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Sophocles · c. 496-406 BC

Electra

Ἠλέκτρα
Ancient Sources / Sophocles / Electra

Read our guide to Electra

Sophocles' Electra tells the story of the Oresteia from the point of view of Electra, who has waited for years in her father's house at Mycenae for her brother Orestes to return and avenge Agamemnon on their mother Clytaemnestra and her lover Aegisthus. The sections follow the play's own units (prologue, parodos, episodes, choral songs and exodos) and keep the standard line numbers of the Greek text.

Read from the start
Text
Greek original with English translation, 20 passages, about 13600 words in English.
Translator
Richard C. Jebb (modernised by Perseus) (1894)
Edition
Greek text: Francis Storr (ed. and trans.), Sophocles, Loeb Classical Library, London: William Heinemann, 1913, as digitised by Perseus. English: Richard C. Jebb, Sophocles: The Plays and Fragments, The Electra, Cambridge University Press, 1894 (Perseus's modernised version of Jebb's prose translation)
Cite as
Sophocles, Electra 1 (by line number)

Contents · 20 passages

  1. 1–85Prologue: Orestes and the Paedagogus plan the deception772 words
  2. 86–153Parodos: Electra's lament and the Chorus465 words
  3. 155–250Parodos (cont.): the Chorus consoles Electra667 words
  4. 251–327First episode: Electra describes her life in the house709 words
  5. 328–416First episode (cont.): Chrysothemis warns Electra965 words
  6. 417–471First episode (cont.): Clytaemnestra's dream and the offerings531 words
  7. 472–557First stasimon; Clytaemnestra defends the killing of Agamemnon659 words
  8. 558–633Second episode: Electra answers her mother737 words
  9. 634–679Clytaemnestra's prayer to Apollo; the Paedagogus announces Orestes' death435 words
  10. 680–772Second episode: the Paedagogus' false report of the chariot race852 words
  11. 773–848Second episode: Clytaemnestra's relief and Electra's despair639 words
  12. 849–933Kommos; Chrysothemis reports offerings at the tomb743 words
  13. 934–1016Third episode: Electra proposes to kill Aegisthus792 words
  14. 1017–1057Third episode (cont.): Electra decides to act alone451 words
  15. 1060–1097Second stasimon: the birds and Electra's loyalty264 words
  16. 1098–1170Fourth episode: Orestes brings the urn; Electra's lament673 words
  17. 1171–1287Fourth episode (cont.): the recognition of Orestes1097 words
  18. 1288–1383Fourth episode (cont.): the Paedagogus urges haste952 words
  19. 1384–1441Third stasimon and the killing of Clytaemnestra465 words
  20. 1442–1510Exodos: Aegisthus is led in to die709 words

More by Sophocles

English translation by Richard C. Jebb (modernised by Perseus) (1894). Original text: Greek text: Francis Storr (ed. and trans.), Sophocles, Loeb Classical Library, London: William Heinemann, 1913, as digitised by Perseus. English: Richard C. Jebb, Sophocles: The Plays and Fragments, The Electra, Cambridge University Press, 1894 (Perseus's modernised version of Jebb's prose translation).

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library); translation public domain. Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.