CLASSIC 45B Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Ancestral Sin, Oedipus The King, Laius
Document Summary
Received hospitality of pelops in elis, northwest peloponnese. Sacred ties of guest and host violated by laius who fell in love with. Oracle at delphi warned laius about the children who were to be born. Excerpt with the oracle from sophocles" oedipus tyrannus: I will give you a son, but u are destined to die in his hands. This is the decision of zeus, in answer to the bitter curse of pelops, whose son you abducted. Consulted oracle about children who should be born to him and jocasta. Sophocles" tragedy: oedipus the king - oedipus tyrannus, first performed around 429 bc. Drunken companion told oedipus that he wasn"t natural son of polybus and merope. Plague afflicts thebes for failing to find murderer of laius. Messenger from corinth comes to thebes and o learns not son of. Servant comes forward who was given laius" infant son and exposes truth. Turns out to be sole survivor of attack at crossroads.
