Kithairon is the western area of a mountain range in Greece. It serves as the border between Athens and Thebes. And it is on the side of that mountain that Oedipus, as a baby, was abandoned to die. We learn in the play, as Oedipus himself learns, that Oedipus' father, King Laius, and mother, Queen Jocasta, were unable to have children.
Who is Oedipus's real father?
LaiusPucci said that the Greek Oedipus has four fathers: Laius, his biological father; Polybus, his adoptive father; the king as a father to his citizens; and Apollo, as the divine Father.
Who is Oedipus's biological mother?
JocastaThis king claimed the boy and raised him as his own. When Oedipus grew to manhood, a prophet warned him that he would kill his father and marry his mother. Not knowing that he had been adopted, and that his real parents were Jocasta and Laius, Oedipus left the country to avoid committing such crimes.
Who were Oedipus's foster parents?
An oracle had predicted that Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother, and as an infant he was abandoned by his birth parents, Laius and Jocasta, the rulers of Thebes, because of this curse. He was taken by a shepherd, and raised by the previously childless king and queen of Corinth, Polybus and Merope.
Who was Oedipus's uncle?
CreonAt first glance, Creon does not seem like the most important character in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex. He is the brother of Jocasta (and therefore both Oedipus' uncle and his brother-in-law), so he is close to the action; however, the action is not centered around him.
How did Jocasta died?
In the version of Sophocles, when his city was struck by a plague, Oedipus learned that it was divine punishment for his patricide and incest. Hearing this news, Jocasta hanged herself.
Why did Jocasta give away her baby?
Questioned further, he answers that it was Laius's child, and that Jocasta gave it to him to destroy because of a prophecy that the child would kill his parents.
Who told Oedipus he killed his father?
Jocasta tells him that Laius was killed at a three-way crossroads, just before Oedipus arrived in Thebes.
How many children did Oedipus have with Jocasta?
four childrenOedipus solved the riddle, and the Sphinx killed herself. In reward, he received the throne of Thebes and the hand of the widowed queen, his mother, Jocasta. They had four children: Eteocles, Polyneices, Antigone, and Ismene.
Who killed Laius?
Oedipusestablished for us by Sophocles. Oedipus killed Laius.
Who killed Creon?
CREON became king of Thebes during the war of the Seven Against Thebes, after Etiocles and Polynices, sons of Oedipus, killed each other during the battle. He refused burial for the bodies of the enemy, but Theseus intervened with an army, killed Creon, and allowed the dead warriors to be buried (Thebaid XII.
Who are Oedipus's children?
IsmeneAntigonaOedipus/Children
What is Oedipus last name?
Oedipus Rex, also known by its Greek title, Oedipus Tyrannus (Ancient Greek: Οἰδίπους Τύραννος, pronounced [oidípoːs týrannos]), or Oedipus the King, is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed around 429 BC.
Did Oedipus know Jocasta was his mother?
Finally, Oedipus pieces things together and realizes that Jocasta is his mother. As predicted by the prophecy, he has slept with his mother and killed his father. Oedipus finds Jocasta dead. In despair, he gouges his eyes out.
Did Jocasta know that Oedipus was her son?
Oedipus asks about his mother, since there's that other part of the prophecy, and the Messenger tells him he was adopted. Jocasta realizes the truth—that Oedipus is her son as well as her husband—and tells Oedipus to stop the interrogations.
Is Jocasta Oedipus mother?
Oedipus solved the riddle, and the Sphinx killed herself. In reward, he received the throne of Thebes and the hand of the widowed queen, his mother, Jocasta. They had four children: Eteocles, Polyneices, Antigone, and Ismene.
Does Oedipus have kids with his mother?
Oedipus is the son of Laius and Jocasta. He marries his own mother, and she gives birth to two sons (Polynices and Eteocles) and two daughters (Ismene and Antigone).
The Origins of Kithairon
Kithairon was born shortly after Chaos, the primal emptiness of the universe. Out of Chaos came the first beings to exist: The primordial deities. One of the earliest gods to come into existence is Gaia. Gaia is the personification of the Earth and the mother of all things.
The Singing Competition
Here is one of the more oddball stories involving Kithairon. According to some early poets, Kithairon participated in a singing competition against Helikon. Helikon is another Ourea who ruled over the nearby Helikon mountain.
Kithairon and Zeus
Another interesting story that features Kithairon involves the king of the gods himself. Like the previous tale, this one occurs many generations after the birth of the Ourea. Their demi-god status is long secure, and the Twelve Olympians rule over the known world.
Kithairon and Dionysus
The story of Dionysus is well-understood. However, the details surrounding his birth are unclear. Most accounts say that Zeus entrusted the Ourea Nysos to raise his divine son on Earth. However, some poets confuse Nysos with Kithairon. For that reason, the two deities are used interchangeably throughout the story of Dionysus.
Other Stories
Mount Kithairon appears a few other times in Greek mythology. The mountain god remains silent and unseen, but he likely watched over the events as they occurred.
The Origins of Kithairon
The Singing Competition
Kithairon and Zeus
Kithairon and Dionysus
Other Stories
Kithairon Trivia
- Kithairon is a mountain god of Boeotia. Kithairon is one of possibly ten Ourea. This demi-godis also referred to as “Cithaeron.” Kithairon rules Mount Kithairon and its accompanying range. The mountain rises 1,409 meters tall, while the surrounding range stretches approximately 10 miles long. The central location of Mount Kithairon makes it the bac...
Link/Cite This Page