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Oedipus the King (in Greek Oidipous Tyrannos, often called by its Latin title Oedipus Rex) has been translated into English many times, in prose and in verse, for reading, for study and for performance. Most modern translations are published with Sophocles’ two other plays on the Theban story, Antigone and Oedipus at Colonus, as “the Theban plays.”
This site prints Richard Claverhouse Jebb’s prose translation (1904), which is in the public domain, scene by scene on The Play, with his introduction and his notes on the scenes and choral songs. It is also available as a free PDF, with his complete commentary as a separate free PDF.
The Three Theban Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus — trans. Robert Fagles (1984)
- For: General readers
- Form: Verse translation with introduction, notes and glossary
A verse translation of the three Theban plays with an introduction by Bernard Knox and notes on each play. It is a standard general-reader text and is often assigned in university courses.
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The Oedipus Cycle: A New Translation — trans. Robert Bagg (2012)
- For: General readers
- Form: Verse translation of the three Theban plays
Robert Bagg’s verse translations of Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Kolonos and Antigone in one volume. Suited to readers who want a recent verse version of all three Theban plays.
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Sophocles I: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus — trans. David Grene (Oedipus the King); Elizabeth Wyckoff (Antigone); Robert Fitzgerald (Oedipus at Colonus) (1991)
- For: Students
- Form: Verse translations with introductions
A volume in the University of Chicago Complete Greek Tragedies series, edited by David Grene and Richmond Lattimore. It collects the three Theban plays in separate verse translations by different translators. A third edition (2013), edited by Mark Griffith and Glenn W. Most, revises the translations and adds new introductions and notes.
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Oedipus the King: A Companion Reader — trans. R. C. Jebb (1904)
- For: General readers
- Form: Prose translation with Jebb’s Preface, Introduction and scene notes, and this site’s reference pages; his complete commentary as a separate PDF
Jebb’s prose translation (1904), now in the public domain, is the text of this site’s own edition, and the whole edition is available as a free PDF. It prints the play scene by scene with the Greek line numbers, Jebb’s Preface and Introduction from his 1893 edition, and his introductions to the scenes and choral songs, along with this site’s reference pages on the story, the characters, the house of Laius, the Theban myths, the Athenian theater and the play’s later history. Jebb’s complete line-by-line commentary on the Greek text is a second free PDF. It is suited to readers who want a free, faithful text with notes and don’t mind older English.
Download free PDF →Jebb’s commentary (PDF) →
Antigone; Oedipus the King; Electra — trans. H. D. F. Kitto (2008)
- For: General readers
- Form: Verse translation with introduction by Edith Hall and notes
H. D. F. Kitto’s verse translation of three plays, edited with an introduction and explanatory notes by Edith Hall. The introduction addresses the plays’ performance contexts and their later reception.
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Sophocles: Theban Plays — trans. Peter Meineck and Paul Woodruff (2003)
- For: Students
- Form: Verse translation with introduction and notes, prepared for performance as well as reading
Verse translations of Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone by a theater director and a philosopher. The volume includes an introduction and notes and is suited to classroom use and to readers interested in staging.
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The Theban Plays: Antigone, King Oidipous and Oidipous at Colonus — trans. Ruby Blondell (2002)
- For: Students
- Form: Verse translation with introduction and notes
A translation of Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone in the Focus Classical Library series. It is designed for classroom use and includes an introduction and notes.
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Sophocles I: Ajax, Electra, Oedipus Tyrannus — trans. Hugh Lloyd-Jones (1994)
- For: Scholars
- Form: Greek text with facing prose translation and brief notes
The Loeb Classical Library volume containing Oedipus Tyrannus with the Greek on facing pages. The English is a prose translation that follows the Greek closely, which suits readers comparing the two languages.
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Oedipus Tyrannus: A New Translation, Backgrounds, Criticism — trans. Luci Berkowitz and Theodore F. Brunner (1970)
- For: Students
- Form: Verse translation with backgrounds and a selection of critical essays
A verse translation of the play in the Norton Critical Editions format, accompanied by supporting materials and critical essays. It is suited to undergraduate study of the play and its interpretation.
Buy on Amazon →Greek editions with commentary, criticism and background reading are on Books on Oedipus.