THE STORY OF OEDIPUS REX

THE STORY OF OEDIPUS REX

          
OEdipus is the son of Laius and Jocasta and the king and queen of Thebas.
The People of Thebes gathered at the palace. The steps were crowded by the petitioners. They were delegates. When Oedipus appeared and asked the priest, the eldest of all there, to speak what they wanted from the king. The priest described that the Thebans were suffering from the plague. They were dying. Their houses were being destroyed.
Among the mortals, king Oedipus was the wisest man. He had answered the riddle of the Sphinx and saved Thebes before it could be destroyed. They believed that he could save them again from the plague by finding some ways.Oedipus answered them that he had sent Creon to Delphi tovisit Apollo for instruction of getting rid of the plague. Creon entered and reported that the god commanded them to expel an old defilement from the land of Thebes. The murderer of king Laius was to be exiled or executed. The murder had taken place before Oedipus answered the Sphinx and became the king. They were obstacle in further investigation of the murder by the trouble created by the riddle of the Sphinx. The priest and other suppliants were convinced by Oedipus that he would take right action to search the murderer and do whatever would be right for the welfare of the citizens. Oedipus declared that the old defilement must be driven out of the house where he was being sheltered. He must be discovered by the citizen whoever was giving him shelter. He also cursed him by praying the god that the man's life be consumed in evil and wretchedness. He determined that the case of the murder of King Laius would be further investigated by him in his own interest. Choragos suggested him to summon the skilled Teiresias, the prophet, to discover the murderer. The blind seer Teiresias entered being led by a page. Oedipus urged him to help in the time of distress. Teiresias refused to tell the truth because he believed that the truth would be more dreadful than the present condition of the suffering. Oedipus was enraged by the words, refusal and the behavior of the prophet. He accused the prophet of killing the king with his own hands. Then, Teiresias spoke in anger that Oedipus himself was the pollution of the country. Oedipus charged him with the count of murder of king Laius with the help of Creon. They were making a plot against the kingship and against the kingdom. Oedipus reasoned that Teiresias was not skillful prophet; he had no skill of prophecy; otherwise he would have himself helped the Thebans by answering the riddle of the Sphinx. Teiresias responded him that Oedipus, with both his eyes, was blind. He could not see the wretchedness of his life. He didn't know in whose house he lived, with whom lived and who were his father and mother. He said that he would learn the echo of Cithaeron (Kithairon) and of bridal-descent of his.Oedipus commanded him to leave the place. He did not like to hear any more of the babbling. Before departure, Teiresias said that Oedipus would become a blind man, though he had now his eyes. He would become a penniless man who was now rich. He would go tapping the strange earth with his staff. To the children with whom he lived now he would be brother and father- the very same; to her who bore him, son and husband- the very same. He asked Oedipus to think over his statements, and if he would find any error, he could say that the prophet had no skill in prophecy.
There was a hot argument between Oedipus and Creon later in the palace. Oedipus charged him for the conspiracy, but Creon reasoned out that he had never intended to be the King. Jocasta (lokasta) interrupted their dispute and convinced that Creon was telling the truth. The king could believe on him without doubt. When Creon left the place. Oedipus and Jocasta both debated on the question of soothsayers. She said that an oracle was reported to Laius once that his doom would be death at the hands of his own son, born of his flesh and of hers. The king Laius was killed at a place where three highways met. The baby with whom there was fear of death was already left on the hills of Cithaeron (Kithairon) where it was supposed to be dead. Oedipus recollected the dim memory of an event in which he was himself involved. He said that his father was Polybus of Corinth and mother was Merope. A drunken man declared that Oedipus was not a child of the king and queen. Though his parents (foster-parents) convinced him that they were really his father and mother, he had still some doubt. He went to the shrine of Apollo, where he heard a dreadful oracle that he would lie with his own mother, and beget children and that he would be the murderer of his father. With fear he left Corinth forever. One day, while he was wandering, he came to a place where three highways met. There he encountered with an old man on a chariot. There was a herald, too. As the herald drove Oedipus off the road, he was quite angry. There was a fight. Oedipus killed them. Then, he came to Thebes, where he answered the Sphinx and freed the city from its danger. He became king.The queen told her that a shepherd had escaped from a fight. He came back to the country. When he saw Oedipus enthroned in the place of the old king, he requested to send him away to the border where only shepherd used to go. His wish was granted. Oedipus intended to meet the shepherd to know whether there was one murderer or many. The shepherd had said that there were many. Oedipus wanted to get to the truth. Oedipus was quite disturbed.
Jocasta prayed to the god to have mercy on the King, to give him peace of mind. Meanwhile, a messenger from Corinth came with a news that King Polybus was dead. He was dead of sickness. Oedipus was assured that the oracle proved wrong in this case. Oedipus was still worried of his mother, Merope who was still alive. With a good meaning, the messenger declared the truth that King Polybus and Queen Merope were not his parents. The messenger had himself given the baby Oedipus to them from his own hand. He had taken the baby from the shepherd of King Laius. The baby's feet were pinned with a skewer. Oedipus said that the mark of the wound was still there on his feet. As the parental identity was not still cleared, he wished to meet the shepherd. The shepherd was brought to the palace. He was questioned, and being obliged by the King, he declared that it was the King Laius, who had given him the baby to leave on the hills of Cithaeron (Kithairon). The queen had herself given it to him because of the cursed oracle. When the truth is discovered, Jocasta makes her suicide. Oedipus blinds himself and asks for exile. He requests Creon to take care of his daughters. He was not worried of the sons because they could manage to live somehow because they were men. Thus, the King, who solved the famous riddle and towered up only to fall into ruin.

Brief Summary

The Oracle of Delphi tells King Laius of Thebes that he'll have a child who's destined to kill him and sleep with Laius's wife, Jocasta, the boy's own mother. When a baby comes along, the king pierces his ankles and leaves him on a mountainside to die. A shepherd finds the baby, though, and takes him to King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth, who name him Oedipusand raise him as their own.

One day, Oedipus goes to the Oracle of Delphi to find out who his real parents are. The Oracle doesn't see fit to tell him this, but she does tell him that he's destined to kill his father and sleep with his mother. Oedipus tries to run from this fate, but ends up running right into it. He kills Laius in a scuffle at a crossroads, not knowing he's his real dad. Later, he wins the throne of Thebes and unknowingly marries his mother, Jocasta, after answering the riddle of the Sphinx.

Several years (and several children) later Oedipus and Jocasta figure out the truth of everything with the unwilling help of Tiresias, the seer. Jocasta hangs herself, and Oedipus stabs out his own eyes. The blind king then goes into exile with only his daughter, Antigone, to guide him, and eventually dies in the town of Colonus.

Detailed Summary 

• Laius and Jocasta, the king and queen of Thebes, are having no luck conceiving a child.
• So, the king goes to the Oracle of Delphi to figure out what the deal is.
• The Oracle is all like, "I've got good news and bad news."
• "Lay it on me," says Laius.
• "Well... " says the Oracle, "You will have a child."
• "Awesome," says Laius.
• "But... " the Oracle tells him, "The child will kill you and sleep with his mother."
• "Not so awesome," Laius groans.
• For some ridiculous reason, Laius decides to keep sleeping with his wife despite this prophecy.
• Eventually, Jocasta gets pregnant and gives birth to a bouncing baby boy.
• To try and avoid the prophecy, Lauis pierces the baby's ankles, binding them together with a pin, and abandons his son on the slopes of Mt. Cithaeron.
• (Father of the year, right?)
• Later, a kindly shepherd comes by and finds the baby boy.
• He takes the child to Polybus and Merope, the King and Queen of Corinth, who don't have any children.
• The royal couple is all about the cute kid, and they decide to raise him as their own.
• They name him Oedipus, which means "swollen ankles," because of the way the pins in his ankles have swollen them.
• In some alternate versions, Laius puts Oedipus in a chest and throws him into the sea. Polybus finds him and names him Oedipias, which means "child of the swollen sea."
• (Man, Child of the Swollen Sea is a way better name than Swollen Ankles, right? Just sayin'.)
• Oedipus grows up thinking that Polybus and Merope are his legit parents.
• One day, though, some random drunk dude at a feast calls out that the royal couple aren't his real parents.
• "Say it ain't so!" Oedipus cries to people he thought were his parents.
• "It ain't so," they lie, totally denying it.
• Oedipus doesn't quite buy it, though, so he trucks it over to the Oracle of Delphi to get the truth of the whole thing.
• As usual, the Oracle's prophecy is a little bit of a downer... okay, actually it's a HUGE downer.
• The priestess totally dodges the question of who Oedipus's real parents are, but does let him know that he's destined to kill his father and sleep with his mother.
• Oedipus is totally freaked out by the prophecy.
• (Understandable, right?)
• The prince decides to never return home to Corinth, fearing that he'll kill Polybus and sleep with Merope, whom he assumes must be his real parents.
• The Oracle didn't bother to tell him otherwise, so they must be, right?
• (Wrong. So. So. Wrong.)
• Oedipus goes out a-wanderin' and comes upon a place where three roads meet.
• A few dudes roll up to the crossroads and tell Oedipus to get out of the way.
• Oedipus is all like, "No way, you get out the way."
• "Whatever, jerk," the guys say, and a fight breaks out.
• Our hero pulls out some major ninja moves and manages to kill the guys with only one survivor running away.
• (Man, it looks like the ancient Greeks had major road rage.)
• Oedipus walks off thinking he's a totally awesome warrior, but what he doesn't know is that one of the guys he's just killed is his real father, Laius, the king of Thebes.
• (Bummer.)
• Eventually, Oedipus makes his way to Thebes, which is having some serious trouble.
• Their king is nowhere to be found and a Sphinx has taken up residence outside of the city.
• The Sphinx is a crazy monster with the head and breasts of a woman, the body of a lioness, the wings of a bird, and (some say) a snake for a tail.
• Her favorite activity is sitting on a big rock outside of Thebes and asking everybody a riddle.
• When people get it wrong (and they always do) she strangles them, or eats them, or some other such awful thing.
• In Laius's absence Queen Jocasta's brother, Creon, has taken over ruling Thebes.
• Creon has offered the hand of the queen and the throne of Thebes to any man who can get rid of the Sphinx.
• When Oedipus hears this, he's like, "Awesome. I am totally going to rock this out."
• So, he strolls up to the Sphinx's rock, stepping over the bones of those of failed before him.
• The monster swoops down on him and asks her riddle.
• In a mysterious voice, she purrs, "Which creature walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening?"
• Oedipus scratches his head for a second and then declares confidently, "Man."
• Get it? It's because we humans crawl on all fours when we're babies, walk upright in our prime, and some walk with a cane when we're old.
• The Sphinx is so upset that somebody figured out her riddle that she throw herself of a cliff and dies.
• (Dude, she took her riddle mad seriously.)
• When Oedipus shows up in Thebes and announces his deed, everybody thinks he's awesome.
• Creon makes good on his word, giving him the throne and the hand of Jocasta.
• Wow, everything is working out great for Oedipus.
• Oh, wait, except for the fact that he just unknowingly married his mother.
• Oedipus and Jocasta get along swell and have a bunch of kids: Antigone, Ismene, Polyneices, and Eteocles.
• Eventually, though, a terrible plague comes to Thebes.
• Everybody is dying and everything sucks. Even the livestock are suffering.
• King Oedipus sends Creon to the Oracle of Delphi to find out what's going on.
• The Oracle, in her typically cryptic fashion, declares that the killer of Laius is living in Thebes and must be expelled.
• When Creon tells Oedipus this, the King swears that he'll figure out who the killer is and exile the jerk like nobody's business.
• Creon suggests that Oedipus call in the help of Tiresias, the famous seer, who knows pretty much everything about everything.
• "Cool beans," says Oedipus, and they call the old, blind man to the palace.
• At first, Tiresias really doesn't want to tell Oedipus what's up, and the seer advises the king to stop seeking the truth.
• Oedipus flips out and threatens him, though, and Tiresias finally tells the King that he's actually the murderer that he's looking for.
• Oedipus doesn't want to believe it, and he accuses Creon and Tiresias of being allied against him.
• Jocasta tries to comfort Oedipus, telling him that he couldn't be the killer because Laius was killed by robbers at a place where three roads meet.
• "Uh oh," says Oedipus. "Seems like I remember killing some dudes in a place just like that."
• The king sends for the one guy who is said to have survived the attack to find out he truth.
• Meanwhile, a messenger shows up from Corinth to let Oedipus know that Polybus has died.
• At first, Oedipus is relieved because he thinks this means he'll never fulfill the prophecy that he'll kill his father.
• The messenger totally bursts the King's bubble, though.
• It turns out that this guy is actually the shepherd who found Oedipus on the mountain and brought him to Corinth.
• So, now, Oedipus knows for sure that Polybus wasn't his real dad.
• Jocasta, remembering the prophecy that made her abandon her son, puts it all together at this point.
• She begs Oedipus not to pursue the truth any further, but he insists.
• Next thing you know, the survivor of the attack shows up and confirms that Oedipus is the killer.
• In some versions, the survivor guy is also the dude who took baby Oedipus up on the mountain.
• The whole truth comes crashing down on Oedipus like a ton of bricks.
• As if things weren't bad enough, Oedipus finds that Jocasta has hung herself.
• This makes him really go off the deep end, and he yanks a pin from her robe and stabs out his eyes.
• After this, Creon exiles Oedipus and the blind man wanders the wilderness with only his dedicated daughter, Antigone, to guide him.
• Eventually, Oedipus and Antigone end up in a town called Colonus, which is just outside of Athens.
• Oedipus is broken and old, and he's been told by a prophecy that he's meant to die here in a grove dedicated to the Erinyes (aka the Furies).
• Just then, Ismene shows up and gives them some bad news from Thebes.
• It turns out that in Oedipus's absence, Polyneices and Eteocles have been sharing the rule of Athens.
• They'd agreed to switch off ruling Thebes every year.
• When the time came for Eteocles to step down, though, he refused and exiled his brother.
• So, Polyneices went off and married a princess whose dad had a big army, and now he's at the gates determined to take back the throne.
• Creon shows up, representing Eteocles, and tries to convince the dying Oedipus to come back to Thebes to be buried, because a prophecy has said that wherever Oedipus is buried will be blessed.
• Polyneices shows up too and also tries to get Oedipus's blessing.
• Oedipus tells them both to buzz off.
• In some versions, he curses his sons to kill each other in battle, because he feels like they neglected him all these years, unlike his devoted Antigone.
• Creon takes Antigone and Ismene hostage to try and force Oedipus to do what he wants.
• Just in the nick of time, though, King Theseus of Athens steps in and saves the girls.
• Theseus grants asylum to Oedipus, allowing the old blind man to die in peace.
• His body is buried in secret somewhere near Athens, and the city receives his blessing.
• Antigone and Ismene weep over the death of their father/brother and beg Theseus to tell them where he's buried, so they can mourn over his grave.
• Theseus refuses, though, saying that nobody can ever know where Oedipus is buried.
• Antigone is super worried about the civil war between her brothers in Thebes, though, so she heads back home.

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