Short-Note
Ans. When Jocasta listens to the story of Oedipus’s killing an old man, and when Oedipus expresses his desire to hear what the survivor (servant of Laius) says, Jocasta asks Oedipus what he expects to find out from the man. Oedipus says if his: story fits with Jocasta’s — that is, if he spoke of robbers, and if he still speaks of robbers — then it was not Oedipus. But if he speaks of one lone wayfarer, there is no escape; the finger points to Oedipus. Jocasta assures him that the man said that it was robbers, not a lone wayfarer. He cannot go back on it now; the whole town, not only she, heard what he said, and even if he changes his story in some small point; he cannot pretend that Laius died as was foretold. The oracle said that a child of Jocasta should kill Laius. But that did not happen, or it was not possible to happen, because the poor child died in its infancy. So, Jocasta proves that prophecies do not come true, and they should not care a fig for prophecies or divination. Oedipus admits that Jocasta is wise in her views, but still he would like to meet the survivor, the Theban shepherd, and to hear what he says. If he tells the same story — the story of Laius being killed by a band of robbers, they can be assured of Oedipus’s innocence.
Jocasta’s statement of the circumstances in which King Laius was killed, as she heard it long ago from their servant, now a Theban shepherd, and her assertion that prophecies do not come true, dispel the suspicion from Oedipus’s mind to a great extent.
