The Oedipus Saga

1
The Oedipus Saga

• Thebes The Trailer Park
• Of Ancient Greece!

2
King Laius Marries Queen Jocasta

• They have a son
• The Oracle tells them the son will kill his
  father and marry his mother
• Laius pierces the babys feet and hands him to a
  shepherd with instructions to leave the baby out
  to die
• Shepherd feels sorry for baby hands baby to a
  herdsman, who takes him to Corinth

3
The Throne of Corinth Has a New Heir!

• The king and queen are childless, so they name
  the baby Oedipus, (Swollen Foot), and raise him
  as their own.
• Oedipus keeps hearing rumors about his heritage
• He goes to the Oracle at Delphi to find the truth
  there he hears about the prophecy and thinks he
  needs to stay away from Corinth
• Outside of Thebes he has a run in with an old man
  and his servants he kills them all and
  continues his journey

4
What a Sphinx!

• Next, O. runs into the Sphinx who terrorizes the
  countryside.
• He solves her riddle and kills her, earning the
  eternal gratitude of the people of Thebes.
• He is the hero of Thebes!

5
The New King of Thebes!

• Since King Laius has been killed by bandits(!),
  Jocasta offers her hand in marriage to O. it is
  the will of the people, and they need a new king.
• They have 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls
• The prophecy has been fulfilled
• EWWWW!

6
The Plague of Thebes

• The people of Thebes want to know why they are
  dropping dead at an alarming rate.
• The Oracle informs O. that he must find out who
  killed king Laius for the plague to end.
• This leads to O. figuring out that he has
  fulfilled the prophecy of his birth.
• His wife kills herself

7
The Blind Wanderer

• Oedipus feels death is too good for him
• He plucks out his eyes and wanders the earth for
  the rest of his days. His daughter Antigone is
  his guide and companion
• Given sanctuary by King Theseus, he dies and is
  buried at Colonus (near Athens)
• On his deathbed he curses his two sons for
  fighting over the throne of Thebes

8
Getting the Story Straight
Labdacus
Menoeceus
Laius
Jocasta
Creon
Eurydice
Oedipus
Jocasta
Megareus
Haemon
Eteocles
Polyneices
Ismene
Antigone