'Women of Trachis' and 'Philoctetes' are two tragedies by the 5th century B.C. Greek dramatist Sophocles. They are full of emotion and address issues of concern at the time, some of which issues still confront us today. For example, is a person in pain ultimately alone in their suffering? How should we respond if a friend asks for help to achieve their death? Deep, dark questions but we shall aim to keep a light atmosphere in our reading and discussions. The required English translation is that of David Raeburn in 'Sophocles: Electra and Other Plays', 2008, Penguin Classics, ISBN 978-0-140-44978-5.