Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

Greek Mythology: The Story of Oedipus

The tragedy of Oedipus was almost certainly a story of oral tradition before being written down. It was a growing and changing legend that merged several stories from several sources. The most well-known version is the trilogy written by Sophocles during the 5th century BCE: Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone.

Thebes was ruled by Laius and Jocasta, whose baby was prophesied to kill his father and marry his mother. The baby was left for dead, but survived. Later in life, Oedipus crossed paths with Laius and a fight ensued where Oedipus killed Laius. He then went on to Thebes and solved the riddle of the Sphinx to become king, marrying Jocasta in the process, and having four children, Eteocles, Polynices, Ismene, and Antigone. When the truth was discovered, Jocasta killed herself and Oedipus blinded himself. He was exiled and the throne was left to Eteocles and Polynices to share. Antigone followed her father in exile, and the two briefly settled in Colonus. Ismene arrived, bringing the news that the brothers were fighting for power, and that Creon was involved as well. Oedipus cursed his sons, while blessing his two devoted daughters, before dying. The daughters returned to Thebes to find that their brothers had killed each other, and Creon was now king. He decreed that Polynices' body would not be buried, but Antigone attempted to do so anyway. She was caught, and Creon ruled that she would be buried alive, despite her betrothal to Creon's son, Haemon. The gods expressed disapproval of Creon's decision, and he was forced to rescind it and bury Polynices. However, Antigone had already hanged herself to avoid being buried alive. Haemon attacked Creon and then killed himself. Creon's wife, Eurydice, upon hearing the news of her son, also killed herself. Creon, a broken man, remained king. The final moral given is that gods punish the proud, but punishment brings wisdom.