Oedipus the King by Sophocles
-I believe these characters are listed in order of speaking role.
-There’s a CHORUS of Theban elders (hint that this is going to be in theater form)
-Hey, Teiresias was also in Ulysses! Is he very popular or something?
-Hoho, I believe Jocasta has another relation to Oeddy here! (But how did Creon not know?)
Here is a description of the first scene: in Thebes, in front of Oedipus’ palace.
-The palace’s main doors face the audience (again, this is a play),
-and to either side of them are altars, which the Priest and the citizens (holding branches
wreathed with wool) are gathered to pray at. (Why do they do that? Strange custom)
-Cadmus was the founder of the city, and Thebes’ citizens are often called his children.
-He’s asking them why they’re here.
-People, it wouldn’t be right to have anyone other than my subjects tell me what is up, so I’ve
come out here to listen to you - yes, I, the famous King Oedipus. (But he already knows. Maybe
he just wants to make them feel important?)
Hey you, old man (PRIEST), tell me - for you seem to be the leader of these people -He’s established as a king who works tirelessly for his people. (It would be cruel of him not to.
He just does the right thing because it’s right!)
-These are the priests and their finest young acolytes.
-There are people praying all around the city.
-A great plague has come upon the land. Many are dying.
-In fact, I believe this is the work of the gods! Listen to why it has come upon them.
-“You’re not a god, of course, but you’re the closest to one we’ve got!”
-He became king by coming to the city and freeing them from the Sphinx by solving her famous
riddle.
-Again, he’s humble. He didn’t do this for greatness at all - he just saw that people needed help.
-Of course, now he is famous. Goodness is rewarded! (Or maybe it’s a setup for the greater
punishment of shame to come?)
-“So can you help us, or at least give us some advice? Prove to us that you’re as great a hero
as you were when you first came over here and defeated the sphinx!”
-“After all, a king ain’t much of a king if he has no subjects to rule.” (What’s wrong with a little
low-minded pragmatism every now and then?)
-Oedipus responds, saying he knows well of the trouble they face.
-He knows how greatly they suffer, and it makes him suffer greatly – maybe even moreso – to
know that. As a king, his subjects are him, and their pain is his.
-And so he’s been thinking long and hard of a way to help them, but the only thing he could do
was send his brother-in-law, Creon, to the Shrine of Apollo to hear a solution from the god.
There was only one solution I could find, and I have acted on it: I’ve sent my brother-in-law,
Creon, to the Shrine of Apollo so that the god can tell him how the city must be saved.
-He’s been away for a long time – far too long, in fact. But the citizens can bet that Oedipus will
act on whatever he says.
-Priest: “Well, speak of the devil! Someone just came up and told me that Creon is returning
right now!”
-Oedipus asks the gods to bless his journey home.
-And according to the priest, Creon’s wearing a wreath full of berries on his head – a sign of
good news.
-Oedipus: “We’ll hear it soon enough – here he is now.”
-Enter Creon.
-Oedipus: “My brother-in-law, what did Apollo tell you?”
-Creon: “Good news! If all goes well, then these hardships will be over and we’ll all be happy
again!”
Oedipus: “Yeah, but what did he say? That doesn’t tell me anything.”
Creon: “If you want me to tell you in public, I’m ready to do so. Or I could tell you in private.”
Oedipus: “Tell me in public. These poor hurting citizens deserve to hear the news as well.”
-What a good king!
Creon: “Okay, here’s what Apollo said: we must drive away the filth which festers in our land, or
else we will not be healed. He was clear about that.”
Oedipus: “How do we cleanse it? And what caused the sickness to begin?”
Creon: “We’re all sick because of this one man’s great crime, and so we must either banish or
kill that man.”
Oedipus: “Who is he?”
Creon: “Well, before you came to rule us, this man named Laius was our king.”
Oedipus: “I’ve heard of him, but I’ve never seen him.” Oh, really?
Creon: “That’s because he was murdered. And now, as Apollo made clear to me, his killers
must be punished, whoever they are.”
Oedipus: “Where are they? This case already looks like it’s gonna be hard to solve, so we need
a place to start looking.”
Creon: “Apollo told me he was here in Thebes! We already know who he is, too; he’s hiding in
plain sight.”
Oedipus: “Well, I think a search would still be useful. Where was Laius when he died, then? In
his home, in the fields, in another country altogether, or what?”
Creon: “He was on his way to Delphi, according to Apollo. He left, but he never came back.”
Oedipus: “And nobody went with him, who could have seen what happened and given us a few
clues?”
Creon: “There was, but they were all killed as well - except for one who got scared and fled. He
could only tell us one thing.”
Oedipus: “What was it? Even if it’s just one thing, it could help us out a whole lot - at least we
could get started on this mystery.”
Creon: “According to him, they were thieves - a whole bunch of them - who viciously
slaughtered Laius.”
Oedipus: “How could a thief have the nerve to do this, unless he had help?”
Creon: “That’s what I originally thought. But right after Laius died, something else came up, so
we had no time to try and answer it.”
Oedipus: “What happened then?”
Creon: “The Sphinx came. She told us her tricky riddle (which the men had to answer before
they could pass by her out of Thebes), and we had to put aside the murder case so we could try
to figure that out instead.”
Oedipus: “Then I will start the search again, and try once more to uncover the mystery.
It is quite appropriate that Apollo cares for poor Laius so, and a way which you find appropriate
as well. And so I am going to help you - it’s the right thing to do, after all - to avenge Laius for
both Thebes and Apollo.”
-“I will oust the murderers not only because they hurt my citizens, but for myself as well - who
knows that they won’t try to go after me next? And so, in avenging Laius, I avenge myself.
But for now, citizens, you must arise from where you kneel and raise your branches - we need
to call an assembly of everyone in Thebes.”
-“I shall do everything I can. If the gods are on my side, then everything shall be revealed; if
not, then we are all doomed.”
-Exit Oedipus and Creon.
-“Alright, everyone, get up. He’s given us the answer we needed.”
-Again, they appeal to Apollo for his help.
-So they exit and the Chorus comes out.
-They’re imploring Zeus (and the other gods) to tell them why he has come to them.
-They are sore afraid, and it’s because they don’t know what the gods have planned for them.
(With good reason: there are many stories across history of the gods’ cruelty and fickleness)
-Apollo is the “Delian healer” and the “golden child of Hope”
-They pray to three deities - Athena, Artemis, and Phoebus (aka Apollo) - in hopes that they will
be protected from death.
-“You’ve done it before; please do it again!” (Echo of the Priest’s earlier appeal to Oedipus?)
-They are hurting (duh), and they can think of no way to help their people.
-Everything’s ended, and nothing’s beginning. (Women can’t even go through labor and be
rewarded for their efforts by a newborn life)
-One by one, each person’s spirit crosses the Styx to the shores of Hades faster than a
jackrabbit on a greasy hot griddle in the middle of August. (Please forgive the Spongebob
reference. And I assume it’s talking about Hades here; there’s a different evening god,
Hesperus, but I don’t think he’s associated with death, so the “evening god” must be Hades).
-There’s so many dead that most of them lie unburied and unmourned (there’s probably no
time) in the streets! (What a pong that must give off)
-And the sickness is spreading via the corpses, and everyone young and old is just praying for it
to end!
(Praying and crying - nice harmony, there)
-(Who is “Zeus’ golden daughter”? Artemis? The sun?)
-Whoever she is, they’re praying for her to give them strength.
-But they hate Ares (who wasn’t very well-liked at all). He’s been killing them all, and the elders
wish he would just go off to the sea and drown or something.
-If death doesn’t get ‘em in the night, it surely gets them in the daytime, so basically, it’s a
constant onslaught.
-“Zeus, please intervene and make this hothead go away! Seriously, forget Ares!”
-“Lycean lord” = yet another name for Apollo.
-Anyway, they want him to shoot arrows at the death which faces them, and they want his sister
to help.
-They want Dionysus to help to, for this is his country (he was also called Bacchus, and Thebes
was also called Bacchea).
-Basically, they want the other gods to go up against Ares. Seriously, screw that guy!
-So Oedipus comes back out on stage.
-“Hey guys, you don’t have to pray anymore! I’ve got the answer to your problems!”
(“A stranger to the story, a stranger to the crime,” eh? Poor sap…)
-Though he didn’t know about the crime, he’s a Cadmeian (remember, a citizen of Thebes) now,
so he is obligated to help.
-He’s asking either that the citizens tell him who the killer was or that the killer reveal himself.
-It would be better if the killer came forward and confessed, because he will just be banished
and nothing more. And if anyone knows the killer, they are urged to tell him so in return for the
king’s “thanks.”.
-But if the culprit and/or his acquaintances are cowards and refuse to speak, then there will be
serious consequences.
-Oedipus goes on to decree it a law that no one shall associate with the killer in any sort of
activity - not even religious rites.
-“I say this in the name of both Apollo and Laius!”
-The punishment for being the murderer and not coming clean about it is a curse of great agony
for the rest of his pitiful life.
-And if it turns out that Oedipus himself has been welcoming the killer, he swears that the same
fate shall befall him. (Well, at least he’s somewhat prepared.)
-Now he urges the citizens to enforce this decree the best they can - for the sake of their king,
their country, and their gods.
-For it is simply the right thing to do so. (This really is a core value of Oedipus’, isn’t it?)
-“You really should have done something about it back then. But now I’m the king, and so the
responsibility falls upon me also.”
-“I mean, I have his home and his wife, and I would’ve had his stepchildren if he had any
children” - (oh, don’t worry about that! But seriously, though, this is some heavy-handed
foreshadowing) - “but oh well. So I’ll fight to bring him justice just as fiercely as if he were my
father.” (Seriously, though.)
-He will work tirelessly to avenge Laius the king of Thebes, the descendant of many great kings
and queens before him.
-Upon those who will not help him do so, he wishes no fortune and plenty of mis-. But those
who do are cool cats, and may they be blessed.
(Oh, so he was addressing this to the chorus? Huh.)
-The leader of the chorus comes forward to say that he is not the killer and he does not know
the killer. If anyone should reveal the truth, he continues, it’s Apollo himself.
-Oedipus agrees, but he says that he can’t make Apollo reveal who did it. (Gods sure were
stubborn things.)
-However, the chorus leader does have a suggestion.
-Oedipus tells him to say it, and to say what must be done after that if possible.
-The chorus leader informs him of one Tieresias, a man who can see all things just as the gods
can. (That’s how I interpret it for now, anyway. I’m not quite sure how the gift of sight works
here)
-Of course he would be an asset to Oedipus.
-But Oedipus has already sent for him. (Quite the prepared one, he is)
-“He’s quite late in coming, though. What’s taking him?” (Why do I feel like this “he’s taken too
long to come back...oh, there he is” trope will be quite present in this play?)
-Then the chorus leader tells him that there are certain rumors surrounding Laius’ death…not
that they prove anything. (Too subtle!)
-Oedipus asks what kind of rumors they are. (Is it me, or is he sure in the dark about much?)
-The rumors have it that “certain travellers” were the ones who did it. (Well, at least the
Thebeans aren’t totally clueless)
-“Oh. Well, I’ve heard that. But again, they aren’t too reliable.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll find out soon enough. Even if the killer is a coward, he’ll surely confess for
fear of the curse!”
-“I’m not so sure. If he isn’t afraid to admit his crime, then he surely won’t be afraid of a measly
curse.” (Does he secretly doubt that the curse will be effective?)
-“Oh, but you’ll be there to convict and sentence him. He’ll believe it then, whoever he is.”
-“And what good timing! Here comes Tieresias now!” (See, I told you!)
-Tieresias comes in, led by the Boy (remember, he is blind)
-“Okay, Teiresias: you know everything, so you must know what trouble we are in, right?”
-Heaven? I thought the Greeks believed that the dead all went down to Hades.
-Basically, Oedipus tells Teiresias that he’s their only hope, because he’s the only one who can
tell them who killed Laius. So he implores the seer to tell them, already! (I don’t think you want
him to, Oedipus…)
-Besides, it’s only the right thing to do. That’s a theme in this work, isn’t it?
-But wait, something is wrong!
-“How dreadful it is to have wisdom when it brings no benefit to the man possessing it.” I agree,
but who is he talking about here? Himself? Oedipus?
-Can’t be the latter option, because Teiresias forgot who did it. That’s why he came here in the
first place (because he wanted to refresh his memory, I assume). (Well, at least his power isn’t a
total Deus ex Machina).
-Oedipus asks him what is wrong. Doesn’t he already know?
-Teiresias answers that he must go home. He says he must bear his burden of knowledge (oh,
so he does know!), for he knows that Oedipus must bear his own.
-Oedipus tells him he’s being rude, and that he doesn’t seem to care much for the peril the
Thebans are in.
-Teiresias tells Oedipus that he’s also being rude. And he doesn’t want to reveal the truth
because he’s afraid it will put the city in danger.
-Oedipus begs Teiresias to tell them!
-Teiresias replies that they won’t understand. He won’t reveal the truth, and he won’t reveal that
it is Oedipus’ problem as well (oops, he just did).
-Oedipus says he’s crazy and that he’s jeopardizing the entire city with his craziness. (Now this
is beginning to sound like Jerry Springer)
-Teiresias replies with a flat-out no. The citizens can’t handle the truth, and he’d appreciate if
Oedipus would stop asking.
-Oedipus is mad and calls him a stubborn ass. This is getting good, I feel like I need to make
myself some popcorn.
-Teiresias: “Oh, yeah? Well, you have a very short temper! Pull the plank out of thine own eye,
brother!” (I’m reading that in a Hulk Hogan voice, by the way)
-Oedipus: “Well, I can’t help being mad! You’d make anyone mad, talking the way you do!”
-Teiresias: “It doesn’t matter, because you will find out anyway.”
-Oedipus: “But why can’t you tell me now? I want to be prepared!”
-Teiresias: “I cannot. Feel free to be angry with me.”
-Oedipus: “Alright, I will! And you know what? I think you conspired to kill Laius too, and you
did everything short of killing him yourself! After all, you didn’t warn anyone else, so that makes
you responsible for everything!”
-Teiresias: “Oh, really? Fine then, I’ll tell you: you’d better keep the promises you just made, for
you’re the one who put this land in danger!”
-Oedipus: “How dare you say that! You should be punished!” (He must think that Teiresias is
just being salty)
-Teiresias: “You can’t do anything! My honesty’s too strong!”
-Oedipus: “Why? Why are you doing this to me?”
-Teiresias: “Hey, you asked. Repeatedly.”
-Oedipus: “The heck? Say that again!”
-Teiresias: “Didn’t you understand me the first time? Or is that a challenge?”
-Oedipus: “I literally didn’t understand you. Now say it again.”
-Teiresias: “You. You’re the one who did it. You killed him.”
-Oedipus: “STOP LYING TO ME! You’re gonna regret this!”
-Teiresias: “Do I have to say it again? I kind of like seeing you angry.” (Okay, he didn’t say that
last part, but I think it’s funny)
-Oedipus: “...You know what? Do it. I’m not gonna care. I don’t care, you loser.”
-Teiresias: “I will, but I must say that both you and your family are deep in it. You have no idea
how deep you are in it.”
-Oedipus: “You’re the one who’s in trouble for this, old man. You know that?”
-Teiresias: “No, I’m not. The truth will set me free.”
-Oedipus: “No it won’t, because that’s not the truth. You can’t possibly be honest; you don’t
know anything! You’re blind! Bliiind!” (I swear to God, I am laughing right now)
-Teiresias: “Now, that wasn’t nice. Don’t you know people are gonna say those things to you,
too?”
-Oedipus: “It’s true, though! You’re blind, and you can’t hurt me because you can’t see me!”
(Them’s fighting words, ain’t they?)
-Teiresias: “Oh sweetie, I’m not gonna hurt you. But Apollo will.”
-Oedipus: “Did...did Creon put you up to this? Is this some kind of sick joke?”
-Teiresias: “Now, don’t blame Creon, either. You’re the one to blame here.”
-Oedipus then goes on this long rant. First, he asks aloud what the heck he did to deserve this being granted the privilege of kinghood (which he didn’t even ask for), only to have his friend
and this quack seer play such a mean prank on him.
-And he’s gotta be a quack - he never thought to show off his amazing powers by solving that
friggin’ Sphinx’s friggin’ riddle, after all.
-Nope. Oedipus had to do it all by himself. And now they want to take away his crown (and he
accuses Teiresias of doing it just so he could have some power when Creon became the next
king).
-And hoo boy, are they in trouble for it. Teiresias is lucky he’s old and feeble, or else he’d be in
for a serious whooping!
-The chorus then comes in and tells them to stop arguing, because they kind of have a plague
to stop.
-Oh, but Teiresias has a long tirade of his own to give. He says that while Oedipus may be the
king, he has no right to stop someone from proclaiming the truth, and that he only answers to
Apollo.
-And since Oedipus mocked his disability, he mocks Oedipus for not being able to see the sin
that permeates his household. He has become a danger to his own family, and the “two-edged
curse of father and mother” (who wants to bet it’s the Oedipus complex?) will soon drive him out
of his country.
-He will become blind as well, and filled with agony once he learns who his wife is.
-Basically, Oedipus is in for one heap of trouble, and no amount of insulting on his part can save
him from it.
-Oedipus: “Urgh, are you still talking? Go away, and I hope the plague gets you!” (Ah, I was just
talking about humanity’s dark side) “Go on, shoo! Get out and stay out!”
-Teiresias: “Hey, you told me to come.”
-Oedipus: “Well, I didn’t think you’d be such a butthead! If I did, you wouldn’t have been so
quick to show up, lemme tell you that right now!”
-Teiresias: “I can’t help it, I was born that way.” (Sass?) “Besides, your parents thought I was
pretty smart.”
-Oedipus: “Wait a minute - my parents? You know who they were?”
-Teiresias: “You’ll find out, and trust me, you’ll wish you hadn’t.”
-Oedipus: “Stop talking in riddles!”
-Teiresias: “You’re good with riddles, aren’t you?” (OOOOH)
-Oedipus: “Hmph. That’s why I’m so great.”
-Teiresias: “It’s also why you’re in such deep sh-”
-Oedipus: “Doesn’t matter, because I saved everyone!”
-Teiresias: “Tch. Think I’ll be off now. Let’s go, boy.”
-Oedipus: “That’s right, you go. You get out of my sights before I unleash my righteous fury on
you, you motherf-”
-Teiresias: “I’m going, okay? But first, I’m gonna set something straight. Don’t make that face,
there’s nothing you can do.”
-So he goes on another spiel, in which he tells Oedipus a bit more about the killer. All he says
is that he’s here, a native of Thebes, and is in for a world of hurt once he is found out. And that
he’s involved in a terrible case of incest in which he married his mom, sired his own siblings,
and killed his dad.
-Teiresias: “Just you wait and see if I’m right.”
-And then Teiresias and the Boy strut off.
-The Chorus starts singing again.
-They sing about how the killer was pretty much named, but they’re still not sure if that man was
the one.
-If it is him, though, then it’s high-time he got the heck out of there, because Apollo (one of Zeus’
sons) is after his tail, as are a bunch of angry vengeful spirits.
-All the same, it’s everyone’s duty to search for him.
-He’s out there somewhere - hiding from his fellows’ eyes in the wilderness (which could also be
figurative, needless to say), but unable to hide from either his despair or the decree of his fate.
Oedipus had better wisen up sooner.
-The townspeople are very much unsettled by Teiresias’ words, and for good reason. There’s
no way they can fully accept it, but it’s not like they can outright deny a wise prophet’s words
either. They are confused, and they are very uncertain about the future.
-They’ve never witnessed an argument so big, and between two big figures! That alone is
probably enough to defame Oedipus.
-Also, Polybus was the one Oedipus believes to be his father.
-Only the gods can make sense of it all, and the city folk admire them greatly for it. But how do
they know that a prophet - a mortal man, mind you - is so capable?
-They finally decide that they will trust Oedipus, believing him innocent until he is proven guilty.
After all, he saved the city in his wisdom, and he has proven himself (unlike Teiresias). They
will continue to support him (and maybe turn against Teiresias…).
-Then Creon comes along. What does our faithful messenger have to say?
-Why, it appears that Oedipus has accused him of several horrific crimes!
-Geez, power lets you get away with a lot; we can say we wouldn’t do something like that now,
but what if it was someone we really didn’t like and we were given tons of authority and respect?
Frightening stuff.
-That’s why he’s come here. He’s deathly afraid of not only being called a criminal, but losing
the respect of the people and the friendship of his half-brother. He’s got a lot at stake, in short.
-The chorus leader gives him a bit of consolation, saying that Oedipus must have made these
accusations in a moment of rash anger.
-They’re awfully quick to accept that. But then again, people had to pretty much accept
whatever immature things a king might do.
-Creon reveals that one of the accusations was that he influenced Teiresias to lie about the
king, and he expresses worry over it being declared aloud.
-The chorus leader tells him he heard it was, though he didn’t know what it meant.
-Oh, so Creon’s come to learn what was said of him!
-Creon asks if Oedipus seemed to be of a sound mind when making the accusation - you don’t
tend to sound rational when you’re super angry.
-The leader says he doesn’t know, for he wasn’t actually there to hear the accusations.
-But oop! Here he comes right now! (Well, at least they didn’t wonder where he was first)
-So here Oeddy comes, and he is mad.
-He yells at Creon for “slandering” him in front of his own house, and then--WHOA! Well, if that
isn’t a bold and baseless assumption to make! You know there’s no evidence that Creon did it,
either, right?
-The only reasoning he gives is his suspicion that Creon wants power - which is, again, quite
baseless.
-“So, you thought you could outsmart me, eh? Well, you couldn’t! Haha!”
-“You have no friends! You have no support, either human or financial! You are MAD!”
(AHAHAHAHAA)
“Yeah, whatever. But now you listen to me! Then you can accuse me of whatever!”
-OH SHOOT, WE’RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER ARGUMENT! Jer-ry! Jer-ry! Jer-ry!
-“My, aren’t you clever? Don’t play dumb - I know what you did, and you are not my friend
anymore!”
-“At least just let me speak!”
-“Don’t bother. You cannot convince me!”
-“You pig-headed idiot! That’s no sane way to think.”
-“Yeah? Well, you can’t hurt me, because I’m your king and brother!”
-Holy crap, Oedipus has lost it. This kinda reminds me of Macbeth, for obvious reasons.
-“...Alright, I can understand that. Now let’s try to talk sense. What harm do you think I did to
you?”
-“Didn’t you tell me to send for Teiresias?”
-“Yeah. And I still think it was a good idea.”
-“How long has it been since Laius…”
-No, really. He does pause there. For what reason?
-“Since Laius what? What did he do?
-“...since he disappeared and died?”
-At least it looks like he’s calming down now.
-Creon says it’s been many years - don’t know how many, but there sure were many.
-Oedipus inquires as to Teiresias’ renown back then.
-Creon replies that he was indeed well-respected for his gift.
-“Did he ever talk about me?”
-“I don’t believe so. Not when I was around, anyway.” (Spoiler alert: he did)
-“You investigated the murder, right?”
-“Well, duh. We didn’t find anything.”
-“Then why didn’t Teiresias speak up, if he knew?”
-“Hmm...I don’t know. But I’m smart enough not to jump to conclusions when I don’t know.”
*throws a pointed look at Oedipus, probably*
-“Well, you seem to know a good bit of information…”
-“What? I speak when I know something, and I stay silent when I don’t. What’s wrong with
that?”
-“Well, according to my calculations, it all adds up to you having told Teiresias what to say in
order to ruin my reputation!”
-“Well, you alone know whether it’s true or not. But now I’ve got some questions for you,
buddy.”
-“Ask away. You still won’t be able to prove anything.”
-“Alright, then. You’re married to my sister, right?”
-“Yep.”
-“And you each have an equal share in ruling Thebes?”
-“I give her whatever she wishes for.”
-“And I rule the land alongside both of you, right? I have equal power?”
-“That’s why I’m so suspicious of you.”
-“No, let’s think this over for a bit.”
“First of all, being king is a heavy burden. Why would I want to be a king and have to live in fear
when I could wield the same amount of power and not have to worry about such a thing, being
in a less glamorous position? I wouldn’t desire kingship, and nor would any other wise person a king often has to make tough and heavy decisions, and how would that appeal to me at all?”
-Kings also have to worry about being overthrown, too. No one ever seems to want to
assassinate the vice president.
-“Besides, I rather like my current position. Everyone likes me, since I’m always doing things for
them in your name. Why would I give up those relationships for a lousy crown?”
-“And so you see, I couldn’t possibly want to betray you. I couldn’t work with someone who did,
either. Don’t believe me? Go up to Delphi and see if the oracle doesn’t tell you the exact same
thing I did. If I am false, then may I be punished, but at least find some proof first!”
-“Not only is it unfair to make assumptions about people, but you’d be throwing a good friend
away for it, too, and that’s just about fatal! Just calm down and give it some thought, alright?
It’ll be easier to find him that way.”
-The chorus leader butts in and says that Creon’s advice sounds calm and reasonable enough.
-Buuut it appears that Oedipus is unmoved. Yeesh, guy.
-He says he can’t let his guard down in front of a possible traitor like that - he needs to take
action.
-Creon asks if Oedipus wants to exile him or something.
-Nope. Oedipus wants him dead, so that he can make an example of just what envy gets
people.
-Creon: “You didn’t even listen to me, did you?”
-Oedipus: “I might as well have not. Sorry, but there’s just no way I can trust a backstabber.”
-Creon: “Man, what are you on?!”
-Oedipus: “I’m not. I’m quite sane enough to look out for myself, thank you.”
-Creon: “Well, you should be looking out for me as well!”
-Oedipus: “I can’t! You’re a traitorous scorpion, so deal with it!”
-Creon: “How do you know you’re not wrong?”
-Oedipus: “If I’m wrong, so be it. I’m too busy trying to rule a city.”
-Creon: “Well, you can’t rule it badly!”
-Oedipus: “It’s my city, darn it!”
-Creon: “It’s mine, too!”
-The chorus leader once again comes and yells at them to stop arguing. This time, it’s because
Oedipus’ queen is coming, and she looks ticked.
-So Jocasta, Oedipus’ wife, comes out and yells at them for having such a dumb argument;
people are dying out there, and they’re fighting over something so trivial!
-So she orders Oedipus back into the palace and Creon back to his house, in true stereotypical
sitcom wife fashion.
-Creon tells her that Oedipus plans to either banish or kill him for some reason.
-Oedipus: “Yes I do, because he has betrayed me! I caught him doing it.”
-Creon: “If I really did that - which I didn’t - then may I lose everything I have.”
-Jocasta: “Listen to him, Oedipus. You should honor him and his oath - for me, for your people.”
-The chorus leader butts in again to suggest that he do as she says.
-Oedipus: “Just what are you asking me to do?”
-Chorus Leader: “Give Creon some respect. He’s always been reasonable, and he’s bound by
that oath now, anyway.”
-Oedipus: “Do you know what you mean that?”
-Chorus Leader: “Yep.”
-Oedipus: “So tell me.”
-CL: “It’s unwise to try to punish a good friend because of some story which may or may not be
true, especially since he’s sworn that he did nothing wrong.”
-Oedipus: “...You know you’re trying to betray me as well, right?”
-Dang it, Oedipus, this is going too far!
-CL: “What? No! No, no, no! I swear by Apollo, and may I be sorely cursed if that was ever my
intention! But still, you two need to stop fighting, because we have enough problems on our
hands as it is.”
-Oedipus: “...Okay then, he may go, even though it means I must admit he’s right and lose my
crown to him. Just know that it was you, not him, who has convinced me. But please get him
away from me.”
-Creon: “You’re stubborn, and you’re a monster when you lose your temper. But hey, people
like that can’t bear themselves, either, so I’m cool with that.”
-Oedipus: “Just shut up and get out!”
-Creon: “Okay, I will, since I can’t get through to you. But everyone here knows I am
reasonable!”
-With that, he leaves.
-CL: “Can we go inside now?”
-Jocasta: “Right after I find out what’s up.”
-CL: “It started as a little chat, but that soon gave rise to baseless accusations being flung
around, and they were real scorchers.”
-Jocasta: “From both of them?”
-CL: “Yes.”
-Jocasta: “Why did they do it?”
-CL: “I don’t think it’s that important right now - city full of the dying, remember?”
-Oedipus: “You’ve said that enough already. Are you happy? Because I was being ignored and
misunderstood all the while!”
-CL: “Well, I had to keep saying it, and I wouldn’t stop because you need to get out there and be
a leader!”
-Jocasta: “My husband, why does that make you so angry?”
-Oedipus: “I will tell you about it, my wife, since I trust you far more than I do these scoundrels:
Creon has plotted to take the throne from me.”
-Jocasta: “Tell me more. What all was said in that argument?”
-Oedipus: “Creon says I’m the one who killed Laius!”
-Jocasta: “How does he know? Did someone else tell him?”
-Oedipus: “Nope. He told that prophet to tell me, so that he wouldn’t sound suspicious himself.”
-Jocasta: “Alright. Now forget about that mess, and listen to me: people suck at prophecy. This
one time, Laius received a prophecy from an oracle which stated that he was to be killed by one
of our sons. He wasn’t - as you know, he was killed by robbers at this three-road intersection and he had our firstborn son taken far off into the mountains to die. So you see? Prophecies
don’t always come true, and so you shouldn’t worry about it; the gods will tell you themselves if
so they wish.
-Actually, that prophecy did come true…
-But it’s nice that we hear a bit more backstory, and we’ve learned that Laius was no saint either
- the topic of abortion is controversial, sure, but who leaves an infant in the wilderness to die?
(Though maybe values dissonance applies here)
-Oedipus: “Umm...honey, I’m feeling kind of anxious at what you’ve just said.”
-Jocasta: “How come? What’s bothering you?”
-Oedipus: “You say Laius was murdered at an intersection of three roads?”
-Ah, so now it’s starting to sink in…
-Mom knows best, doesn’t she?
-Jocasta: “I do. Many believe that.”
-Oedipus: “Where is this located? In what city?”
-Jocasta: “In the land of Phocis. Two of the roads lead from Delphi and Daulia, respectively.”
-Oedipus: “And how long ago did the incident happen?”
-Jocasta: “It was reported just before you came to power.”
-Oedipus: “...Oh, no. Oh, Zeus, why?”
-See how quick he is to come to terms with the ugly possible truth around his wife.
-Jocasta: “What’s wrong?”
-Oedipus: “Not yet! I must know more. What did Laius look like?”
-He knows he probably did it. He just wants to make sure.
-Jocasta: “He was really tall, and his hair was just starting to turn white. He looked a lot like
you, actually.”
-Oedipus: “Holy crap, that didn’t help at all! I think I’ve just unwittingly cursed myself!”
-Interesting how the curse seems to be the first thing he thinks of here. Seems to be.
-Jocasta: “How come? Dear, you’re starting to scare me.”
-Oedipus: “Oh, gods, I am so afraid right now. But wait - I need you to tell me one more thing.”
-Jocasta: “I’m terrified, but I’ll answer you.”
-Oedipus: “Did he have a group to escort him on his journey?”
-Jocasta: “Five men, including a messenger, accompanied him, and he rode in a chariot.”
-Oedipus: “Oh, but it’s just as I’d feared! Who gave you this information?”
-I just realized: so, does Jocasta pick up on the implication that Oedipus did kill somebody, or
does she even care?
-Jocasta: “The slave who escaped. He returned here.”
-Oedipus: “Could he still be here now?”
-Jocasta: “No. As soon as he heard that you would take the throne, he begged to be sent as far
away from town as possible. I did, because I wanted to express my great gratitude for his
service.”
-And did that not give you any sort of hint, Jocasta?
-Perhaps she has a suspicion, but she tells herself that it might not be true.
-Oedipus: “I want him to return. Quickly.”
-Jocasta: “Sure thing! But why?”
-Oh, so she has absolutely no clue.
-Oedipus: “Because I’m afraid I’ve gotten myself into some big trouble. That’s why.”
-Again, he seems to care primarily about the fact that he’s cursed himself!
-Jocasta: “He’ll be here straight away. But now I want to know what’s got you so worked up.”
-Oedipus: “I suppose I have to tell you. After all, you’re the only one I can trust with this
information.”
-“My parents were a Corinthian named Polybus and a Dorian named Merope. I was very wellrespected in their kingdom until this strange thing happened (though maybe I overreacted). At a
dinner this one time, there was this really drunk guy who proclaimed that they weren’t my real
parents.”
-“I was troubled, but I tried not to let it get to me. And my parents seemed pretty angry about
the accusations, so I was reassured that this idiot was wrong.”
-“But the rumor became popular, so I kept thinking about it. I went to the oracle to ask Apollo
about it, but he told me nothing. But the guy kept talking, and he made some pretty shocking
claims: I was fated to boff my own mother, I’d bring forth a family of great and ugly sin (and just
plain ugliness, because incest and all), and I’d kill my own dad.”
-“In fear, I ran away from the kingdom of Corinth, never thinking of it again and instead traveling
to other places - if that was a prophesied fate for me, I sorely wished to avoid it.”
-“One day, I came across that crossroads you described. And here the truth comes out.”
-“I passed by that junction, and I met these guys and a horse-drawn carriage with this other guy
in it, just like you said. They tried to force me out of their way, including the old man in the
chariot, so I try to fight them. I ended up killing everyone.”
-Oedipus’ fatal flaw is indeed Anger.
-“If those strangers were Laius and his escort, I am doomed! I can’t live here anymore, I can’t
be around or talk to any of my citizens! And this palace has been utterly defiled by me! I am
filth!”
-“Now I’ve gotta be banished, and I may have to go back to Corinth, where I’ll marry my mom
and kill my dad!”
-Oh. He has no clue. Well...what a twist, huh?
-“Oh, gods, I’d rather die first! Please end me!”
-CL: “My king, what you say horrifies us all. But...you’ve gotta have some hope. You still have
that slave to hear from, remember?”
-Oedipus: “Don’t worry, I have not abandoned all hope. I can at least wait for that man’s arrival.”
-Jocasta: “What do you want to hear from him?”
-Oedipus: “If his account matches yours, then I shall have escaped doom.”
-Jocasta: “Wait, what did I say?”
-Oedipus: “You said Laius was murdered by a gang of thieves, rather than just one man. If
that’s true, I’ll feel so much better; and if it’s not, then I am doomed.”
-Jocasta: “Well, that’s definitely what he told me then, and he can’t just ignore that fact because
everyone heard him when he said it. And even if he changed his story, it wouldn’t prove
anything - I only had one son by him, and the infant died long ago. In fact, I don’t think you’ll
find proof anywhere.”
-Oedipus: “You’re undoubtedly correct. But I still want that servant to arrive.”
-Jocasta: “I’ll send for him quick as I can. Now, let’s go inside. I won’t do anything to displease
you, I promise.”
-And with that, they go back into the palace.
-The chorus starts up again, and they sing about how they hope the gods still find favor with
them – they’re pious worshippers, and they recognize the power of those heavenly rulers!
-They know that insolence – brash presumptuousness which causes one to be greedy – makes
a tyrannical leader, who will climb so high until he has nowhere to go but down. But they hope
the gods will not disrupt their country with leadership turmoil – for their sake, the sake of the
poor citizens.
-However, wicked men who show no remorse for their repugnant actions must be punished,
because surely the gods do not favor such a man. Take a wild guess as to who they’re talking
about here.
-In fact, they would refuse to honor any gods who did that. But their faith is great in Zeus’
righteousness, and they beseech him to rid him of this evil. I mean, just look at what the wicked
king has wrought – not even religion seems to be surviving!
-Jocasta, accompanied by two servants, comes out and stands before an altar.
-She says she thinks it would be appropriate for her to make offerings in hopes of appeasing
Apollo. Oedipus is depressed and keeps focusing on bad possibilities, and this seems to be the
only remaining option she could think of to try to fix it. She just hopes Apollo will help them in
their time of fear.
-And with that, she makes her offering.
-Right afterward, a messenger appears.
-He asks where Oedipus’ house (or better yet, Oedipus himself) is.
-The chorus leader replies that this is his home, and that he’s inside. They then introduce the
messenger to his wife.
-The messenger comments that she, being his queen, deserves many blessings.
-“Her happy home.” Heh.
-Jocasta thanks him for his compliment, and then she asks why he’s here.
-He says he bears good news for everyone.
-Jocasta: “What do you mean? Where are you from?”
-He says he’s from Corinth, Oedipus’ home, and he says that while she might be a bit sad at the
news, she’ll also be quite happy for him.
-She asks him to tell her already.
-His news is that they are now ready to make him their king!
-Jocasta: “What do you mean? Is Polybus not the king anymore?”
-Messenger: “No, he’s dead?”
-Jocasta: “Dead? King Polybus, Oedipus’ father, is dead?”
-You bet his dad is dead.
-Messenger: “Yes ma’am, and I’m damned if I don’t tell the truth.”
-Jocasta sends a servant off to go tell Oedipus.
-She then praises Zeus for eliminating the source of one of Oedipus’ biggest worries – he can’t
kill his dad if his dad’s already dead!
-Oedipus comes out and asks “[his] dearest wife” why she’s called him out here.
-She tells him to listen to this man’s words and draw his own conclusions (which she suspects
will be good) from him.
-He asks who the guy is and what’s up.
-She says the guy’s from Corinth, and that this guy told her his father was dead.
-Oedipus: “Whoa, really? Sir, did you really say that?”
-Messenger: “I can confirm it, if that’s the first thing I must say. He’s gone.”
-Oedipus: “What killed him? Assassins, disease, what?”
-Messenger: “Well, he was old, and his death brought relief.”
-Oedipus: “Illness, then?”
-Messenger: “Yes, and also because he was old.”
-Oedipus: “Ah. A shame, really. But hey, this means those prophets are wrong! My dad is
dead, sure, but I didn’t kill him!”
-Ah, hope spots. You give the fish some slack before you yank, you know.
-“Maybe he could have really wanted to see me before he died, and so I killed his spirit in a way,
I guess? I dunno. But I didn’t kill his body, and so Teiresias can go eat dirt!”
-Jocasta: “I did tell you, didn’t I?”
-Oedipus: “Yes, but I was too afraid to believe you.”
-Jocasta: “That’s why you can’t give in to fear!”
-Oedipus: “But wait. There’s still that prophecy about me and my mother.”
-Jocasta: “Well, you still shouldn’t live in fear. No man should! They should all stop worrying
about flimsy prophecies and live in the present! True, many men fear that they will marry their
own mothers (so the Oedipus complex was a thing before Oedipus?), but if they ignore those
fears, they’ll be so much happier for it!”
-She’s right, you know. Ignorance sure is bliss.
-Oedipus: “You’re probably right, and I’d believe you…but I’m still afraid because of my mother!”
-Jocasta: “Well, at least you don’t have to worry about your father, and that’s something worth
celebrating.”
-Oedipus: “Yeah, I know. But I’m still scared.”
-Messenger: “Who are you talking about.”
-Oedipus: “Merope, wife to Polybus now deceased.”
-Messenger: “And why do you fear her?”
-Oedipus: “There’s this horrible prophecy, you see.”
-Messenger: “Is it well-known? Because I’ve never heard of it.”
-Oedipus: “Yes, everyone in Corinth knows of it. This prophecy from Apollo once said that I was
to kill my dad and shag my mom. That’s why I left, and while I’ve had a good life, I miss my
parents.”
-“It gives the sweetest joy to look into the eyes of one’s own parents,” eh? Bet it does.
-Messenger: “So you left because of your fear of your mother?”
-Oedipus: “Yes, and the fear of my father.”
-Messenger: “Hmm…perhaps I can ease those fears.”
-Oedipus: “Oh, thank you so much!”
-Messenger: “That’s kind of why I came, you know – so you could come back.”
-Oedipus: “Oh. But I’m not going back.”
-Messenger: “Ah, you have no idea what’s happening, do y—“
-Oedipus: “Wait, what do you mean?”
-Messenger: “…I mean, if that’s the reason you don’t wanna come home.”
-Oedipus: “Well, you know why! I’m afraid of Apollo’s prophecies!”
-Messenger: “You’re afraid being around them would cause you to sin, right?”
-Oedipus: “Yeah, that’s what I’ve told you!”
-Messenger: “Well, did you know you have no reason to fear?”
-Oedipus: “Why not? I’m their ch—“
-Messenger: “Because those aren’t your parents.”
*record scratch*
-Oedipus: “What do you mean? Wasn’t Polybus my father?”
-Messenger: “Nah, he was no more your father than anyone else here.”
-Oedipus: “But how can that be when I loved my dad and I don’t care about any of these
strangers?”
-Messenger: “He wasn’t your dad, no more than I’m your dad!”
-Get on with it, old man. He’s a thick one.
-Oedipus: “But he told me I was his son!”
-Messenger: “Because I gave you to him all those years ago.”
-Oedipus: “But he loved me dearly! Love like that can only come from a father!”
-Messenger: “He loved you because you were the only child he got to raise.”
-Oedipus: “Where did you find me, then?”
-Messenger: “In the wooded valleys of Cithaeron.”
-Oedipus: “Why were you there?”
-Messenger: “To look after sheep.”
-Oedipus: “So, you were just a shepherd?”
-He’s asking so he won’t be suspicious of the guy’s motives in saying that.
-Messenger: “Yep. But I saved you.”
-Ah, Oeddy asked because he was disdainful of a lowly peasant…maybe.
-Oedipus: “What did you save me from?”
-*facepalm* From dying in the wilderness because you were a defenseless baby, maybe?
-Messenger: “I saved you from what was done to your feet.”
-Oh. He was asking what kind of trouble he was in, exactly.
-Oedipus: “Ah, so that’s where I got those scars on my feet from.”
-Messenger: “Yep. Your ankles had been pinned together, and so I took out the nail and saved
you.”
-Oedipus: “Well, that explains why I’ve had them there since I was young.”
-Wait a minute. If you’re willing to go back that far, you’ll notice Jocasta telling Oedipus that
Laius had his child’s ankles pinned together. Gulp…
-Ah, it’s the little and overlooked details that get you, no?
-Messenger: “Mm-hm. That’s why we named you Oedipus.”
-“Oedipus” means “swollen feet.”
-Oedipus: “I need to know something: did my parents do this to me?”
-Hmm, has he caught on?
-Messenger: “I dunno. Maybe the guy who found you could tell you.”
-Oedipus: “Wait, you weren’t the one who picked me up?”
-Messenger: “Nope. Another shepherd did. I just took you to Polybus. (Forgot to mention that,
sorry.)”
-Oedipus: “Do you remember who he was? Any details you give can help me, thanks.”
-Y’know, he’s reacting to all of this in a rather civil manner.
-Messenger: “Well, my memory’s not that great, but I think he was under Laius’ service at the
time.”
-Oedipus: “Laius? You mean King Laius of Thebes?”
-Messenger: “Yep. He was one of King Laius’ shepherds.”
-Oedipus: “Can I see him?”
-Messenger: “He probably lives here. You might wanna ask those guys.”
-Oedipus turns to the Chorus and asks if any of them know where he is, because this is an
urgent matter.
-The Chorus Leader replies that he is the same servant Oedipus wanted to see earlier. But he
can ask Jocasta all about that.
-Oedipus asks her if this is true.
-But Jocasta suddenly tells him to just forget about it.
-Oedipus replies that it’s urgent for him to find out more about where he came from!
-But Jocasta cries out, telling him that he really doesn’t want to know about this and that she
alone will bear the burden.
-She found out, didn’t she? Why else would she be echoing Teiresias?
-Oedipus then echoes her (in a way) and tells her to have courage. Everything will still be okay
for her, even if it isn’t for him, he says!
-Jocasta: “No, please. You do NOT want to know.”
-Oedipus: “I cannot. I must know the truth!”
-Jocasta: “This is for your own good, Oedipus!”
-Oedipus: “If it’s for my own good, then why does it hurt me so?”
-Jocasta: “You fool! I hope you never learn of your past!”
-Oedipus tells the chorus people to find that shepherd anyway, and that she can be happy even
if he isn’t.
-Jocasta: “Oh, just forget it. It’s inevitable. But I shall never speak another word!”
-With that, she swiftly retreats into the castle.
-CL: “Why’d she run off like that? I fear something bad is coming…”
-Oedipus: “Let it come, whatever it is. I’m going to find out where I came from.”
-Needless to say, this is very important for him now, and he’s willing to let everything else fall
apart if it means he gets what he wants.
-“Maybe she’s ashamed of me because of my lowly heritage. But I feel no such shame – that’s
who I am, and I’m pretty great in spite of it all, and I bet my family is too.”
-“She is generous, that mother of mine…” Heehee, I’m so immature.
-The chorus suddenly starts up again.
-They’re happy this time! They’re glad that Oedipus has an idea of where he was born and
thinks well of it; they hope Apollo is pleased as well.
-Now they want to know who Oedipus’ parents were. They make a few guesses: Pan and some
girl, maybe, or the king of Cyllene and some girl, or even Dionysus and one of the maids of
Helicon.
-Oedipus looks out and reports that the shepherd is coming – he doesn’t recognize the man, but
it has to be him. He looks old, and Oedipus recognizes some of his servants accompanying
him.
-The Chorus Leader confirms that this is indeed the shepherd.
-Enter the Servant.
-Oedipus asks the Messenger, who came with him, if this is the one.
-The Messenger confirms it.
-Now Oedipus addresses the Servant with some questions. He asks if he worked for Laius.
-The Servant replies that he did, and that he’d worked for Laius ever since he was a boy – he
grew up in the palace.
-Oedipus asks what jobs he did.
-The Servant replies that he was a shepherd.
-Oedipus asks where.
-He replies that he worked in and around Cithaeron.
-Don’t you already know this, Oedipus? The Messenger said this was the one.
-Oedipus asks if he ever ran into this man over there.
-Servant: “I’m confused. Which one.”
-Oedipus: “You know, this Messenger here. Have you ever met him?”
-Servant: “I don’t recall.”
-Messenger: “That’s not surprising – he’s old. Here, let me refresh your memory: we both spent
lots of time around Cithaeron. You had two flocks, I had one, remember? And I’d stay with you
from early spring until fall? And come wintertime, I’d take my flock down to the fold while you
took yours to the palace? Is that true?”
-Servant: “Yes, you are correct. But that was such a long time ago.”
-Messenger: “Okay. Now, do you remember giving me a baby boy to raise as my own?”
-Servant: “Why do you want to hear about that?”
-Messenger: “This king right in front of you was that same boy.”
-Then the Servant’s whole mood seems to change. He suddenly yells at the Messenger to shut
up.
-Oedipus: “Hey, calm down! That was really rude, you know.”
-Servant: “What did I do wrong?”
-Oedipus: “You didn’t tell us more about that boy.”
-Servant: “Oh, don’t pay him no mind. He’s a fool.”
-Oedipus: “Well, if you don’t wanna talk, we have ways of convincing you…”
-Oh. Oh, dear.
-Servant: “Good gods, are you gonna torture me? I’m old!”
-Oedipus: “You there, bind his hands.”
-Servant: “Why are you doing this?! What do you want?”
-Notice how quick Oedipus is to resort to this, and at only a slight provocation.
-Oedipus: “That baby – did you give it to him?”
-Servant: “Yes, I did, but now I really wish I hadn’t!”
-Oedipus: “Tell us the truth, or I’ll have you killed.”
-Servant: “If I tell you, I’ll suffer a crueler fate!”
-Oedipus: “You’re stalling.”
-Servant: “I’ve already told you! I did!”
-Oedipus: “Now, where did you get it from? Your home, or somewhere else?”
-Servant: “Somewhere else, from someone else.”
-Oedipus: “Who?”
-Servant: “I can’t tell you! Please, my lord, stop asking!”
-Oedipus: “Tell me, or you’re dead.”
-Servant: “He…he was born in the palace.”
-Oedipus: “From a slave, or from the royal line?”
-Servant: “I can’t…it’s too horrible…”
-Oedipus: “I have to know!”
-Servant: “He…they say he was…Laius’ son. But your…wife could tell you more.”
-Oedipus: “Did she give him to you?”
-Servant: “Y-yes.”
-Oedipus: “Why?”
-Servant: “So I’d kill it!”
-Oedipus: “Do you mean to say that…she is the mother?”
-Servant: “Yes! She gave him to me in order to prevent some prophecy.”
-Oedipus: “What prophecy?”
-Servant: “It said…that he would kill his own father.”
-Oedipus: “Then why did you save him?”
-Servant: “I felt bad for the kid, and I thought the Messenger would take him off to somewhere
far away. But alas, he met his own fate anyway. And if you are him, then…now you know.”
-Oedipus: “…So it’s true. It’s all true. Oh gods, look upon me…I am a cursed man.”
-And with that, he goes back inside.
-The chorus starts again, and (of course) their mood has taken a serious turn for the worse.
-They lament that no man can ever have true happiness and keep it, as Oedipus has just
proven.
-This was a man who had ascended to great heights! He killed the sphinx and freed the
country, and for that, he was a most highly honored king and a paragon of humankind.
-But now everything has changed. His story is now a tragedy of unparalleled misfortune; how
could he have lived for so long in such sin?
-Now the truth has been revealed, and all may see the unholiness of his and Jocasta’s union.
Oh, why did Oedipus have to live? Why did he save them, only to plunge them into such
darkness?
-Then a second messenger comes out, and what does he have to say?
-He brings news, and it is not good at all. What more evil hides and must be uncovered in this
palace?
-CL: “It’s bad enough as it is. How could things possibly get worse?”
-Second Messenger: “I’ll get on with it: Jocasta is dead.”
-CL: “Oh, poor woman! How’d she die?”
-Second Messenger: “Suicide. I’ll spare you the gory details, but I’ll give you the gist of the
awful events I’ve witnessed.”
-“She was crying and screaming and having a breakdown as she ran into the palace and
straight to her and Oedipus’ bed, where she began wailing out to Laius. She was recalling their
son, who would grow up to kill him and have horrible children with her; she wept loudly beside
that bed, the one in which she had give birth to her own husband and his children.
-“She died sometime after that, though I don’t know how much she suffered. Before she did,
Oedipus rushed into the palace and searched for her – for his own mother – like he’d gone mad;
and when he burst into their room, he found her hanging from a noose.”
-“We watched as, despairing greatly, he took her body down and laid it on the ground; and then
– what a gruesome sight! – he ripped off her brooches and stabbed his eyes out with them,
wailing that he had seen too much and shall see no more. The assault was vicious, and there
was a ton of blood.”
-“So you see, his crime had not one victim, but two – a married couple who had the greatest of
happiness, only to lose it and be forevermore in despair.”
-CL: “And has Oedipus calmed down at all since then?”
-Second Messenger: “Nope. He cries out for everyone outside to open the palace doors and
reveal him, the man of two unspeakable sins. He begs to be banished from Thebes, so that this
house can be spared from curse; but he’s so weak, and he needs assistance. Trust me, he is a
truly heart-wrenching sight to behold.”
-Well, speak of the devil – the miserable man emerges.
-Chorus: “Oh, what a terrible sight – the worst I’ve ever seen! You poor wretch, what force
acted to make your life the tragedy it now is? The sight of you makes me want to turn away, but
I have to learn more!” (So it’s like a car wreck)
-All Oedipus can really do is wail.
-He then asks the Powers That Be what he’s supposed to do with his life now – where he’s
supposed to go.
-The Chorus Leader suggests he go to a land where everyone fears and hates to tread. That
way, he’ll at least be safe.
-Oedipus blames fate for bringing such grief to his life, such horrible heartbreak and shame!
-CL: “And who could blame you, in your situation, for feeling so much pain and shame in equal
measure?”
-Oedipus: “Chorus Leader, is that your voice I hear? Oh, I’m so thankful for your presence; at
least you still care for me.”
-CL: “Dude, why did you blind yourself? What made you do this drastic thing?”
-Oedipus: “Apollo! He’s the one who brought such great sorrow to my life! And since I’ll never
see anything happy after all this, I figured I don’t need eyes at all.”
-CL: “Well, that is true.”
-Oedipus: “I mean, what’s there for me to see? Friends? Beautiful things? I can’t ever enjoy
the sight of them again! Now just take me out of this country already, will you?
-CL: “Truly, you are deeply unhappy. To think you, of all people, would be where you are!”
-Oedipus: “Oh, why couldn’t I have just died in the wilderness? Saving me was no kindness, for
look what I went on to do to you all!”
-CL: “I must say I agree with you, buddy. Sorry.”
-Oedipus: “I’ve killed my dad, I’ve done my mom, and now look at what a cursed wretch I am!
What’s the bet something worse doesn’t happen to me, huh?”
-CL: “Yes, that’s all true. But still, why did you make things worse by blinding yourself?”
-Oedipus: “Don’t tell me it was wrong to do that. And I don’t need any of your other advice
anymore, either. How can you expect me to meet my parents in the afterlife and be able to look
them in the eyes when I did such awful things to them? I can’t look at my kids after all this,
either! Nor at this city, nor at the images of our gods!”
-“Now I’m the most hated man in this place. I was once considered the finest of men, and now
the citizens see my unforgivable sins and must banish me – me, Laius’ own descendant!”
-“I don’t deserve to ever see again. Nor do I deserve to hear anything, either. I’d destroy my
ears as well if I could; I deserve nothing but to be a prisoner in my own body! At least I’d be
safe from the world inside my mind.”
-“Why did I live? Why did no one just kill me on the spot? I was raised in Corinth, and now look
what’s happened: it’s full of corruption, for it has nurtured someone destined to be a vile piece of
waste!”
-“That intersection where I committed the first fatal crime – does it remember that sin, and the
one I committed after? Oh, especially that one; I was born from my wife’s first union, and from
my own union with her, I’ve brought up a family contaminated by incest, and that’s one of the
worst things anyone can do!”
-“But I can’t keep going on about the atrocities I’ve committed. Hurry now, please; lead me far
away from here, or kill me somehow. You needn’t be afraid to touch me, for I’m the only one
here who will suffer for my sins.”
-CL: “Don’t worry. Creon’s headed this way right now, and since he’s the only one left to rule
Thebes, he’s the one who will decide the punishment.”
-Oedipus: “Oh, but how can I talk to him again after what I did against him?”
-Enter Creon.
-Creon: “Oedipus, I’m sorry for your state, and I do not wish to make a mockery of you. But if
you can’t respect human life, you can at least respect the god Apollo, who wants you to stop
making such a big show of your disgustingness. No one wants to see that, man.”
-“Servants, take him inside. The least we can do for him is to hold a private sentencing, with no
witnesses save his family present.”
-Oedipus: “Oh, Creon, you are being so much kinder to me than I warrant! Please, can you
grant my humble request?”
-Creon: “Which is…?”
-Oedipus: “That I just be cast out as quickly and as far away as possible!”
-Creon: “I could do that. But first, I need to ask Apollo what he wants done.”
-Oedipus: “But isn’t that just what Apollo ordered – my destruction?”
-Creon: “Yeah, he ordered that. But now I need to know exactly how he wants it done.”
-Oedipus: “So you will cast me out, then?”
-Creon: “Yes. For even you have faith in the gods’ wisdom now.”
-Oedipus: “I do indeed. And I have one more request: that you bury poor Jocasta the best you
can, since you’re the only one who can give her a proper funeral.”
-“And again, please do not let this city be punished for my presence within it! Let me go live in
Cithaeron; it’s now infamous for having sheltered me, and since I was originally going to die
there, it will be fitting for me to do so when my life is over (though I know I won’t die from any
sort of suffering, for that has been my life’s purpose). Whatever my fate may be, just let me
face it.”
-“Don’t worry about my sons, for they’ve long been adults, and they can take care of
themselves. I do, however, want you to care for my two daughters, for they are young and they
have never known me to be absent in their lives. But can you let me be with them one last time
before I go?”
-Lo and behold, here come Antigone and Ismene now!
-“Why, is that them I hear? Have you really granted my request, Creon?”
-Creon: “Yes. They’ve always made you happy, just as they are doing now.”
-Oedipus thanks him dearly for that, and then he embraces his daughters/sisters.
-They must be shocked at his appearance, so he explains to them what happened, and that he
is now worried for what their lives will be now.
-He worries for their reputations, and for the proliferation of his sin which he fears will come
through their marriages to their own husbands – if their reputations allow them to be married at
all.
-Once again, he urges Creon to care for them, to protect their reputations and allow them to live
happy lives when their own father/brother can do no such thing.
-And finally, he wishes good luck and happiness upon his children.
-Creon: “Time’s up. Now you must go inside.”
-Oedipus: “I shall, although I do not want to.”
-Creon: “Do not worry. All will turn out fine eventually.”
-Oedipus: “Okay, I’ll go. But under one condition.”
-Creon: “What is it?”
-Oedipus: “I must be taken out of Thebes altogether.”
-Creon: “I can’t grant that. Only Apollo can.”
-Oedipus: “But Apollo hates me now.”
-Creon: “Then he shall grant your wish.”
-Oedipus: “So is that a yes?”
-Creon: “I’m not the kind of person to say things I don’t mean, so yeah.”
-Oedipus: “Alright then, take me away.”
-Creon: “Okay, now let go of the kids.”
-Oedipus: “Wait, no! I don’t want to depart from them yet!”
-Creon: “Don’t make it harder on yourself. You have no power anymore.”
-And so they all go into the palace.
-The chorus gives us one last song, something akin to a eulogy for Oedipus.
-“Citizens, look upon King Oedipus, our former savior,” they chant. “He had such great power,
but he lost everything and gained such misfortune, and he will never be at peace until the day
he dies.”