Oedipus and Myths of Thebes Flashcards
What line is the local founding and what line is the foreign founding?
Chtonius (local), Cadmus (foreign)
What was Cadmus looking for when he went to an oracle?
His sister Europa.
What did the oracle tell Cadmus to do?
Follow a cow and build a city where it lies down.
What does Cadmus do with the dragon’s teeth?
Instructed by Athena to take some of the teeth and plant them.
What are the Spartoi
The 5 that survive the dragon’s teeth sowing and becomes the 5 lines of aristocrasts of Thebes.
How does the Labdacus name come to Thebes?
Cthonius marries daughter of local Theban family and Labdacus name descends from him.
Who is Labdacus’ son?
Laius
What does Laius due while under King Pelop’s hospitality?
Laius abducts and rapes Pelop’s son Chrysippus. Pelops curses the line of Labdacus.
What does the oracle tell Laius?
That his son will kill him?
What does Jocasta do when Laius refuses to have sex with her?
Gets Laius drunk, and gets pregnant with Oedipus.
What do Jocasta and Laius do when Oedipus is born?
Oedipus has his feet pinned and is given to a Theban shepherd to be left on Mt. Cithaeron.
What does the Theban shepherd do with Oedipus?
Gives him to the Corinth shepherd to be raised by the King and Queen of Corinth.
Who raises Oedipus, and what is their status?
Raised by King and Queen of Corinth, Polybus and Merope.
Why does Oedipus go to an oracle?
Being teased that he was adopted.
What does the oracle tell Oedipus?
That he will kill his father and marry his mother.
What monster is terrorizing Thebes?
A Sphinx
What does Oedipus do after he receives the oracles phophecy? Who does he run into?
Oedipus won’t let the prophecy come true, and leaves for Thebes. He is angered by a chariot and kills the inhabitants including his father.
What is the reward for solving the Sphinx’s riddle?
The throne and marriage to Jocasta
Who solves the riddle of the Sphinx?
Oedipus
What are the names of the children of Oedipus and Jocasta?
Antigone, Ismene, Eteocles, and Polynices
Who wrote the plays of Oedipus?
Sophocles
What is the written order of the Oedipus plays?
- Antigone - daughter of Oedipus
- Oedipus Tyra
- Oedipus at Colonus
How does Oedipus Tyra begin?
Oedipus is king, and the people are plagued by the mysterious death of Laius.
What does Oedipus promise to his citizens?
That he will find the murderer.
Who does Oedipus call for to find the murderer?
Tiresias
What does Oedipus do when he realizes that he has fulfilled the prophecy?
Blinds himself
What is Oedipus at Colonus about?
Oedipus as a blind beggar?
What is the prophecy related to Oedipus death?
Where the bones of Oedipus are buried shall never fall to war.
How does Oedipus end?
He is swallowed into the ground.
Who are the two sons of Oedipus that take over the kingdom?
Eteocles and Polynices.
Who becomes king and won’t give it up?
Eteocles
What does Polynices do when he can’t get the throne
Goes to Argos and Adrastus allows him to marry his daughter.
What does Wife of Adrastus forsee?
That 7 of them will go and only 1 will return.
What happens in the battle of Polynices and Eteocles?
Eteocles tries to strip Polynices armor, and is mortally wounded. Both die.
What is the oracle’s prophecy related to Thebes?
That if one of the spartoi is sacrificed Thebes shall not fall. Menoecius sacrifices himself.
