Oedipus the King - Self-knowledge and curing the plague journey

Jul 17, 2026

A revision of the Oedipus myth centers on Oedipus, already king, who searches for companions to cure a mysterious plague afflicting Thebes. Guided by a prophet’s instructions tied to a riddle of three stages of human life, Oedipus is warned to ignore two specific men and to seek help from the one whose presence challenges ordinary sight. The journey tests patience, judgment, and self-knowledge as Oedipus encounters rivals and approaches a forest route.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time26 min

Oedipus defeats the Sphinx riddle

The riddle’s three stages and the identity of “man”

The plague and the prophet’s guidance

Seeking the snake in the east of Thebes

Choosing among three men

Encounters on the journey

The blind helper and its meaning

The companions who test Oedipus’s judgment

Oedipus the King English Oedipus the King English usa Copyr ight © 2017, Blvephr ic-KeAndr e Blue Ir fan Kabir uddin [http://cr eativecommons.or g/licenses/by/4.0/](http://cr eativecommons.or g/licenses/by/4.0/) You ar e fr ee to make commer cial use of this wor k. You may adapt and add to this wor k. You must keep the copyr ight and cr edits for author s, illustr ator s, etc. In the original myth Oedipus the King, Oedipus defeats the Sphinx and answers the riddle which enabled him to become king. “What goes on four feet in the morning, two feet at noon, and three feet in the evening?” Oedipus, replies with “man”. Elaborating that man walks on four in the morning, which is man’s first part of life . And in adulthood, man walks on two then man walks with a cane thus he walks by three . He later discovers that he created his own fate and is blinded by his arrogance that leads to his suffering. He is assisted by three character who symbolise the three parts of the riddle in the original story. In the original, he answers the riddle and quickly becomes king. In this depiction, Oedipus, has the opportunity to gain self knowledge and become a better man and king. In this revision, Oedipus is already king, but goes through a journey seeking a companion to help him cure this mysterious plague . Oedipus knew of a prophet who knew and saw all things. He travelled the gates of Thebes seeking the answers to the plague . " Oh, great wise one , how shall I rid the plague out of Thebes?" he asked. The prophet replied, " Go out to the east of Thebes, there you will find the snake that tortures your farmers. The snakes that roams the areas where the children play. The snake whose bite turns men mad. There you will meet three men. " “Which three men will I meet on this journey?” “ One who walks on all fours in the morning. This man you should ignore . The next man walks on two during the day . This man you should ignore . One man walkson three at night. This man you shall ask for help. Follow these rules and the plague will be gone . " Replied the prophet. " Come and turn around so I may see the face of my helper" . And when the prophet did, Oedipus was appalled to see a man blind in sight. " How must one know what my solider looks like when you have no eyes to see . " " I may appear blind but I can hear the steps of the man at night with three feet. You must listen to me . If not, Filled with anger, Oedipus quickly left and went to the caves east of Thebes seeking the snake . Along his journey, he was approached by the one who walks on fours who was full of youth and vigour. Not wanting to take this journey alone , Oedipus cried out, " Oh, surely you must know how to defeat the snake that tortures the farmers. The snakes that roams the areas where the children play. The snake whose bite turns men mad. Come along with me to hunt this snake . " The man who walks on fours followed Oedipus. As they continued to walk the path that the prophet describes, the companion would ask every few steps, “Are we there yet?”. And every time Oedipus would reply. “No, just a few more days.” The one who walks on four, grew impatient, and soon left Oedipus continued his journey and rested until day. Day approach, and Oedipus passed by the man who walked by two who was both mature and sure of himself. Seeking a companion along his journey, Oedipus approach the young man who walked by two and said " Oh surely you must know how to defeat the snake that tortures the farmers. The snake that roamsthe areas where the children play. The snake whose bites turn men mad. Come along with me to hunt this snake . " The man who walked on two followed Oedipus until they reached the sinking dunes. The young man instead wanted to take another route , “This way is fast through the woods. I am sure we will get there faster.”And instead of following the prophet’s advice , Oedipus followed that man who walked by two into the forest.

FAQs

Why does Oedipus travel through Thebes after learning about the plague?

Oedipus seeks answers and guidance to rid Thebes of the plague harming the people.

What instructions does the prophet give Oedipus for finding help?

The prophet directs Oedipus to the east of Thebes to find the snake and to meet three men, ignoring the first two and asking the third for help.

What makes Oedipus react strongly when he meets the helper?

Oedipus is appalled to see the helper is blind, and he challenges how the helper can know what Oedipus’s soldier looks like without sight.

Jul 17, 2026

Upload by Emma Wilson