OEDIPUS IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Oedipus is one of the most famous figures from Greek mythology, a figure whose name resonates into the modern day, as his name was used by Sigmund Freud, but in Greek mythology Oedipus was the name given to a king of Thebes, who was also the slayer of the Sphinx.
Oedipus Son of Laius
Oedipus was perhaps doomed from birth, for many prophecies were told about Oedipus before and after his birth.
The story of Oedipus begins in Thebes, the Greek city founded by Cadmus, at a time when Laius had been restored to the throne. Laius would wed Jocasta, sister to Creon, and descendant of one of the Spartoi, but almost immediately a prophecy was made that said that the son of Laius would murder his father.
For a while Laius would abstain from sex, but one night, when Laius had partaken of too much wine, the king of Thebes slept with his wife; having drunkenly forgotten about the prior warning.
Laius though quickly remembered the prophecy when Jocasta gave birth to a son.
The story of Oedipus begins in Thebes, the Greek city founded by Cadmus, at a time when Laius had been restored to the throne. Laius would wed Jocasta, sister to Creon, and descendant of one of the Spartoi, but almost immediately a prophecy was made that said that the son of Laius would murder his father.
For a while Laius would abstain from sex, but one night, when Laius had partaken of too much wine, the king of Thebes slept with his wife; having drunkenly forgotten about the prior warning.
Laius though quickly remembered the prophecy when Jocasta gave birth to a son.
Oedipus AbandonedLaius came to the conclusion that the only way to avoid the prophecy was to kill his son, with this to be done in the seemingly common way, by exposing the baby on a mountain. Mount Cithaeron was chosen, and herdsman of King Laius was given the task of abandoning the baby, but first Laius pierced the feet and ankles of the boy with spikes.
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As was the way though, the baby did not die, for he was found by a herdsman of King Polybus of Corinth, who brought the baby to the king. The king’s wife, Peroboea, cared for the baby, healing its injured feet, and it was thus Periboea who gave the baby its name, Oedipus, because of its feet.
Oedipus in Corinth
Polybus and Periboea had no children of their own, and so decided to raise Oedipus as their own son.
As the years went by though, people would comment on how unlike Polybus the young Oedipus was. This caused the young Oedipus some consternation, and more than a little doubt, and when Periboea would not answer his questions, Oedipus decided to seek the answers from the Oracle of Delphi.
The words uttered by the Oracle, in answer to Oedipus’ question, seemed straightforward enough, for Oedipus was told not to return to the land of his birth, for if he did he was destined to murder his father, and to sleep with his mother.
Oedipus, still thinking he was a son of Polybus and Periboea, thus decided not to return to Corinth.
As the years went by though, people would comment on how unlike Polybus the young Oedipus was. This caused the young Oedipus some consternation, and more than a little doubt, and when Periboea would not answer his questions, Oedipus decided to seek the answers from the Oracle of Delphi.
The words uttered by the Oracle, in answer to Oedipus’ question, seemed straightforward enough, for Oedipus was told not to return to the land of his birth, for if he did he was destined to murder his father, and to sleep with his mother.
Oedipus, still thinking he was a son of Polybus and Periboea, thus decided not to return to Corinth.
Oedipus Kills His Father
Very shortly afterwards, the words of the Oracles started to become true, for as Oedipus travelled from Delphi he met a chariot heading towards the city. The chariot was being driven by Polyphontes, but the passenger on-board was Laius, King of Thebes.
Fate would have it that the two parties met upon the narrowest stretch of the road, where it was impossible to pass. Polyphontes ordered Oedipus to stand to one side, and when Oedipus did not immediately obey, Polyphontes killed one of the horses pulling Oedipus’ chariot. An angry Oedipus reacted by killing Polyphontes and Laius; thus one part of the Oracle’s prediction had come true.
Fate would have it that the two parties met upon the narrowest stretch of the road, where it was impossible to pass. Polyphontes ordered Oedipus to stand to one side, and when Oedipus did not immediately obey, Polyphontes killed one of the horses pulling Oedipus’ chariot. An angry Oedipus reacted by killing Polyphontes and Laius; thus one part of the Oracle’s prediction had come true.
The Murder of Laius - Joseph Blanc (1846-1904) - PD-art-100
Oedipus and the Sphinx
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Not knowing that he had killed the king of Thebes, for Polyphontes and Laius were both strangers to Oedipus; Oedipus travelled on and eventually came to Thebes.
Thebes was a city in strife, for their king was dead, and the monstrous Sphinx was ravaging the land. The Sphinx could not be harmed by mortal weapon, and the only way to banish her was to answer her riddle - "Which creature has one voice and yet becomes four-footed and two-footed and three-footed?" Those that gave an incorrect answer would be killed by the beast. Creon, brother of Jocasta, who was acting as regent of Thebes, made a promise that whoever rid Thebes of the Sphinx would become king of Thebes, and also would have Jocasta as his wife. Learning of Creon’s proclamation, Oedipus decided to face the Sphinx, and of course, he was able to give the correct answer to the riddle, for Oedipus answered “man”, for as a babe, man crawls on all fours, as an adult walks on two feet, and when elderly uses a staff, or walking stick, as a third leg. |
Oedipus and the Sphinx -
Gustave Moreau (1826–1898) - PD-art-100
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Oedipus and Jocasta
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On being bested, the Sphinx threw herself to her death, and Oedipus was proclaimed king of Thebes, and would marry Jocasta, his own mother. Thus the second part of the Oracle’s prophecy would come true, for Jocasta would then give birth to four children of Oedipus; two sons, Polynices and Eteocles, and two daughters Ismene and Antigone.
The Downfall of OedipusOedipus may have rid Thebes of the Sphinx but his rule was blighted by disease and famine. Unbeknownst to Oedipus at the time, these were sent by the gods and Erinyes for Oedipus’ act of patricide.
Oedipus would seek answers as to why Thebes was being punished, but the truth only emerged when King Polybus died, and Periboea revealed that Oedipus was adopted. The evidence then showed that Oedipus was the son of Laius and Jocasta abandoned upon Mount Cithaeron. Discovering the truth, and recognising that he had slept with his mother, and killed his father, Oedipus blinded himself with some of Jocasta’s brooches; whilst Jocasta herself committed suicide. Now Oedipus could no longer be king of Thebes, and so the rule passed down to Polynices and Eteocles, but so ashamed were they of their father that they kept Oedipus as a prisoner within the palace. Oedipus would utter curses against his sons for this imprisonment, prophesising that violence would erupt between them. |
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Oedipus Separating from Jocasta -
Alexandre Cabanel (1823–1889) - PD-art-100
Oedipus in Exile
Polynices and Eteocles would eventually exile Oedipus from Thebes, and to avoid violence over the succession of the throne, the sons of Oedipus decided that rule over Thebes would alternate yearly between the two.
Oedipus was thus forced to leave Thebes, and the blind former king was accompanied by his daughter Antigone.
Eventually, Oedipus, and Antigone, came to Hippeios Colonus, a deme of Athens. The former king of Thebes was allowed to remain there by Theseus, who was king of Athens at the time; there, Oedipus also prayed to the Erinyes that he might be given some peace for his former crimes.
Oedipus was thus forced to leave Thebes, and the blind former king was accompanied by his daughter Antigone.
Eventually, Oedipus, and Antigone, came to Hippeios Colonus, a deme of Athens. The former king of Thebes was allowed to remain there by Theseus, who was king of Athens at the time; there, Oedipus also prayed to the Erinyes that he might be given some peace for his former crimes.
Oedipus at Colonus -
Jean-Antoine-Théodore Giroust (1753–1817) - PD-art-100
Oedipus Sought AfterOedipus would find some semblance of peace in Colonus, but there was no peace in Thebes, for disagreement between the sons of Oedipus had erupted; and at the end of his year of rule, Eteocles was refusing to hand over to Polynices.
Thus Polynices raised an army to take what was to due to him by force. Oedipus was now wanted by his sons again, for it was foretold that the victor in the forthcoming war would have Oedipus as an ally. Creon, came to Colonus to persuade, or to force, Oedipus to return to Thebes, but Creon was forced to return home without Oedipus, because of the intervention of Theseus, but Polynices, when he came to Colonus, had no work luck at persuading his father to help him. Oedipus, cursed his sons once more, proclaiming that they were destined to kill each other. The war, the Seven Against Thebes, occurred without Oedipus being involved, and Oedipus word’s would become true, for his sons did indeed killed each other. |
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The Death of Oedipus
Oedipus was commonly said to have died in Colonus, where a tomb to the former king of Thebes was to be found, and it was normally said that his death was a natural one; although others sometimes tell of Oedipus killing himself when news of the death of his sons reached him.
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