Riddle In Oedipus

The mythical event represents the Greek hero Oedipus confronted by the Sphinx outside the kingdom of Thebes. Oedipus must solve the Sphinx’s riddle in order to live. (Morford, Lenardon, and Sham 422). The painted image shows the fallen victims who previously tried and failed to answer the riddle correctly. The myth behind the painting starts with a son that was born to Queen Jocasta and King Laius of Thebes (Morford, Lenardon, and Sham 420). The oracle told King Laius that a child born to him would grow up, murder him, and marry his own mother. (Morford, Lenardon, and Sham 420). In order to avoid this fate, King Laius ordered the child to the elements on Mount Cithaeron with a spike through his ankles. (Morford, Lenardon, and Sham 420). A servant ordered with this request, felt sympathy for the child and left him with a Corinthian shepherd, who then presented the child to King

Polybus.

(Morford, Lenardon, and Sham 420-421). King Polybus and Queen Merope raised the child as their own and named him Oedipus, meaning “swellfoot”, because of the way he was found with the spike through his ankles. (Morford, Lenardon, and Sham 421). When Oedipus became a young man, he found out that he was not the natural born child of the King and Queen so he searched for his destiny. Oedipus discovered the truth from the oracle, whom his real parents were and was advised to avoid his birth land. In agreement, Oedipus traveled to Thebes and on his journey he crossed paths with his birth father, where they fought and Oedipus killed him and filled the prophesy told by the oracle. (Morford, Lenardon, and Sham 421). Oedipus continued his journey to Thebes and came across the city pursued by a flying monster, (the Sphinx, meaning “strangler”) that the goddess Hera had sent upon the city of Thebes. (Morford, Lenardon, and

Sham 422). The answer to the Sphinx’s riddle is required or his life would be forfeit. (Morford, Lenardon, and Sham 422). “The riddle was: “What is it that has one name is four-footed, two-footed, and three-footed?””. (Morford, Lenardon, and Sham 422). Oedipus answered the riddle correctly by stating “Man,” answering: “for as an infant he goes upon four feet; in his prime upon two; and in old age he takes a stick as third foot.” (Morford, Lenardon, and Sham 422). By successfully answering the riddle, the Sphinx throws itself off the Theban acropolis and Oedipus is announced king and is now husband to the queen whom is also his mother.
In this course, we were not required to read this unit section, but the image caught my attention. While paging through the book to the next required chapter readings, I paused to read about the myth behind the image. As many of the art work in mythology, it is a mystery and describes how humanity must live and overcome the obstacles presented by the gods and how they become heroes. Mythology imagery fascinates me and I love reading the story behind the image. I see it as a time and place marker and I imagine the story by relating it off the actual image.