{"product_id":"2940012348777","title":"Oedipus the King","description":"ARGUMENT\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTo Laius, King of Thebes, an oracle foretold that the child born to him\u003cbr\u003eby his queen Jocasta would slay his father and wed his mother. So when\u003cbr\u003ein time a son was born the infant's feet were riveted together and he\u003cbr\u003ewas left to die on Mount Cithaeron. But a shepherd found the babe and\u003cbr\u003etended him, and delivered him to another shepherd who took him to his\u003cbr\u003emaster, the King of Corinth. Polybus being childless adopted the boy,\u003cbr\u003ewho grew up believing that he was indeed the King's son. Afterwards\u003cbr\u003edoubting his parentage he inquired of the Delphic god and heard himself\u003cbr\u003ethe word declared before to Laius. Wherefore he fled from what he\u003cbr\u003edeemed his father's house and in his flight he encountered and\u003cbr\u003eunwillingly slew his father Laius. Arriving at Thebes he answered the\u003cbr\u003eriddle of the Sphinx and the grateful Thebans made their deliverer king.\u003cbr\u003eSo he reigned in the room of Laius, and espoused the widowed queen.\u003cbr\u003eChildren were born to them and Thebes prospered under his rule, but\u003cbr\u003eagain a grievous plague fell upon the city. Again the oracle was\u003cbr\u003econsulted and it bade them purge themselves of blood-guiltiness. Oedipus\u003cbr\u003edenounces the crime of which he is unaware, and undertakes to track out\u003cbr\u003ethe criminal. Step by step it is brought home to him that he is the man.\u003cbr\u003eThe closing scene reveals Jocasta slain by her own hand and Oedipus\u003cbr\u003eblinded by his own act and praying for death or exile.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                              *****\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                          DRAMATIS PERSONAE\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                               Oedipus.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                         The Priest of Zeus.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                                Creon.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                       Chorus of Theban Elders.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                              Teiresias.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                               Jocasta.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                              Messenger.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                            Herd of Laius.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                          Second Messenger.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e            Scene:  Thebes.  Before the Palace of Oedipus.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                              *****\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                           OEDIPUS THE KING\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSuppliants of all ages are seated round the altar at the palace doors,\u003cbr\u003eat their head a PRIEST OF ZEUS.  To them enter OEDIPUS.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOEDIPUS\u003cbr\u003eMy children, latest born to Cadmus old,\u003cbr\u003eWhy sit ye here as suppliants, in your hands\u003cbr\u003eBranches of olive filleted with wool?\u003cbr\u003eWhat means this reek of incense everywhere,\u003cbr\u003eAnd everywhere laments and litanies?\u003cbr\u003eChildren, it were not meet that I should learn\u003cbr\u003eFrom others, and am hither come, myself,\u003cbr\u003eI Oedipus, your world-renowned king.\u003cbr\u003eHo! aged sire, whose venerable locks\u003cbr\u003eProclaim thee spokesman of this company,\u003cbr\u003eExplain your mood and purport.  Is it dread\u003cbr\u003eOf ill that moves you or a boon ye crave?\u003cbr\u003eMy zeal in your behalf ye cannot doubt;\u003cbr\u003eRuthless indeed were I and obdurate\u003cbr\u003eIf such petitioners as you I spurned.","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47152450666736,"sku":"2940012348777","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940012348777_p0.jpg?v=1763567808","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940012348777","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}