Oedipus the King

Prologue

The sun had just risen above the horizon as the king of Thebes, the renowned and great Oedipus, stepped out of the royal palace. He stopped between the pillars at the top of the stairs and looked with concern into the yard.

A group sat gathered around the sacrificial altar. They were half-grown boys, most of them, and a few old priests. Their faces were turned upwards, their hands held olive branches tied with strips of wool, and they sang a hymn praising the gods with lowered voices. Sacrificial smoke hung heavy in the air.

They sought the aid of the gods. And his, their king's, too, or they would have found another place to pray.

His eyes found the road from Delphi. Men were leaving and arriving along it, on horseback or not, but the shapes were too distant. He could not decide whether the one he expected was among them.

Oedipus walked in the direction of the boys and priests in prayer. He was their king, he wanted to meet and comfort his people, he did not want to be like the cold rulers who hid behind servants and palace walls.
The song stopped as he came near. All eyes turned to him. The innocent eyes of children filled with grief, despair, and fear. Fear of him, he realized. Anecdotes of his temper were tales in the city. He stopped before them, next to one of the priests. The senior one, one of Zeus.

"As you know, I am Oedipus, your king." He spoke loudly so all could hear. "I feel with you in this difficult situation, your pains are mine. I have come to listen. I want you to be able to speak to me directly." He looked at the priest. His hair was white, his skin wrinkled, but his eyes were awake. "Priest, you must speak for the group. Tell me what has brought you here."

The priest bowed deep. "King. We are boys and priests, too young or old for men's work. We are not the only ones who pray. Others sacrifice at the market, at the shrines, and at the temple by the river." The priest glanced at Oedipus nervously. "You know the trials of your city, king. Nothing grows, cattle drop to the ground, our women bear deadborn, and the god of plague haunts the city. Apollon is angry. Thebes is dying."
Oedipus nodded. "I am torn by this."

"You have saved the city before, king," the priest said. "You solved the riddle of the Sphinx and freed us from the human sacrifice she claimed from us. Nobody helped you then but the gods. They are on your side. They will help you again. You must find the reason for the god's anger and save us. Nobody else can, king. Thebes is doomed if you don't."
The priest bowed. The boys did the same.

Oedipus gave a sign that they should sit. "I feel your pain, feel it twice, because it hits you, my people, as well as my own house. You did not wake me up by coming here. I am already losing sleep over this, and I have sent my wife's brother to Delphi to ask what must be done to save Thebes. And I swear this to you. When he comes back, I will do whatever the Oracle has declared."

The priest smiled and was about to say something. Instead, he stopped to listen. "What is the sound?" He looked at Oedipus. They heard hoofbeats and shouts from down the road. "You speak of Creon. Is that him?"

A man rode into the yard. Children ran alongside him. It was indeed Creon, his brother-in-law.

Oedipus smiled. "May the joy I feel now foreshadow the news he brings."

"They should be good, or he would not look like this."

"We will know soon."

Creon got off the horse, and a servant took it away. He was Oedipus' senior by some years, but still in good shape. He walked towards them.
Oedipus waved in greeting. "Creon! Welcome! What new do you bring?"
Creon walked the remaining steps and came up to them. "Good, I think. Even the bad is good when things end well."

"This is cryptic, Creon. What did the oracle say?"

Creon looked at the group. "If you want me to, I can tell you here. Or we can walk inside."

The group watched.

"Tell me now," Oedipus said. "They should hear this."

"Very well. The Oracle told me that Apollon wants us to remove an offender."

"Remove? What does he mean by this?"

"Banish, or shed his blood. His unrevenged crime has cursed the state of Thebes."

"Who has cursed the state?"

"Before you, King Laius ruled Thebes."

Oedipus nodded. "I never met him."

"He was killed. Now the god wants us to find his murderers and revenge him."

"How can we trace who did such an old offense? They may be anywhere."
"He is here, said the god. 'Who seeks shall find, who sits with folded hands or sleeps is blind'."

Oedipus combed his beard with his fingers. This was puzzling. "Where was Laius when he met his fate?"

"Abroad. He was bound for Delphi but never returned."

"Was there no one to come back with the news? No fellow traveler who gave some clue that might be followed up?"

"One fled with his life," Creon said. "What he told was confused, but one thing was clear."

"And what was that?"

"They were robbers. Not one, but a troop of bandits."

Oedipus shook his head. "Would any bandit dare this unless he was bribed to do it by someone in Thebes?"

"So it was believed. But none was able to organize a search in the trouble that followed."

Oedipus looked at Creon. "No one? What can hinder the search for a kingslayer?"

"The Sphinx and her riddles. We were forced to let the past slide and attend to instant needs."

Having a king slayer on the loose was not good. Someone who could kill the last king could kill himself. And then there was the matter of the plague.

He turned to the group. "Listen. We will start this search now. If it is worth the attention of Apollon, it is worth ours. We will find this murderer and avenge the crime against the gods and Thebes. Rise now, walk to the city, and bid the Theban commoners come here. With the god's help, we will find who did this. And we must. We are doomed if we fail."
The priest turned to the boys. "Come, children," the he said. "Let us hurry."