Veeva Gathani (Dubai)
Wow! Greek Mythology! Who doesn’t love a good old Greek myth?
Greek Mythology is wondrously known for its set of stories used by the ancient Greeks to fully understand the world. These classic stories vary from Gods, Goddesses, heroes, creatures and rituals of Ancient Greece. These myths have been believed to be passed on from generations through oral tradition. They are significant for people as they usually teach an important and meaningful lesson about life. One such Greek myth is the Story of Oedipus.
Have you ever heard of Oedipus? The man who, ever so cluelessly, married his own mother? Well, let me tell you.
Laius was the potent and legendary ruler of Thebes, a city in Greece. All he ever desired was a beautiful baby child with his wife, Jocasta. Finally, as Jocasta blissfully gave birth to a baby boy, Laius couldn’t stop smiling from ear to ear. However, his expansive smile wistfully changed, when he came upon a prophecy dreadfully describing his own son killing him and marrying his wife. Now, as a man who wanted to conserve his life, Laius performed horrible actions on the baby including, according to tradition, pinning his feet together to seize his walking, and leaving him on the endless mountain range of Cithaeron to selfishly die. King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth adopted the poor baby and named him Oedipus in regard to the swollen foot. As Oedipus grew up and eventually learned about the miserable prophecy, he left Corinth as he knew King Polybus as his father, therefore, he didn’t want to hurt him. He started travelling towards Thebes, and on the way, he ran into Laius who started a quarrel which led him to his death. Oedipus then continued on his journey to Thebes and encountered a Sphinx who had dominated the city. As the king of Thebes, Laius, was now dead, the person who could get rid of the Sphinx by answering her riddle would marry the distressed queen and take their place as the honorable king. The Sphinx asked all the passerby the riddle and whoever couldn’t solve it were viciously devoured. Oedipus came upon the Sphinx and as usual he was asked the riddle.
The riddle was, “What is it that has one voice and yet becomes four-footed and two-footed and three-footed?” Can you solve it?
Have a think and to learn the answer, continue reading…
Oedipus as a child loved riddles and puzzles and therefore, was able to answer the riddle. He answered, “A man – as he crawls on four legs in infancy, walks on two feet when grown, and leans on a staff in old age.” Did you guess it right? Or were you hypothetically destroyed? Upon hearing the correct answer, the Sphinx jumped to her death. This connotes the wisdom and commitment the Sphinx had on herself and her word which teaches an important lesson to everyone. The lesson taught here is to be wise and keep your word in positive and safe situations.
Anyway, as Oedipus successfully and proudly got rid of the demon, he was rewarded the throne of Thebes and the hand of the widowed queen and his mother, Jocasta. You might be thinking that why in the world would she marry her own son? Well, firstly, she had no idea that he was her ‘supposed dead’ child, and secondly, she didn’t want her part of the prophecy to come true, so, before anyone else married her, she had to marry Oedipus. Later, they had four children together : Eteocles, Polyneices, Antigone, and Ismene. Oedipus, noticing his depressed wife/mother, claimed to rip the eyes out of the man who killed the wise King Laius. As the days continued, slowly and slowly, Jocasta realised the true power of the prophecy and committed suicide after she learned the true identity of Oedipus. Upon hearing this, and as a true, loyal and fair king, Oedipus plucked his own eyes out to bring justice and went into exile after which he died.
Why is this myth told over generations and what is the importance?
Well, this story and myth truly teaches the power of loyalty and demonstrates the importance of being fair and committing to your word like the Sphinx and Oedipus. In addition, many believe that the purpose of the Oedipus’s side of the story is to signify that error and disaster can happen to anyone, and that fate always catches up to you.
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