LCT25: Myths of Thebes III Flashcards
What does Laius do to his son?
nails his sons ankles together, orders him to be left out in the wild
Who finds Oedipus?
some shepherds of Corinth
What happens to Oedipus after he is found?
secretly adopted by Polybos and Periboia, the king and queen of Corinth
What does Oracle tell Oedipus once he is older?
avoid home or you’ll murder your father and have sex with your mother
What happens while Oedipus is traveling?
altercation - kills both men in anger (Laius and his driver)
What is terrorizing the city after Laius is gone missing? (dead)
Sphinx - Creon (new king) decrees that savior gets city and queen
Sphinx
lion-bird woman
What is the answer to the Sphinx riddle?
Man
What does Oedipus do?
defeats the sphinx, Oedipus becomes king and takes Jocasta (his mother) as his wife and queen
Children of Oedipus and Jocasta
Polyneices, Eteocles, Ismene, Antigone
What does Oedipus and Jocasta do once finding out the truth?
Jocasta kills herself and Oedipus blinds himself while leaving Thebes in exile
Who escorts Oedipus out of Thebes?
his daughter, Antigone (only one willing to help him)
How des Eteocles and Polyneices decide to rule? (figure out which one of them is going to rule)
agree to alternate every year, Eteocles goes first - refuses to allow Polyneices to rule
Who does Polyneices go to for support against his brother?
Adrastos, King of Argos
Who are gathered to help the war cause?
Seven champions for the seven walls of Thebes
1) Polyneices (son of Oedipus)
2) Adrastos (king of Argos)
3) Amphiaraos (prophet)
4) Tydeus
5) Capaneus
6) Parthenopaios
7) Hippomedon
Who foresees his own death and refuses to go? How does he end up going?
Amphiaraos - Polyneices bribes Eriphyle, Ampiaraos’ wife, with the necklace of Harmonia
What does Amphiaraos do before going to war?
tells his sons to avenge his death to their mother
Who is sent ahead to negotiate with Thebans?
Tydeus
What happens when Tydeus arrives to Thebe?
ignored at first, challenges Thebans to athletic contests - wins them all
What takes place when Tydeus is walking back to camp?
ambushed, but Tydeus kills all of them but one so that he can go back to tell the rest of the Thebans of what happened
What was the prophecy?
for a Theban victory = if one of the descendants of the Spartoi sacrifices himself, Thebes will be saved
Who sacrifices himself?
Menoeceus (son of Crean) - kills himself to save the city
