The Oedipus Saga
Thebes: The Trailer Park
Of Ancient Greece!
King Laius Marries Queen Jocasta
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They have a son
The Oracle tells them the son will kill his
father and marry his mother
Laius pierces the baby’s feet and hands
him to a shepherd with instructions to leave
the baby out to die
Shepherd feels sorry for baby – hands
baby to a herdsman, who takes him to
Corinth
The Throne of Corinth Has a New Heir!
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The king and queen are childless, so they name
the baby Oedipus, (“Swollen Foot”), and raise him as
their own.
Oedipus keeps hearing rumors about his heritage
He goes to the Oracle at Delphi to find the truth –
there he hears about the prophecy and thinks he
needs to stay away from Corinth
Outside of Thebes he has a run in with an old
man and his servants – he kills them all and
continues his journey
What a Sphinx!
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Next, O. runs into the Sphinx who terrorizes
the countryside.
He solves her riddle and kills her, earning
the eternal gratitude of the people of
Thebes.
He is the hero of Thebes!
The New King of Thebes!
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Since King Laius has been killed by
bandits(!), Jocasta offers her hand in
marriage to O. – it is the will of the people,
and they need a new king.
They have 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls
The prophecy has been fulfilled
EWWWW!
The Plague of Thebes
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The people of Thebes want to know why
they are dropping dead at an alarming rate.
The Oracle informs O. that he must find out
who killed king Laius for the plague to end.
This leads to O. figuring out that he has
fulfilled the prophecy of his birth.
His wife kills herself
The Blind Wanderer
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Oedipus feels death is too good for him
He plucks out his eyes and wanders the
earth for the rest of his days. His daughter
Antigone is his guide and companion
Given sanctuary by King Theseus, he dies
and is buried at Colonus (near Athens)
On his deathbed he curses his two sons for
fighting over the throne of Thebes
Getting the Story Straight
Labdacus
Laius
Menoeceus
Jocasta
Oedipus
Creon
Jocasta
Megareus
Eteocles
Eurydice
Polyneices
Ismene
Haemon
Antigone