Sophocles
Sophocles
Sophocles is one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than those of Aeschylus, and earlier than or contemporary with those of Euripides. Sophocles wrote 120 plays during the course of his life, but only seven have survived in a complete form: Ajax, Antigone, The Women of Trachis, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus. For almost 50 years, Sophocles was the most celebrated playwright in the dramatic competitions of...
NationalityGreek
ProfessionPoet
giving silence grace
Silence gives the proper grace to women
giving silence grace
To women silence gives their proper grace.
forgiveness silence silent
Pardon, and keep silent, for what is shameful for women must be concealed among women.
silence allies shame
Shame brings no advantage in misfortunes, for silence (of the accused) is the ally of the speaker.
silence ornaments silence-is
Silence is an ornament for women.
silence sorrow events
To me so deep a silence portends some dread event; a clamorous sorrow wastes itself in sound.
silence ornaments silence-is
Woman, to women silence is the best ornament.
support silence knows
Don't you know that silence supports the accuser's charge?
cheating fail honor prefer win
I would prefer even to fail with honor than to win by cheating
brevity goes greek-poet wisdom
Much wisdom often goes with brevity of speech.
certainty learns though until
One learns by doing the thing; for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try
bad brings loves messenger news none
None loves the messenger who brings bad news.
crosses driven none path power stormy threaten white wonderful wonders
Wonders are many, and none is more wonderful than the power that crosses the white sea, driven by the stormy wind, making a path under surges that threaten to engulf him...
dreadful greek-poet knowledge truth
How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there's no help in the truth.