Episode 181
"Women of Trachis": Sophocles' Forgotten Play, Part I (Ad Navseam, Episode 176)
March 11, 20251h 10m
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Show Notes
This week the guys begin their look at Sophocles' "Women of Trachis", the one play among the surviving Sophoclean tragedies that scholars have scratched their heads over. The general feeling is that it's underdeveloped, lacking central themes, and just a mish-mash of other traditions. But is this true? Dave and Jeff explore the play's Herculean mythic background, and some Sophoclean tweaks to see if there might just be some hidden gems here. Note the empathy and heartache of Deianira, balanced by the coldness and suspicion of Heracles. Could it be that the academics were wrong about this one? Shocking, we know.