Oedipus Rex: A Dramatized Audiobook

Oedipus Rex is the greatest of the Greek tragedies. The story of the mythological king, who is doomed to kill his father and marry his mother, has resonated in world culture for almost 2,500 years. But Sophocles' drama as originally performed was much more than a great story--it remains a superb poetic script and exciting theatrical experience, now faithfully brought to life in this English translation and audiobook. David Mulroy's brilliant verse rendition of Oedipus Rex recaptures the aesthetic and theatrical power of Sophocles' masterpiece while also achieving a highly accurate translation in clear, contemporary English. Professional actors from the American Players Theatre re-create Sophocles' pulsing, iambic rhythms with vitality and hypnotic forward momentum. Faculty and students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music perform the choruses and other music, based on ancient Greek modes.

David Mulroy is professor of classics at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He has translated The Complete Poetry of Catullus, also published by the University of Wisconsin Press. Sophocles (ca. 497/6-407/6 BCE) was the most acclaimed dramatist of his era, winning more than twenty festival competitions in ancient Athens. He is believed to have written 123 plays, but only seven have survived in a complete form.