SOPHOCLES—IN HIS OWN WORDS
Quotes from Ajax
Selected passages from Ian Johnston's Ajax Translation
Read resource →SOPHOCLES—IN HIS OWN WORDS
Quotes from Women of Trachis
Selected passages from Ian Johnston's Women of Trachis, Translation
By Compiled by Richer Resources Publications
The following passages are drawn from Ian Johnston's translation of Women of Trachis, published by Richer Resources Publications. Book and line numbers are provided for each selection.
"No one can judge the life of any mortal
as good or bad until that man is dead."
as good or bad until that man is dead."
—Deianeira, The Women of Trachis, lines 1–3
"I still nourish fear after fear for him,
and each night brings me new anxiety,
which the next night's worries drive away."
and each night brings me new anxiety,
which the next night's worries drive away."
—Deianeira, The Women of Trachis, lines 35–37
"Sorrow and joy revolve for everyone,
just like the constellation of the Bear."
just like the constellation of the Bear."
—Chorus, The Women of Trachis, lines 148–150
"The glittering magnificence of Night
does not remain in place for mortal beings,
and nor do wealth and sorrow."
—Chorus, The Women of Trachis, lines 151–153
"Great happiness or pain
returns once more."
returns once more."
—Chorus, The Women of Trachis, lines 155–156
"A man who has done well
may later fall."
may later fall."
—Deianeira, The Women of Trachis, lines 357–358
"We should never urge people to act rashly
when we are not sure
of what will happen."
when we are not sure
of what will happen."
—Deianeira, The Women of Trachis, lines 805–807
"Men repress the anger in their hearts
for those who make mistakes by accident."
—Chorus, The Women of Trachis, lines 878–879
"There is no tomorrow,
until today has safely come and gone."
until today has safely come and gone."
—Nurse, The Women of Trachis, lines 1126–1128
"O lord Zeus,
who shifts the tides of fortune in a war,
I pray I never see you act like this
against a child of mine,
or if you do,
may I not be still alive to see it."
who shifts the tides of fortune in a war,
I pray I never see you act like this
against a child of mine,
or if you do,
may I not be still alive to see it."
—Deianeira, The Women of Trachis, lines 364–369
"For my own happiness and his well being
are inseparably linked."
are inseparably linked."
—Deianeira, The Women of Trachis, lines 353–355
"She has not said a thing,
not one word, great or small,
so heavy is the weight
of her misfortune."
—Lichas, The Women of Trachis, lines 391–395
"No one
can see the future. What’s happening now
for us is full of sorrow and for gods above
a source of shame, but for the mortal man
who has to bear this dreadful suffering
these moments are the harshest fate of all."
can see the future. What’s happening now
for us is full of sorrow and for gods above
a source of shame, but for the mortal man
who has to bear this dreadful suffering
these moments are the harshest fate of all."
—Hyllus, The Women of Trachis, lines 1510–1515
Women of Trachis
Sophocles' Women of Trachis in Ian Johnston's modern English — Deianeira's love for Heracles turns to unintended catastrophe in this haunting tragedy.
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