Oedipus Timeline by Melissa Macfie

Oedipus, the king of Thebes, exits his palace and finds a group gathered before his home. He goes to find the reason. He finds the priest gathered with a congregation of children praying. The priest says that they are gathered to pray to the gods to save them from the plague which is affecting the crops, the cattle, and the women of childbearing years. The priest looks to Oedipus, as the king and the once savior of the city of THEBES again to find out why they are suffering.

mmacfie — 2023-12-04 13:12:47 UTC

Oedipus tells the priest that he already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the Pythian temple to find out why the god is angry. Its taken some time and Oedipus is getting worried for Creon to return. As they are speaking though, they see Creon approaching, and they anticipate good news from him (good news would be, in this case, a reason the gods are angry.)

Creon enters and asks whether Oedipus wants to hear the news privately or in public. Oedipus opts to hear the news in public because he has nothing to hide. Creon tells Oedipus that Apollo is angry because the murderers of the previous king have gone unpunished for more than two decades. By finding those responsible and bringing them to justice by either exiling them or having them killed, the city will be released from suffering.

mmacfie — 2023-12-04 13:19:41 UTC

To start the actual investigation which is a cold case, Oedipus and Creon initially discuss the basic facts of the death of the previous king, Laius. He was killed outside the city and according to the only witness, by a band of murderers. At the time, the citizens of Thebes couldn’t look for those responsible because all their energy was taken by the tormenting Sphinx.

Oedipus proclaims he will find the murderers for justice for King Laius, to lift the plague to put an end to the suffering of Thebes, and for his own purpose. It is dangerous for him, as the current king, to have the murderers of the previous king walking free because they could be plotting to kill him too.

mmacfie — 2023-12-04 13:29:41 UTC

The chorus is fearful that the suffering will continue. Even though they know the reason for the plague, they have a bad feeling that something worse will happen. They call upon Athene, Artemis, Apollo, and their patron god, Dionysus to help against the plague.

mmacfie — 2023-12-04 13:30:26 UTC

Oedipus states to the citizenry that if those responsible for the Laius' death come forward on their own, he will give them money and then exile them. Then if not, Oedipus offers a reward for those with information to come forward and tell what they know. Afterward, he places a curse on those who would harbor the fugitives, and he even places the curse on himself if the murderers are in his family and he doesn’t do what is right by bringing them to justice.

mmacfie — 2023-12-04 13:35:07 UTC

The chorus declares to Oedipus they were not responsible for the murder of Laius.

They talk to Oedipus about Tiresias, the local blind prophet. They think that Oedipus should ask him to help because they believe in Tiresias' prophetic ability to know what happened in the past, present, and future. Oedipus tells them that he has already sent for the man.

Tiresias enters. Oedipus gives compliments to Tiresias and expresses his hope that the man can help. Oedipus restates Apollo’s command to find the murderers of Laius in order for the plague to be lifted. BUT, Tiresias doesn’t want to be there and has declared he will not reveal anything. Oedipus is angered by his lack of cooperation and calls Tiresias a traitor and comes to the conclusion that Tiresias was involved in the murder.

mmacfie — 2023-12-04 13:41:21 UTC

Tiresias is angered into revealing some of what he knows. He says the Oedipus is the land’s pollution—Oedipus is the murderer whom he seeks.

Oedipus is outraged and Teiresias goes on to say that Oedipus is living in the foulest shame with the people he loves most.

Oedipus belittles Tiresias and in addition says he thinks Tiresias is a fraud because the man should have been able to save Thebes from the Sphinx but it was an outsider who was their savior.

Tiresias brings up Oedipus’ parentage. He states again that Oedipus lives in shame with those he loves. He makes reference to the destruction of Oedipus’ marriage, children, and his sight. Oedipus is going to shame himself out of his own land.

Tiresias prophesies that Oedipus will go from riches to rags. Tiresias clarifies that before the day’s end, Oedipus will be proven to be the person who killed the king is the son and murderer of King Laius, the son and husband of Queen Jocasta, and the brother and father of his four children. He also tells Oedipus that he will be blind and exiled from Thebes.

Creon enters to confront Oedipus for the unjust accusation. He asks the Chorus for Oedipus’ state of mind when he accused him of treason. An argument ensues when Oedipus arrives. According to Oedipus, since Creon urged him to send for T., Creon began the course of events that led to Oedipus being accused of the death of Lauis, his biological father, and marrying his biological mother, Jocasta.

mmacfie — 2023-12-04 14:44:52 UTC

Creon tries to persuade Oedipus that he is innocent. Creon gets all the benefits of royalty without the responsibility and the tough decisions to make.

Oedipus says he wants to have Creon killed. The chorus intervenes and announces that Jocasta, who has just appeared, will settle the argument.

Jocasta yells at both of the men because they are making a spectacle in public. She tries to send each to his respective room. Jocasta hears the initial cause of the argument and comes to the defense of her brother. The chorus begs Oedipus to show mercy because his death will just cause more problems for the troubled city.