Sophocles and the Age of Athens

In the final years of the fifth century BCE, Athens stood at a crossroads. The long Peloponnesian War had drained the city of its resources, shaken its confidence, and darkened its moral horizon. Yet in the midst of this decline, one of its greatest sons—Sophocles of Colonus—composed a drama of serene grandeur and redemptive power. Oedipus at Colonus is not merely a play about the end of a hero’s life; it is a meditation on renewal, belonging, and the eternal search for harmony between humanity and the divine. Sophocles, now in his nineties, had lived through every stage of Athenian greatness—from the victories of Salamis to the decay of empire. His final play reflects both the exhaustion and the enduring idealism of his city. Through the figure of Oedipus, the poet explores what remains when worldly glory fades: the integrity of the spirit, the compassion of the community, and the sacred continuity of place. The tragedy becomes Athens’ own mirror—its suffering, wisdom, and redemption transfigured through art.