Synopsis of ‘Oedipius Rex’ by Sophocles
GamingThe story begins with a dialogue between Oedipus, the king of Thebes, and the priest, while they discuss the terrible situation that has befallen their land; pests in your harvest and grazing herds. Oedipus informs the priest of having sent his brother consort, Creon, the son of Menoeceus, to ask the Pythian Phoebus in his sanctuary at Delphi, how the state could be saved.
Before long, Creon arrives bringing news from the gods. He says that what they demand is the punishment, either with death or exile, of the murderer of the past king, Laius, son of Labdaco. Oedipus, who is new to earth and eager to expose this criminal who is the cause of his ills, asks him for details of the murder.
In another scene, Oedipus casts a curse on the murderer, forbids all Thebans from associating with him, and encourages those who know him to advertise it.
The choirs / elders advise Oedipus to summon Tiresias, the blind seer, to give his opinion on the matter. But Oedipus had already sent Creon, long before, to take him to the palace.
Finally, Tiresias, the seer of great renown, arrives at the palace. He is unwilling to talk about Laius and his murderer, the matter for which he was summoned; in fact, he requests that he be allowed to say goodbye. However, Oedipus accuses him of being the murderer. Hearing this, Tiresias made a counter-accusation by daring to say that Oedipus himself was the man who killed Laius. After the exchange of invective, Oedipus claims that Tiresias must have conspired with Creon to taint and overthrow him. After hearing this, Tiresias prophesies that Oedipus will be exiled from Thebes and will have no more eyes after he discovers his true lineage.
Creon comes out to deny the king’s accusations, asking what he gains by making an offer to overthrow him. I would rather not inherit the position at such a difficult time, because everything you want, fame and fortune, is already yours; the crown is just a burden. However, Oedipus threatens him with death, after he, Creon, suggested exile.
Jocasta enters and begs her husband, Oedipus, to believe Creon by his oath, for her, and for the elders (chorus). She went ahead to ask about the cause of the breakup. After hearing the clairvoyant’s claim, she told him that it couldn’t be true, as it was formally predicted that Laius would be killed by his son at a place where three roads meet. But, obviously, he was killed by highway robbers, according to the survivor of the attack. Oedipus was surprised to hear this fact, so he asked where exactly the incident happened. Jocasta told Phocis, where the Daulis and Delphi roads meet. He asks more, trembling that perhaps it can be proved that the seer is right, what was Laius’s complexion and how many assistants he had with him.
Oedipus then immediately demands that the servant, who survived, be brought before him for questioning. From then on, he narrates the cause of his fear of Jocasta, how a drunkard once told him that he is not the true son of his seer (Polibo; and Merope, his mother), how he visited Delphi and Apollo told him about one prophecy that he would kill his father and sleep with his mother, how he escaped and killed some men when he reached the three-branch road. But there is hope that he is not the murderer if the servant confirms that, indeed, it was an army of thieves that killed Laius and not a lone walker.
Shortly after, a messenger arrives from Corinth bringing news of the death of Polibo (guardian of Oedipus) and the search for a new king. This makes Oedipus happy because it seems that the prophecies were false after all, since his father did not die by his hands. However, he mentions his fear of returning to Corinth because Merope, his mother, is still alive and does not want the second part of the prophecy to materialize.
The messenger offers to rid him of this fear by revealing that Polybus and Merope are not his real parents, adding that it was he who gave it to Polybus, after another shepherd who is from Laius’s palace gives it to him. This other pastor turns out to be the same witness to Laius’s death.
Oedipus, against Jocasta’s wish, wants to get to the root of the matter. He wants to discover his true lineage. Therefore, he asks, more emphatically, that the pastor be taken away for questioning.
Before long, the long-awaited shepherd finally arrives who is expected to shed more light on the enigma. He was very reluctant to give direct answers to Oedipus’ questions, even rebuking the Corinthian messenger for saying that Oedipus is the cursed child he gave him years ago. However, he soon admitted it, after Oedipus threatened him with death. He also admitted that Jocasta, his mother, gave it to him to get rid of.
Oedipus was devastated, who, after cursing himself, immediately left the scene. Shortly after his departure, a second messenger arrived with the terrible news of Jocasta’s death. It is said that he committed suicide by hanging himself. And then Oedipus himself injured himself, he used the gold clasps on Jocasta’s robe to hit his eyeballs, thus blinding himself.
Oedipus came out, it was a miserable scene. He asked Creon to exile him from the land to the desert so that no eye could see him and Thebes could be freed from her curse. But Creon refused, first he decided to consult the gods and then ordered Oedipus to go alone, if necessary.
Such was the fate of Oedipus of Thebes, son of Laius. And such was the evil calling and cunning desire of the gods. To kill his father, sleep with his mother, and spend the rest of his miserable life groping in darkness and humiliation.