Book of illustrations : Ancient Tragedy

One of the three great tragedians of classical Athens, he pushed Greek drama toward a more human, unsettling style. His plays are filled with sharp emotion, moral conflict, and unforgettable figures such as Medea, Hippolytus, and The Bacchae.

Richard G. (Richard Green) Moulton

1849–1924

A pioneering teacher of literature, he helped readers approach the Bible as a work of storytelling and poetry as well as faith. His books and lectures brought literary study to a wide public on both sides of the Atlantic.

Sophocles

-496–-406

One of the giants of classical Athenian drama, this playwright helped shape tragedy as we know it. His surviving plays, including Oedipus the King and Antigone, still feel powerful because they ask hard questions about fate, justice, and human choice.