Tebaide

Speranza Laio was a king of Thebes, and he plays a key part in the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Laio's father, King Labdaco, and his people the Thebans, happened to wage war against the Athenians over territory. Because their foes received unexpected military support from another king, Labdaco's forces lost the war. Labdaco dies in the end, but only because he was ripped apart by women who were servants of Dionysius for having disrespected him. Laio was the heir to Labdaco, but he was only a mere child at that time his father was ripped apart by women. An usurper named Lico successfully usurped the throne and ruled Thebes for two decades. Lico, in turn, was overthrown by Anfione and Zeto, twin sons of Zeus, and after having successfully taken over the city of Thebes they fortified it with walls -- with seven portals -- and banished Laio. In exile, Laio was hosted by King Pelope, of Pisa. During the period of the Nemean games, Laio fell in love with Crisippo, a bastard son of Pelope. So, while teaching Crisippo to ride the chariot, Laio spirited him away and raped him. Laio was captured by Pelops's legitimate sons, but he was spared, for King Pelope refused to punish love. He cursed Laio for his breach of faith, though. --- Anfione's wife Niobe, who had many children, provoked the wrath of the god Leto and her only two children Apollo and Artemis. As a result, her children were shot with Artemis's arrows. Anfione, out of grief, commited suicide. Zeto's son was accidentally killed by his wife Thebe, and he dies out of sadness. --- When Laio returns to Thebes, he was restored by the Thebans as king. (He was restored to the throne by Pelope himself). Upon his return, Laio marries Jocasta, daughter of Menoeceus. He receives a message from an oracle from Delphi stating him to not have a child with his wife, for that child will kill him and marry her. (This was Pelope's curse for having broken the promise). One night, however, Laio was inebriated with wine and fathers a boy. Laio, out of fear, has his son's feet bound with a spike (hence the name, "Edipo") and also has him exposed on Mount Cithaeron to die. The child was somehow rescued from its plight, and King Polybus and Queen Merope/Periboea of Corinth adopted him and raised him to adulthood. As Oedipus came to manhood in the court of King Polybus's, they doubted his true parentage, as King Polybus was a mild-mannered man while Oedipus was courageous and hot-blooded. Wanting to know more, he went to Delphi to inquire the oracle about his true parents. He was warned not to return to his native land since he would kill his father and lie with his mother (This was Peleo's curse for Laio having broken the promise regarding Crisippo). He didn't heed the warning, however, still believing himself to be the son of Polybus and Merope, so instead of going back to Corinth, he went to Thebes instead. While riding on his chariot on a road called the "Cleft Road", he met Laius, who was going to Delphi to consult the oracle out of fear that his son would kill him. The king's herald ordered Oedipus to make way for the king, but he didn't. In the end, an enraged Oedipus kills the herald and King Laius out of anger.