One of the greatest of Greek writers was the tragic poet Sophocles. He
was born near Athens in the year 495 B. C., and was educated after the
manner of the Greek youth of his time. Every advantage was given him for
the study of music and poetry, and also for that gymnastic training
which, as we have seen, was so important in Greek education.
Sophocles was a handsome youth, and acquitted himself well in the
pal[ae]stra. When he was sixteen years of age the great battle of Salamis
was fought and won by the Greeks. In the celebration of this victory at
Athens, Sophocles led with dance and lyre the chorus of young men who
sang the p[ae]an or hymn of victory. That such an honor should be given him
shows how graceful and gifted he must have been.
The beginning of his literary career came when he was in his
twenty-fifth year. At that time a solemn festival was held in Athens in
memory of the ancient King Theseus, whose bones had been brought thither
from the island of Scyros. Now all religious festivals in Greece were
celebrated with contests, some athletic, others artistic and literary.
On this occasion there was a contest of dramatic poets. [AE]schylus was at
that time the greatest of living tragedians, and as he was among the
contestants, it might have been supposed that no other candidate could
have succeeded. Sophocles now came forward with his first tragedy, and
so remarkable was it found to be that the judges pronounced him victor.
From this time forth Sophocles continually grew in dramatic and literary
power. Twenty times he obtained the first prize in other contests, and
many times also the second prize. The amount of his work was prodigious.
Most of his dramas are lost, but we still have a half dozen or more to
show us the noble quality of his work. The finest are perhaps those
called [OE]dipus Tyrannus, [OE]dipus Coloneus, and Antigone, all dealing
with the tragic fate of an ancient royal family.
Athens was justly proud of her great poet and bestowed various honors
upon him. He was even made a general, and served in the war against
Samos; but nature had made him a poet, and it is as a poet that we must
always think of him. Full of years and honors, he died in Athens at the
age of ninety. Of him the Greek poet Phrynicus wrote,--
"Thrice happy Sophocles! in good old age
Blessed as a man, and as a craftsman blessed,
He died: his many tragedies were fair,
And fair his end, nor knew he any sorrow."
Our portrait shows admirably what manner of man he was, handsome and
dignified, in the prime of life.
[Illustration: D. Anderson, Photo. John Andrew & Son, Sc.