Oedipus

Oedipus

Widely known as "that-dude-who-killed-his-dad-and-slept-with-his-mom," Oedipus is one of the most famous people in all of Greek mythology. (Figures, right? All it takes to be mega-famous is to do something totally messed up.) The thing with Oedipus, though, is that he had no idea that he was doing anything wrong. His parents, King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes, abandoned him at birth. Why? Because it was prophesied that he would do exactly what he eventually did. So when he killed Laius on a highway, he thought he was just defending himself against some random angry dude. And when he married Jocasta and became the King of Thebes, he thought it was just an awesome reward for saving Thebes from the Sphinx by solving her riddle. Talk about tough luck.

Basic Information

NameOedipus
NicknameThat-dude-who-killed-his-dad-and-slept-with-his-mom
SexMale
Current cityElysium

Work & Education

OccupationHero
Riddle Solver
Sphinx Slayer
King of Thebes
EducationAthena's Academy of Puzzles
The Fates' School of Hard Knocks

Beliefs

Political viewsUgh, why did I ever get involved?

Family & Friends (& Enemies)

ParentsLaius (my dad, who I unknowingly killed… oops)
Jocasta (my mom, who I unknowingly married and had babies with… extra oops)
SiblingsNone (I'm not even sure why my parents had me, considering that whole prophecy thing.)
ChildrenAntigone
Ismene
Eteocles
Polyneices
FriendsI freak everybody out. Only my daughter Antigone ever stuck by me.
EnemiesThe Sphinx
Myself (I caused all my own problems)
The Fates (who got seriously twisted when they decided on mine)

Relationships

Relationship statusWas married to Jocasta. Yes, my mom. I get it.
Interested inI just don't risk it anymore.

Favorites

Quotations"Truth, like light, blinds. Falsehood, on the contrary, is a beautiful twilight that enhances every object."
– Albert Camus

"We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell of smoke, and a presumption that once our eyes watered."
– Tom Stoppard

"Mama, just killed a man..."
– "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen

"Mama, take this badge from me
I can't use it anymore
It's getting dark too dark to see
Feels like I'm knockin' on heaven's door"
– Bob Dylan

"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better."
– Samuel Beckett
BooksAll My Sons by Arthur Miller
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner (This book always reminds me of fading away in Colonus.)
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee (I know all about it.)
Endgame by Samuel Beckett (I feel like I was always playing an endgame and never knew it.)
The Plague by Albert Camus (Kind of like the one I unknowingly caused in Thebes. Talk about embarrassing.)
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
Oedipus the King by Sophocles
"When I Consider How My Light is Spent (Oh His Blindness)" by John Milton
The Biggest Riddle Book in the World by Joseph Rosenbloom (Good bathroom reading.)
MusicStronger (What Doesn't Kill You) by Kelly Clarkson
Wide Awake by Katy Perry
Oedipus by Regina Spektor
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
Knockin' On Heaven's Door by Guns N' Roses
I See a Darkness by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Hurt by Johnny Cash
Sweet Blindness by Frank Sinatra (I mostly like this song for the outfits in the video.)
MoviesThe Dark Knight (Another misunderstood hero.)
Inception (Okay, this movie confused me.)
Scent of a Woman
Citizen Kane (I totally solved the riddle of what "rosebud" means.)
Final Destination
The Ten Commandments
The Miracle Worker
Ted (Hey, everybody needs to not think sometimes.)
TV ShowsSherlock
House (Kind of my hero.)
Breaking Bad

Activities & Interests

LikesSunglasses
Braille 
Riddle books
Rubik's cubes
DislikesEverything that happened to me?
ActivitiesSolving riddles
Unknowingly making a terrible mess of my life and the lives of those around me
Crying
InterestsRiddle-ology
Enigmatology
GroupsHeroes
Kings of Greece
Riddle Solvers