Description

Among the most celebrated plays of ancient Athens, Women of Trakhis is one of seven surviving dramas by the great Greek playwright, Sophocles, now available from Harper Perennial in a vivid and dynamic new translation by award-winning poet Robert Bagg.

A powerful drama centered on a desperate wife’s attempts to hold onto her wandering husband, the great Herakles, Women of Trakhis is the tragic tale of how age-old jealousy takes down one of the ancient world’s most feared and storied heroes. This is Sophocles, vibrant and alive, for a new generation.

How does the ancient world’s mightiest hero meet his end?

A Tragic Hero’s Downfall: Witness the final, agonizing days of Herakles as the celebrated hero is brought low not by a monster, but by his own wife’s misplaced love.

A Desperate Wife’s Gamble: Follow Deianeira as she uses a deadly gift from the centaur Nessus in a last-ditch effort to reclaim her husband’s affection.

The Cruelty of the Gods: Explore Sophocles’ timeless meditation on fate, divine indifference, and the devastating consequences of human passion.

Accessible Modern Translation: Experience the power of a foundational text of Western literature, rendered into vivid, poetic English for today’s reader by an award-winning translator.