Sophocles
3 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Sophocles. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
a Greek tragic poet; born in the Attic demus or village of Colonus, 495 b. c., 30 years later than SOPHOCLES Æschylus. He received a good education, and at an early age gained the prize in music and gymnastics. He was 15 when FF-Cvo the battle of Salamis was fought, and for his remarkable beauty and skill in music he was chosen to lead the chorus which sang the pean of victory. His first appearance as a dramatist was in 468, when, under memorable circumstances, he had Æschylus for his rival and won the victory. Of the next 28 years of his life nothing is recorded; but it is known that he made poetry his business, and that he composed a great many plays during that period. Not one of them, however, is now extant. The "Antigone," the earliest of his extant tragedies, was brought out in 440, and won the prize. The number of plays attributed to him without question was 113, of which 81 were probably produced after the "Antigone." Seven only, are extant, viz., "Antigone," "Electra," "Trachinian Wom- ," "King Edipus," en "Ajax," "Philoctetes," and "Edipus at Colonus." These exhibit his art in its maturity, and sus- „tain the verdict of ancient and modern critics that Sophocles carried the Greek drama to its highest perfection. He effected a complete change in the constitution of tragedy as Æschylus left it; loosening the connection between the parts of the trilogy and the satiric drama, and making them not one great poem, but four distinct ones; introducing a third actor; and for subjects selecting, not a series of heroic and mythical actions, but for each play one leading fact of real human interest and lasting significance. Sophocles lived to be nearly 90, and in his latest years most probably wrote the "Ædipus at Colonus," so full of sweetness and tender melancholy, and consoling hopes, which was not presented on the stage till five years after the poet's death, 406 B. C.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
sof'o-kleez (about 495-406 B. C.), one of the three great tragic poets of Greece. Aeschylus and Euripides are the others. Little save tradition is known of his early life except that his father was an artisan and lived in an aristocratic quarter of Athens. Sophocles ranks next to Aeschylus as a tragedian, and some critics place him before Aeschylus. His greatest tragedies are Oedipus Tyrannus, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone, Electra, Philoctetes, Ajax, and Maidens of Trachis. He is said to have won a score of tragic victories. In all his contests for prizes, he ranked either first or second, never once third. Only seven of his tragedies have been preserved. His plays are considered the most perfect of all dramas. From a habit of borrowing freely and gracefully from other authors, he has been nicknamed the " Attic Bee ." Instead of taking space for the traditional gossip relative to his private life, we make room for a few quotations: Death is not the worst evil. Judge not fully of a man's life before he dieth. A short saying oft contains much wisdom. The truth is always the strongest argument. It is better not to live at all, than to live disgraced. Fortune is not on the side of the faint hearted. Think not that thy word, and thine alone, must be right. Most modern critics have agreed with the Attic public that the tragedies of Sophocles are the most perfect that the world has ever seen.--Mahaffy.
1000 Classical Characters (1900)
A celebrated tragic poet of Athens . He was distinguished also as a statesman, and exercised the office of archon with credit and honor. He wrote for the stage, and obtained the poetical prize on twenty different occasions. He was the rival of Euripides for public applause, each having his admirers. He died at the age of ninety-one, 406 years before Christ. 2026 Editor's Note: While this text records twenty victories, modern scholarship indicates that Sophocles actually won 24 of the 30 dramatic competitions he entered and never placed lower than second. He is credited by Aristotle with the significant innovation of adding a third actor, which reduced the role of the chorus and allowed for greater character development. Of his more than 120 plays, only seven survive in complete form, including the famous Theban tragedies Oedipus Rex and Antigone. (Ed: BR 2026-07-03)