Being the intelligent man that he was, he solved the riddle and the blight was gone. Oedipus was thought to the people of Thebes as a savior, and they wanted him to take the place of their former king, Laius. Oedipus married the queen of Thebes, Jocasta. His arrogance led him to believe that by marrying Jocasta the curse was removed. He thought he had outwitted Apollo, and the gods favored him.
After Oedipus was king for some years, a second blight came upon the city. The only way to end the blight would be to find the man who murdered the former king, King Laius. Oedipus unknowingly cursed himself by saying, "I command all to drive out of their homes, since he is out pollution, as the oracle Pytho's god proclaimed him not to me. So I stand forth a champion of the god and of the man who died." (243) Oedipus wanted to put an end to the blight, but did not realize the man he was threatening was himself. His arrogant actions brought the blight to the city. He was the one who killed the king. The curse said he would kill his father. Oedipus should have controlled his temper, and gone through his life without killing anybody.
Oedipus sent for the blind prophet Teiresias. When he arrived Oedipus asked him who killed Laius. Teiresias cried, "Let me go home. It will be easiest for us both to bear our several destinies to the end if you follow my advice." (319) Oedipus became very angry and accused Teiresias of betraying the people and destroying the city. Then Teiresias grew angry with Oedipus" verbal abuse and said, "You have eyes, but see not where you are in sin, nor where you live, nor whom you live with. Do you know who your parents are?" (413) Teiresias began to tell Oedipus who he really was when he said, "And the multitude of other evils establishing a grim equality between you and your children, you know nothing." (423) Oedipus was both father and brother of his children. Listening to this, Oedipus grew angrier because he did not believe Teiresias.
