Classics 2200: Final Exam
.Two fundamental and universal taboos about Oedipus: 1. Parricide: an oblit- eration of one's origin
2.Incest with mother: a crime against time, a confusion of cause and effect. Oedipus is fated to do both and he himself is the answer to all his
questions
2.Oedipus as philosopher: The Delphic oracle was said to have proclaimed him the wisest person. He said that the only thing he knew was that he knew nothing. He was put to death by the Athenians in 399
BCE. Oedipus' great virtue, his drive to learn the truth, is also the cause of his downfall
3.Sophocles: Athenian tragedian (ca. 496-406 BCE). Among his 7
surviving plays are three concerning the house of Laius: Antigone (ca
441 BCE), Oedipus the King (ca 428 BCE), Oedipus at Colonus (ca 401
BCE)
4.Oedipus as hero: Comes of age away from home. Kills an enemy while travelling. Returns to birthplace. Destroys a monster (Sphinx). Marries the queen and rules as king. His oikos is destroyed but the health of his polis is restored. He undergoes exile, suffering (Oedipus at Colonus). Supernatural death and hero cult (Oedipus at Colonus)
5.Delphic oracles in Oedipus' story: 1. Oracle #1 to Laius: about his son
2.Oracle #2 to Oedipus: about his fate
3.Oracle #3 to Creon: about the miasma in Thebes
4.Oracle #4 to Oedipus: about his death
5.Oracle #5 to Thebans: about the bones of Oedipus
6.The riddle of the Sphinx: What walks on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening? A human
7.Oedipus at Colonus: Oedipus is exiled (because of miasma). Wanders old, blind, in rags, with his daughter Antigone. Arrives at sacred grove of
the Eumenides at Colonus, where he seeks refuge by supplicating Theseus, king of Athens. Similar to Oresteia. Two sons each seek Oedipus' support in civil war. Oedipus curses his two sons and goes into
the sacred grove with Theseus and a messenger comes back to tell the news of his disappearance. The grove becomes a symbol for the death of Oedipus. Mysterious death makes him a cult hero
8.Oedipus' funeral rites : Polynieces leads 7 generals against the city of Thebes and Eteocles defends the city so its brother against brother. They kill each other simultaneously at the main gates using spears. The
rule of Thebes goes to Creon once the two sons of Oedipus die. Polyneices doesn't get buried as punishment so the dogs and the birds Classics 2200: Final Exam
can devour his body. Antigone tells her sister about the new decree from king Creon. Utterance of king Creon immediately becomes a law. Antigone feels that in the absence of other female members in her family, that it is her task to do a burial for both of her brothers. Creon is
coming to announce the law publicly, so Antigone gives her sister an ultimatum asking if she's a true sister
.Two fundamental and universal taboos about Oedipus: 1. Parricide: an oblit- eration of one's origin
2.Incest with mother: a crime against time, a confusion of cause and effect. Oedipus is fated to do both and he himself is the answer to all his
questions
2.Oedipus as philosopher: The Delphic oracle was said to have proclaimed him the wisest person. He said that the only thing he knew was that he knew nothing. He was put to death by the Athenians in 399
BCE. Oedipus' great virtue, his drive to learn the truth, is also the cause of his downfall
3.Sophocles: Athenian tragedian (ca. 496-406 BCE). Among his 7
surviving plays are three concerning the house of Laius: Antigone (ca
441 BCE), Oedipus the King (ca 428 BCE), Oedipus at Colonus (ca 401
BCE)
4.Oedipus as hero: Comes of age away from home. Kills an enemy while travelling. Returns to birthplace. Destroys a monster (Sphinx). Marries the queen and rules as king. His oikos is destroyed but the health of his polis is restored. He undergoes exile, suffering (Oedipus at Colonus). Supernatural death and hero cult (Oedipus at Colonus)
5.Delphic oracles in Oedipus' story: 1. Oracle #1 to Laius: about his son
2.Oracle #2 to Oedipus: about his fate
3.Oracle #3 to Creon: about the miasma in Thebes
4.Oracle #4 to Oedipus: about his death
5.Oracle #5 to Thebans: about the bones of Oedipus
6.The riddle of the Sphinx: What walks on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening? A human
7.Oedipus at Colonus: Oedipus is exiled (because of miasma). Wanders old, blind, in rags, with his daughter Antigone. Arrives at sacred grove of
the Eumenides at Colonus, where he seeks refuge by supplicating Theseus, king of Athens. Similar to Oresteia. Two sons each seek Oedipus' support in civil war. Oedipus curses his two sons and goes into
the sacred grove with Theseus and a messenger comes back to tell the news of his disappearance. The grove becomes a symbol for the death of Oedipus. Mysterious death makes him a cult hero
8.Oedipus' funeral rites : Polynieces leads 7 generals against the city of Thebes and Eteocles defends the city so its brother against brother. They kill each other simultaneously at the main gates using spears. The
rule of Thebes goes to Creon once the two sons of Oedipus die. Polyneices doesn't get buried as punishment so the dogs and the birds Classics 2200: Final Exam
can devour his body. Antigone tells her sister about the new decree from king Creon. Utterance of king Creon immediately becomes a law. Antigone feels that in the absence of other female members in her family, that it is her task to do a burial for both of her brothers. Creon is
coming to announce the law publicly, so Antigone gives her sister an ultimatum asking if she's a true sister
