MELVILLE AND SOPHOCLES MELVILLE: “OPEDIPUS, YOU SEE, WAS MY MODEL.” SOPHOCLES: “THAT IS ABSURD. YOUR CHARACTER, THIS BILLY, HAS NONE OF THE TRAITS THAT MY TRAGIC CHARACTER POSSESSED.” MELLVILLE: “BILLY BUD MAY HAVE NOT BEEN ANY GREAT KING OR A MAN OF IMMENSE MONETARY WEALTH, BUT HE POSSESSED A DIFFERENT SORT OF GREATNESS. “ SOPHOCLES: “YOU SPEAK OF A DIFFERENT SORT OF GREATNESS, AS IF IT THAT COULD POSSIBLE COMPARE TO THE LIFE OF MY OEDIPUS. …showed first 75 words of 592 total…

…showed last 75 words of 592 total…IS IN THE SHADOWS OF THE GIANT OEDIPUS REX THAT BILLY BUDD MUST DWELL THEN LET IT BE. SERVES ME FAR BETTER THAT HE REMAINS THERE NEXT TO HIS INSPIRATION. SOPHOCLES: “I KNOW THAT NO OTHER COULD REACH SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS AS THIS TRAGIC CHARACTER. I WILL GLADLY GIVE YOUR SAILOR THE COLD SHADOW OF MY KING. FOR ALL ARE AWARE THAT NO PERSON COULD OUTSHINE THE STORY OF OEDIPUS REX.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography** n/a