Women of Trakhis

Among the most celebrated plays of ancient Athens, Women of Trakhis is one of seven surviving dramas by the great Greek playwright, Sophocles, now available from Harper Perennial in a vivid and dynamic new translation by award-winning poet Robert Bagg.

A powerful drama centered on a desperate wife’s attempts to hold onto her wandering husband, the great Herakles, Women of Trakhis is the tragic tale of how age-old jealousy takes down one of the ancient world’s most feared and storied heroes. This is Sophocles, vibrant and alive, for a new generation.

How does the ancient world’s mightiest hero meet his end?

• A Tragic Hero’s Downfall: Witness the final, agonizing days of Herakles as the celebrated hero is brought low not by a monster, but by his own wife’s misplaced love.
• A Desperate Wife’s Gamble: Follow Deianeira as she uses a deadly gift from the centaur Nessus in a last-ditch effort to reclaim her husband’s affection.
• The Cruelty of the Gods: Explore Sophocles’ timeless meditation on fate, divine indifference, and the devastating consequences of human passion.
• Accessible Modern Translation: Experience the power of a foundational text of Western literature, rendered into vivid, poetic English for today’s reader by an award-winning translator.