Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, 'Oedipus and the Sphinx', about 1826. London, The National Gallery.

Oedipus

An oracle predicted to King Laius of Thebes that if he had a child it would kill his father and marry his mother. When a son was born, Laius left the child to die on a mountain and crippled his feet (hence the name Oedipus, meaning swollen foot). The child was discovered and brought to a childless king and queen, where he grew up under the impression that he was their real son.

When he reached manhood he began to travel. At a crossroads near Delphi he encountered Laius in a chariot, who rudely asked him to make way. In a rage, Oedipus killed him.

He later arrived at the gates of Thebes where he was confronted by a Sphinx. It had been terrorising the inhabitants by killing everyone who could not answer a riddle. Oedipus replied correctly and killed the Sphinx. He was hailed as the saviour of the city and offered the hand of the widowed queen in marriage.

He was later to discover to his horror that the stranger he had slain was his father the king, and he had married his mother the queen.

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