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Sophocles, who was born in Colonus Hippius (now part of Athens), is thought by many modern scholars to be the greatest of the Greek tragedians. Around 430 BC, Sophocles wrote Oedipus Tyrannus, also known as Oedipus Rex. Oedipus Rex set the standard for Greek tra ....

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.... to them, a messenger finds Oedipus and nurses him back to health. Eventually, Oedipus is adopted by the King and Queen of Colonus. When he grows up, unknowing of his adoption, he discovers his doomed fate from an Oracle. Seeking to escape it, he flees from Colonus. Once upon the road, Oedipus discovers his path blocked by a man, whom he perceives to be a robber. He kills this man, who turns out to be his father, and unknowingly fulfills the first part of the prophecy. Soon, he comes to Thebes, which is being terrorized by a terrible monster, the Sphinx. The Sphinx wanders the streets surrounding the city, asking travelers an unanswered riddle. ....