Final answer:
The claim that Euripides won 10 first prizes for his dramas is false. Though he had fewer prizes than his contemporaries, his influential works, such as 'Medea' and 'The Trojan Women', focused on human aspects and social critique, shaping the genre of tragedy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Euripides won an unprecedented 10 first prizes for his dramas is false. Euripides, a revered ancient Greek tragedian, was a contemporary of Aeschylus and Sophocles, who were also prominent figures in Greek tragedy. Euripides' works are characterized by a focus on the human aspects of heroes and strong female protagonists, as seen in his well-known plays such as Medea and Trojan Women. Despite the fewer accolades he received in comparison to his contemporaries during his lifetime, his plays continue to influence and be performed today, and they are recognized for their psychological depth and questioning of social orders. Unlike Euripides, his contemporary Sophocles participated in the City Dionysia approximately thirty times and is said to have won twenty-four times. Euripides' contribution to drama and tragedy cannot be solely measured by the number of prizes won but rather by the lasting impact his works have had on the genre.