Most Effective Translation of Oedipus the King

It is important to have a good translation when presenting Ancient Greek plays. The most important aspects are keeping it modern enough to allow audience members to follow and stay connected, but still keeping the text authentic and keeping it as "greeky" as possible. The most effective translation that best fits these two criteria is David Grene's translation as found in The Complete Greek Tragedies Anthology edited by David Grene and Richmond Lattimore. The text has been translated in a way that flows easily and is comprehensible for anyone reading it. But the authenticity still holds true and allows you the audience to believe in the ancient Greek setting the play is in. So in watching it, they aren't seeing a modernized version. For example, they aren't viewing modernized version of Oedipus the King as told in "gangsta slang". The audience gets a feel for the language, but still is able to stay engaged.



Work Cited:

Sophocles, "Oedipus the King." The Complete Greek Tragedies. Ed. David Grene and Richmond Lattimore. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1942. Print.