Oedipus

  • Laius and Jocasta have a son named Oedipus
    600 BCE

    Laius and Jocasta have a son named Oedipus

  • Prophecy
    599 BCE

    Prophecy

    Jocasta heard the prophecy that her baby would kill her husband. She ordered a shepherd to kill Oedipus.
  • Adoption
    598 BCE

    Adoption

    They pinned Oedipus´ feet together. He was given by the shepherd to another shepherd in Corinth. Oedipus is adopted by Polybus and his wife Merope. This makes Oedipus the prince of Corinth.
  • Oedipus Leaves Corinth
    580 BCE

    Oedipus Leaves Corinth

    Oedipus hears that he was adopted and leaves his home in Corinth.
  • Oedipus learns of prophecy
    579 BCE

    Oedipus learns of prophecy

    Oedipus travels to the Oracle at Delphi. He is told that he will murder his own father, and sleep with his mother. He decides to never go back to Corinth again.
  • Oedipus Kills His Father
    578 BCE

    Oedipus Kills His Father

    Oedipus meets up with a gang of travelers. They get into a fight and Oedipus kills Laius without knowing that he is his father.
  • The Sphinx
    577 BCE

    The Sphinx

    Oedipus arrives in Thebes. He solves the riddle of the Sphinx and is made their king. He marries Jocasta, not knowing this is his mother and King Laius´ widow. They end up having 4 children
  • Plague in Thebes
    560 BCE

    Plague in Thebes

    There is a new plague in Thebes. Oedipus sends Creon to the oracle for more information.
  • Oracle gives prophecy
    560 BCE

    Oracle gives prophecy

    The Oracle told Creon that the plague in Thebes will not end until the killer of Laius is found, and the murderer is cursed and driven out of the city.
  • Tiresias the Prophet
    559 BCE

    Tiresias the Prophet

    Oedipus sends for Tiresias who says that Oedipus is the murderer. He also says that the murderer of Laius is the father and brother of his own kids and the son of his own wife.
  • Suspicion of The Truth
    559 BCE

    Suspicion of The Truth

    Jocasta tells the story of her first husband and how he was killed at a three-way crossroads by a band of thieves. Oedipus tells of how he was harassed at the same crossroads and killed a man. They send for the only survivor of the attack on Laius.
  • A Message from Corinth
    558 BCE

    A Message from Corinth

    Jocasta gets a message from Corinth that Oedipus's adopted father Polybus had died, and that they wanted their prince to return to rule. Jocasta and Oedipus rejoice that he has not killed his father and that the prophecies are wrong.
  • Finds out the truth
    558 BCE

    Finds out the truth

    The messenger tells Oedipus that Merope is not his real mother, and he was adopted as a baby. The messenger is the shepherd who was given the baby by a servant of Laius.
  • Tragic Ending
    557 BCE

    Tragic Ending

    Oedipus realized that he did kill his father and marry his mother. He found Jocasta dead, she hung herself when she realized what she had done. Oedipus tore the pins out of her hair and uses them to gouge out his own eyes. He begs Creon to look after his daughters as he is sent away. Oedipus and Creon exit to the palace.