"Oedipus the King" by Sophocles is based on Greek life. The city of Thebes is going through a deadly plague at the start of the play. The reason for the plague is that Laios' murderer has not been punished. Laios was the ruler of Thebes before Oedipus and was supposedly killed during a journey by a group of robbers. The gods at Delphi threaten that unless the murderer is caught and tried, Thebes will continue to suffer. Oedipus firmly resolves to find the murderer and p