Inquieti commerci tra uomini e dei

This monograph offers a comprehensive re-evaluation of three closely interconnected lost tragedies by Sophocles: Tympanistai, Phineus A, and Phineus B. By bridging the methodological divide between philological text-analysis and iconographical evidence, the study reconstructs the dramatic contours and thematic evolution of these lost works. Grounded in a detailed examination of literary fragments, scholiastic traditions, and ancient vase-paintings—including early Corinthian and South Italian ceramics—the research illuminates pivotal mythological motifs such as blind prophecy, divine retribution, and disrupted marital unions (gamos). Particular attention is given to the dramatic role of Boreas and Oreithyia, the punishment and eventual healing of Phineus, and the figure of the stepmother Idothea/Idea. Ultimately, the investigation demonstrates how Sophocles continually reconfigured tragic myths over time, shedding new light on the stylistic, formal, and psychological development of classical Athenian theatre.