Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-02

0HE history of the Theban house OF
Labdaeidae was full OF important
| characters and tragic incidents,
ETSFsSi which furnished material to the
lSssgJ tragic and epic poets for many dra-
matte works The works OF the lat
ter have almost entirely perished; and wnile
there are important writings exlsting 81 :ne
tragic poets, Aeschylus, Sophocies and Euripi-
des, the accounts given differ somewhat.
The most commonly received account OF the
history of Oedipus is the following:
Thebes was one of the most ancient and cele-
brated cities Of Greece, the capital OF Boeotiaf
Iaius, King Of Thebes, the great grandson OF
Cadmus, the reputed founder of the city, was
warned by the gods to have no children, as
he was doomed to perish by the hands OF his
SON.
At length, however, the injunction was ne neg.
lected. and he became the father OF a little
son. He pierced the childs feet, inserting
through the wound leather thong, then gave
it to q shepherd to be exposed upon Mount
Cithaeron.
The. herdman, as some say, touched by
feeling of pity gave the babe to some Cor
inthian shepherds; Or according to Others, the
Corinthian shepherds found it upon the mount
and took it to Polybus King of Corinth, who,
being. childless adopted the little one an: ana
nus 7from videa, to swell and pous, foot),
on account Of the swelling Of it's feet.
Oedipus grew up in the belief that Polybus
ents, until at festival one day, ne was taunt-
ed with being child of mysterious origin
He endeavored to learn the truth from
Merape, but, falling, went to the oracle at
Delphi, where he only received vague counsel
NOT to return to his native country as, IT ne
did, he would kill his father and marry his
mother. He resolved, therefore, not to return
to Corinth, hoping thus to escape the crimes
which awaited him.
In his caution against returning to the place
Of his supposed nativity, he turned his, feet
in the direction of the country. of his real ma
tiyity, thus bringing about the consumma
tons he desired to avoid,
He took the road through Phocis to Thebes
In a narrow defile he met Laius, who was OF
his way to learn from the Delphian oracl,
whether his SON had really perished.
Oedipus, of course knew not his father, ant
was equally unknown by him; and when or
dered by the charioteer to make way for roy
atty, he refused.
The charioteer tried to crowd him aside
when a contest arose. in which both Laiu
and the charioteer were slain by Eedipus.
Juno, whom Laius had in some way offend
ed. sent the Sphinx to devastate the countr
about Thebes
This monster chad the face of woman
the body of lion and the wings of bird.
She had been taught riddles by the MUSES.. an
sitting upon n rock near the city, she pro
nounded her celebrated riddle to every on
that passed.
The oracle told the Thebans they would no
be freed from her depredations until they ha
solved her riddle, What IS that which ha
one voice, is four-footed two-footed, and, a
last, three-footedI Or, as it has been othel
Wise worded "What walks ON four legs in tn
morning, on two legs at noon. and on three i
the EVENING"
The 4hebuns had been unable % solve th
nuzzc. and on every failure one Of their nun
ber was seized by the monster and devoureC
Creon. who had succeeded TO the throne a