The story of Oedipus

The story of Oedipus

Sophocles

Oedipus was the son of king Laius & queen Jocasta. Before he was born, his parents consulted the Oracle at Delphi. The Oracle prophesied that Laius would be murdered by his son, who would then go on to marry his mother, Jocasta. In an attempt to prevent this prophecy's fulfillment, Laius ordered Oedipus's feet to be bound together, pierced1 with a stake2 (which caused him to have permanently swollen feet – hence one meaning of Oedipus which translates to "swollen foot"; it also comes from the Greek root meaning knowledge), and for the infant to be exposed on a hillside3. However, a shepherd found the baby Oedipus and took him to King Polybus. Many years later, Oedipus was told by a drunk that Polybus was not his real father. Seeking the truth, he asked his parents. They denied that he was adopted, but Oedipus was unsure so instead sought counsel from an Oracle4 who told him that he was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. In his attempt to evade the dictates of the Oracle, he decided to flee from Corinth to Thebes.
As Oedipus traveled to Thebes ("where three roads meet"), he encountered a chariot, which, unbeknown to him, was driven by King Laius. A dispute arose over the right of way which resulted in Laius's death by Oedipus's hand. As the oracle predicted, Oedipus had slain5 his father. Continuing his journey to Thebes, Oedipus encountered the Sphinx6. The Sphinx stopped all those who traveled to Thebes and asked them a riddle7. If the travelers were unable to answer correctly, they were eaten by the Sphinx; if they were successful, they would be able to continue their journey. The riddle was: "What walks on four feet in the morning, two in the afternoon and three at night?". Oedipus answered: "Man; as an infant, he crawls8 on all fours, as an adult, he walks on two legs and, in old age, he relies on a walking stick". Oedipus was the first to successfully answer the riddle. Having heard Oedipus' answer, the sphinx threw herself to her death. Grateful, the Thebans appointed Oedipus as their king. Oedipus was also given the recently widowed Queen Jocasta's hand in marriage. Oedipus and Jocasta bore four children: two sons, Polynices and Eteocles, and two daughters, Antigone and Ismene.
Many years after the marriage of Oedipus and Jocasta, a plague9 struck the city of Thebes. Oedipus, in his hubris10, asserted that he would end the pestilence11. He sent Creon, Jocasta's brother, to the Oracle at Delphi, seeking guidance. When Creon returned, Oedipus was told that the murderer of the former King Laius must be found and either be killed or exiled. In a search for the identity of the killer, Oedipus followed Creon's suggestion and sent for the blind prophet, Tiresias, who warned him not to try to find the killer. In a heated exchange, Tiresias was provoked into exposing Oedipus himself as the killer, and the fact that Oedipus was living in shame because he did not know who his true parents were. Oedipus blamed Creon for Tiresias telling Oedipus that he was the killer. Oedipus and Creon erupted in a heated argument. Jocasta entered and tried to calm down Oedipus. She tried to comfort him by talking to him about where, when, what Laius looked like (she said that Oedipus looked somewhat like him), and how many of the palace people were with Laius. Oedipus became unnevered because his mind started thinking that he might have killed Laius. Suddenly, a messenger arrives from Corinth with the news that King Polybus is dead, who Oedipus still regarded as his true father. The messenger then reveals the fact that Oedipus was adopted. Jocasta, finally realizing Oedipus' true identity, begs him to abandon his search for Laius's murderer. Oedipus mistook12 her pleas thinking that she was ashamed of him because he might have been a slave. She then went into the palace, where she hanged herself. Oedipus seeks verification13 of the messenger's story from the very same herdsman who was said to have left Oedipus to die as a baby. From that herdsman, Oedipus learned that the infant raised as the adopted son of Polybus and Merope was the son of Laius and Jocasta. Thus, Oedipus finally realizes that earlier at the crossroads, he had killed his own father, King Laius, and as consequence, had married his own mother, Jocasta.
Oedipus goes in search of Jocasta and finds she has killed herself. Taking brooches14 from her gown, Oedipus gouges15 his eyes out. Oedipus asks for a few favors from Creon and leaves the city of Thebes. His daughter Antigone acted as his guide as he wandered blindly through the country, ultimately dying at Colonus, after being placed under the protection of Athens by King Theseus.
His two sons, Eteocles and Polynices, arranged to share the kingdom, each taking an alternating one-year reign. However, Eteocles refused to cede16 his throne after his year was up. Polynices brought in an army to oust17 Eteocles from his position, a battle ensued. At the end of the battle, the brothers both killed each other. Jocasta's brother, Creon, took the throne. He made the decision that Polynices was a "traitor," and should not be given burial rites. Defying this edict18, Antigone attempted to bury her brother, but Creon ultimately had her killed.
There are many different endings to the legend of Oedipus due to its oral tradition. Significant variations on the legend of Oedipus is mentioned in fragments by several ancient Greek poets including Homer, Hesiod and Pindar. Most of what is known of Oedipus comes from a set of plays by Sophocles: Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone.

1. طعن
2. وتد
3. منحدر التل
4. مشاور حكيم
5. يذبح
6. كائن خرافي
7. لغز
8. يزحف
9. وباء – طاعون
10. عجرفة
11. وباء – طاعون
12. أساء الفهم
13. أثبات
14. أسياخ
15. يقتلع
16. يتخلى عن
17. يجرد من حق – يطرد
18. مرسوم