ τοὔνομα τοῦ Ὀδυσσέως · ὀρθῶς δʼ Ὀδυσσεύς εἰμʼ ἐπώνυμος κακοῖς · πολλοὶ γὰρ ὠδύσαντο δυσσεβεῖς ἐμοί . ἠθοποιεῖ τε καὶ ποικίλλει καὶ τοῖς ἐπινοήμασι τεχνικῶς χρῆται , Ὁμηρικὴν ἐκματτόμενος χάριν . ὅθεν εἰπεῖν Ἰωνικόν τινα μόνον Σοφοκλέα τυγχάνειν Ὁμήρου μαθητήν · καὶ ἄλλοι μὲν πολλοὶ μεμίμηνταί τινα τῶν πρὸ αὑτῶν ἢ τῶν καθʼ αὑτούς , μόνος δὲ Σοφοκλῆς ἀφʼ ἑκάστου τὸ λαμπρὸν ἀπανθίζει · καθʼ ὅ καὶ μέλιττα ἐλέγετο . ἤνεγκε δὲ τὰ μικτά , εὐκαιρίαν , γλυκύτητα , τόλμαν , ποικιλίαν . Οἶδε δὲ καιρὸν συμμετρῆσαι καὶ πράγματα , ὥστʼ ἐκ μικροῦ ἡμιστιχίου ἢ λέξεως μιᾶς ὅλον ἠθοποιεῖν πρόσωπον . ἔστι δὲ τοῦτο μέγιστον ἐν τῇ ποιητικῇ , δηλοῦν ἦθος ἢ πάθος . Φησὶν οὖν Ἀριστοφάνης ὅτι " κηρὸς ἐπεκαθέζετο " , ἄλλῃ δέ " Σοφοκλέους τοῦ μέλιτι τὸ στόμα κεχρισμένου " , Φησὶ δὲ Ἀριστόξενος ὡς πρῶτος τῶν Ἀθήνηθεν ποιητῶν τὴν Φρυγίαν μελοποιίαν εἰς τὰ ἴδια ᾄσματα παρέλαβε καὶ τοῦ διθυραμβικοῦ τρόπου κατέμιξεν .
Sophocles was an Athenian by birth , the son of Sophillus , who was neither a carpenter nor a blacksmith by profession , as Aristoxenus says , nor , as Ister says , a maker of daggers , but happened to own slaves who were blacksmiths or carpenters . For it is not likely that someone who was descended from such a man would have been considered worthy of a generalship in company with Pericles and Thucydides , the leading men of the city . Nor , if it were true , would he have escaped unscathed from the comic poets , who did not even refrain from mocking men like Themistocles . Nor is Ister to be believed when he asserts that Sophocles was not an Athenian but that he came from Phlius . Even if his family originally came from Phlius , this information is found in no other author besides Ister . So Sophocles was born an Athenian , from the deme of Colonus , and was very renowned , both in his life and in his poetry . He received an excellent education and was brought up in prosperity , and he was involved both in government and in foreign embassies . They say that he was born in the second year of the seventy-first Olympiad , when Philip was archon in Athens . He was seven years younger than Aeschylus and twenty-four years older than Euripides . As a child , he worked hard in both wrestling and music , receiving crowns for both , so Ister says . He was taught music by Lamprus , and after the naval battle at Salamis , when the Athenians gathered around the victory monument , he led the chorus with his lyre in the victory songs , naked and anointed with oil . He learned the art of tragedy from Aeschylus . And he made many innovations in the contests , being the first to end the practice whereby the poet was also an actor , because his own voice was slight ( for formerly the poet himself had also acted ) . He also changed the number of chorus members from twelve to fifteen and introduced the third actor . They say that , taking up the lyre , he once played it in the Thamyris alone , and that , as a result of this , he was depicted with his lyre on the Painted Stoa . Satyrus says that he also invented the use of the curved staff as a prop . Ister says that he invented the white sandals which the actors and dancers wear , that he wrote his plays to suit their characters , and that he set up a thiasos of the educated in honour of the Muses . Simply put , such was the charm of his character , that he was loved everywhere by all . He won twenty victories , as Carystius says , and also often took the second prize , but never the third . The Athenians elected him as general when he was sixty-five years old , seven years before the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War , in the war with the Anaioi . He loved Athens so passionately that , although many kings sent for him , he did not want to leave his fatherland . He also held the priesthood of Halon , who , being a hero , was ( educated ? ) with Asclepius by Cheiron… . ( a shrine ) dedicated to… . was tended by Iophon , Sophocles’ son , after his death . Sophocles’ piety exceeded that of anyone else , as Hieronymus says… . concerning the golden crown . For when this was stolen from the Acropolis , Heracles revealed the fact to Sophocles in a dream , telling him to look for a house on the right as he was walking where it had been hidden . He made this known to the Athenian people and received a talent , the reward that had been announced in advance . So he took the talent and established a shrine for Heracles the Revealer . A number of authors also refer to his lawsuit with his son Iophon . For Iophon was his son by Nicostrate and Ariston by Theoris , a Sicyonian , and he showed greater affection for the latter’s child , whose name was Sophocles . And once in a drama he brought on … Iophon as envious of him and making an accusation against his father before the phratry that he was suffering from dementia . But they penalized Iophon . According to Satyrus , the playwright said : ‘if I am Sophocles I am not mad . But if I am mad , I am not Sophocles , ’ and then he read from the Oedipus . Ister and Neanthes say that he died in the following way : the actor Callipides , who had come from the workshop in Opous at around the time of the Choes , sent Sophocles a bunch of grapes . And Sophocles , putting a grape in his mouth that was still unripe , choked as a result of his extreme old age and then died . Satyrus says that whilst he was reading the Antigone , when he came to a lengthy sentence towards the end that did not have any punctuation indicating a pause , having forced himself to go on speaking , he gave up speech and life-breath together . Others say that after a reading of the play , when the announcement was made that he had been victorious , he departed life , overcome by joy . He was placed in the tomb of his ancestors , which lies beside the road to Deceleia , eleven stades in front of the wall . Some say that they set up a statue of a Siren on his memorial , others , that it was a bronze swallow . When the Spartans were building fortifications against the Athenians on this spot , Dionysus appeared before Lysander in a dream vision and ordered him to allow the man to be placed in the tomb . When Lysander made light of his dream , Dionysus appeared to him a second time , with the same instruction . Then Lysander , enquiring from some exiles who the dead man was , after learning that it was Sophocles , sent a herald granting the man burial . Lobon says that the following is inscribed on his tomb : I enclose in this tomb Sophocles , who took first place in the tragic art , a most venerable figure . Ister says that , on account of his virtue , the Athenians voted that sacrifices should be made to him every year . Aristophanes says that he wrote a hundred and thirty plays , but seventeen of these are considered spurious . He competed with Aeschylus , Euripides , Choerilus , Aristias and many others , including Iophon his son . On the whole , his vocabulary is Homeric . He also followed in Homer’s footsteps when composing his plots and copies the Odyssey in many of his dramas . He even follows Homer in showing the etymology of Odysseus’ name : I am rightly called Odysseus because of my troubles ; for many are wroth against me and bear me ill will . He delineates character , embellishes , and makes skilful use of intent , imitating Homer’s charm . As a result , one Ionian says that Sophocles alone is Homer’s disciple . Many others have imitated one of their forebears or contemporaries , but Sophocles alone gathers the clearest honey from each . It is for this reason that he was also called the bee . He blended together good timing , sweetness , daring and embellishment . He knew how to pace the time and events so well that in a short hemistich or a single word he was able to delineate an entire character . This is the greatest achievement in poetry , to reveal character or emotional affect . So Aristophanes says , ‘a honeycomb sat on him’ , and elsewhere says ‘Sophocles , whose mouth was smeared with honey . ’ Aristoxenus says that he was the first of the Athenian poets to introduce Phrygian melodies into his own songs and to mix in the dithyrambic style .

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