Oedipus

Family: Theban · Role: king · First appears: Apollodorus, Library 3.5

🌐 Also appears in: The Metamorphoses of Ovid (as Œdipus) · Greek Tragedy — The Same Myth, Three Voices (as Oedipus)

Oedipus was adopted by Periboea, who healed his ankles and called him Oedipus after Polybus’s neatherds brought the infant to her. Laius had pierced the child’s ankles and given him to a herdsman to be exposed, after learning that his son would kill his father; believing himself the son of his nominal parents, Oedipus later left Corinth.

At Phocis, Oedipus killed Polyphontes and Laius during a confrontation on a narrow road, then arrived in Thebes. He solved the Sphinx’s riddle, causing her death, and succeeded to the kingdom after Creon had offered the kingdom and Laius’s wife to whoever could solve it. Oedipus unwittingly married Jocasta, and they had Polynices, Eteocles, Ismene, and Antigone.

When the secret came to light, Jocasta hanged herself, and Oedipus was blinded and driven from Thebes. He later came with Antigone to Colonus in Attica, where he sat as a suppliant, was kindly received by Theseus, and died not long afterwards.

Relationship record

Life events

Oedipus killed Laius and Polyphontes during a confrontation on a narrow road.(Apollodorus, Library 3.5 · 📍 Phocis)
- With: Laius Polyphontes
- “Oedipus in a rage killed both Polyphontes and Laius, and arrived in Thebes .”
Oedipus solved the Sphinx's riddle, causing her death and gaining the kingdom.(Apollodorus, Library 3.5 · 📍 Thebes)
- With: Sphinx
- “So the Sphinx threw herself from the citadel, and Oedipus both succeeded to the kingdom”
Jocasta hanged herself, and Oedipus was blinded and driven from Thebes.(Apollodorus, Library 3.5 · 📍 Thebes)
- With: Jocasta
- “When the secret afterwards came to light, Jocasta hanged herself in a noose, and Oedipus was driven from Thebes , after he had put out his eyes”

Apollodorus, Library 3.5

parent: Periboea (Periboea adopted Oedipus.) “She adopted him and passed him off as her own, and after she had healed his ankles she called him Oedipus”
guardian: Polybus (Polybus's household took in the infant Oedipus.) “the neatherds of Polybus, king of Corinth , found the infant and brought it to his wife Periboea.”
parent: Laius (Laius is Oedipus's biological father.) “the son that should be begotten would kill his father; nevertheless, flushed with wine, he had intercourse with his wife. And when the babe was born he pierced the child's ankles with brooches and gave it to a herdsman to expose.”
parent: Jocasta (Jocasta is Oedipus's mother in the narrative.) “Oedipus both succeeded to the kingdom and unwittingly married his mother”
married with Jocasta “Oedipus both succeeded to the kingdom and unwittingly married his mother”
child: Polynices “and begat sons by her, Polynices and Eteocles, and daughters, Ismene and Antigone.”
child: Eteocles “and begat sons by her, Polynices and Eteocles, and daughters, Ismene and Antigone.”
child: Ismene “and begat sons by her, Polynices and Eteocles, and daughters, Ismene and Antigone.”
child: Antigone “and begat sons by her, Polynices and Eteocles, and daughters, Ismene and Antigone.”
with Theseus (Theseus received Oedipus kindly.) “he sat down there as a suppliant, was kindly received by Theseus, and died not long afterwards.”
parent: Polybus “On hearing that, and believing himself to be the son of his nominal parents, he left Corinth”
enemies with Polyphontes “Oedipus in a rage killed both Polyphontes and Laius”
enemies with Laius “Oedipus in a rage killed both Polyphontes and Laius”
patron: Creon “Creon made proclamation that to him who should read the riddle he would give both the kingdom and the wife of Laius.”
enemies with Sphinx “So the Sphinx threw herself from the citadel, and Oedipus both succeeded to the kingdom”
with Antigone (interaction) “And having come with Antigone to Colonus in Attica , where is the precinct of the Eumenides, he sat down there as a suppliant”
patron: Theseus “he sat down there as a suppliant, was kindly received by Theseus, and died not long afterwards.”

Apollodorus, Library 3.7

child: Antigone “Antigone, one of the daughters of Oedipus, stole the body of Polynices”

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Extracted from the original text of Greek Mythology. Made with Rho MD.