The Markantonatos Contribution: Towards an Integrated Humanistic Philology

The broader intellectual contribution of Markantonatos’ Oedipus at Colonus lies in its articulation of a new paradigm for classical studies—one that combines the rigour of textual scholarship with the breadth of humanistic interpretation. His approach is grounded in the conviction that ancient texts are not static monuments but living dialogues between past and present. By reanimating Sophocles’ language through informed translation and commentary, he transforms philology into an act of cultural mediation. Markantonatos’ methodology reflects what may be called a ‘humanistic turn’ in classical scholarship: the recognition that close reading, historical context, and philosophical reflection must converge to do justice to the complexity of ancient literature. His work invites both specialists and non-specialists to engage with Oedipus at Colonus not only as an object of study but as a moral and aesthetic experience. In doing so, the edition contributes to the ongoing redefinition of the humanities as disciplines concerned with interpretation, empathy, and the transmission of ethical meaning.