Oedipus at Colonus: every role by lines, words, and stage time

Sophocles, translated by Francis Storr. 9 speaking roles, 12,999 words, about 93 minutes of speech.

The Offbook team

Oct 8, 2026

Oedipus has the most to say in Oedipus at Colonus: about 638 lines and 4,820 words, 37.1% of the play. Sophocles’ tragedy follows the aged, blind, and exiled Oedipus as he reaches Colonus near Athens to seek refuge and a place to die. Oedipus carries more than a third of the words, about twice the Chorus. Theseus is the next-largest individual part, and Antigone, Oedipus’s guide, holds about a tenth.

Speaking roles: 9
Scenes: Continuous
Words: 12,999
Speech time: 93 min

Every role, largest first

Role	Lines	Words	Share	Minutes	Scenes
Oedipus	638	4,820	37.1%	34.4	1
Chorus	398	2,353	18.1%	16.8	1
Theseus	196	1,513	11.6%	10.8	1
Antigone	191	1,244	9.6%	8.9	1
Polyneices	116	894	6.9%	6.4	1
Creon	101	751	5.8%	5.4	1
Messenger	82	646	5%	4.6	1
Ismene	78	538	4.1%	3.8	1
Stranger	31	240	1.8%	1.7	1

The longest speeches

Speech	Words	Lines
Messenger: “Thy question hits the marvel of the tale.”	596	75
Oedipus: “O shameless railer, think’st thou this abuse”	462	57
Polyneices: “Well dost thou counsel, and I will speak out.”	441	59
Oedipus: “Nay, worthy seniors, but for Theseus’ sake”	391	49
Oedipus: “O front of brass, thy subtle tongue would twist”	331	40
Theseus: “Ho! hasten to the altars, one of you,”	324	42
Chorus: “O when the flying foe,”	317	61
Oedipus: “Then may the gods ne’er quench their fatal feud,”	301	37
Chorus: “Thou hast come to a steed-famed land for rest,”	296	45
Oedipus: “O son of Aegeus, for this state will I”	296	38

Questions actors ask

Who has the most lines in Oedipus at Colonus?

Oedipus, with about 638 lines and 4,820 words, 37.1% of everything spoken in the play. Chorus is next, with about 398 lines (18.1%).

How long is Oedipus at Colonus?

The full text has 12,999 spoken words, about 93 minutes at 140 words a minute before pauses, scene changes, and cuts. Most productions cut the text, so running times vary.

How many speaking roles are in Oedipus at Colonus?

9 named roles speak in this edition, in one continuous text with no scene breaks. 1 of them have less than 2% of the words, which is why small parts are often doubled.