Chapter 5 – the lamented tragedy of Oedipus the King
Finally, he answers that the child came from the house of Laius. Questioned further, he answers that the baby was in fact the child of Laius himself, and that it was Jocasta who gave him the infant, ordering him to kill it, as it had been prophesied that the child would kill his father and marry his mother.
“I did in fact give the messenger a baby boy, and that baby boy was Laius' son - the same son that Jocasta and Laius left on a hillside to die because of the oracle's prophecy.”
“But I pitied the child, and decided that the prophecy could be avoided just as well if the child were to grow up in a foreign city, far from his true parents. So I therefore passed the boy on to the shepherd in Corinth.”
Realizing who he is and who his parents are, Oedipus screams that he sees the truth and flees back into the palace. The shepherd and the messenger slowly exit the place.
A messenger reveals that he grabbed a sword and searched for Jocasta with the intent to kill her. Upon entering her chamber, however, he finds that she has hanged herself. He takes the gold brooches from her dress and gouges his eyes out.
Oedipus with blood streaming from his now blind eyes cries out.
“I who has seen and done such vile things, shall never see again.”
“I beg all of you, the Chorus, to kill me.”
Creon enters, having heard the entire story, and begs Oedipus to come inside, where he will not be seen.
“Go back inside the palace, Oedipus.”
Oedipus begs him to let him leave the city, and Creon tells him that he must consult Apollo first.
“Oh… Creon, what have I done? What’s with this suffering? Please let me leave the kingdom!!!”
Oedipus tells him that banishment was the punishment he declared for Laius' killer, and Creon agrees with him.
Before he leaves forever, however, Oedipus asks to see his daughters and begs Creon to take care of them. Oedipus is then led away, while Creon and the girls go back in the palace.
Creon, covetous of royal power, is all too happy to oblige.
The Chorus, alone, laments Oedipus' tragic fate and his doomed lineage.
