CLASSICS 1B03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Laius, Sophocles, Ismene
Document Summary
Thebes vs. athens: athens fixes things, thebes breaks things. Sophocles is known for shaping strong heroes, both male and female who isolate themselves: the isolation causes more trouble than it helps. Shows the danger of working by yourself then in a group. Tragedy is also known as the child of democracy, always up and down: important facet of democracy: the leaders consult with the public. Laius + jocasta + alcohol= baby: avoided sleeping with his wife. Oedipus scuffle at the crossroads meets king laius and his group, kills them all except for one. Sphinx at thebes: her riddle and the prize for solving it (answer: man) Apollo"s oracle at delphi know thyself : the problem with oracles the problem is understanding the oracle. If someone thought they interpreted it, they are usually dead wrong. Have to open and wise, essentially riddles: apollo is the god of knowledge and lack of knowledge at the same time.