Oedipus runs from the prophecy and kills a man at "that very spot where the great king, you say, met his death." That man turned out to be his father. The author shows how Oedipus' choices in life did not make a difference in his future. His running from Corinth proved that his life was pre-determined by fate and nothing could be done to change it. His free will and choice to avoid fate actually brought him closer.
Oedipus believes Apollo's words about his future and leaves Corinth in hopes to change the future, but Sophocles shows how trying to outsmart fate will only lead one to it. In fact, Oedipus wavers between believing in prophets. Oedipus further shows his confidence in the prophets when asks what he can do to help save his city. Oedipus states, "I sent Creon, my wife's own brother, to Dephi-Apollo the prophet's oracle-to learn what I might do or say to save our city." Oedipus receives his answer and declares it as the truth. He does not second-guess what fate has in store for his city and knows nothing can be done about it. After hearing the news that, "all would be well", Oedipus replies, "Of course, but what were the God's words? There's no hope and nothing to fear in what you've said so far." Oedipus accepts what will come of the city's fate. He trusts Apollo's words and must find the murderer of King Laius in order to rid the city of the plague. What he doesn't know, is that the seeking help from the plauge brings him a step closer to his fate. .
The author shows us that his free willed decisions and actions cannot defeat fate. Once he left Corinth, Oedipus believed he outsmarted his own destiny. Many years passed and he thought he accomplished everything he could to avoid marrying his mother and murdering his father. While summoning the blind prophet Tiresias to find out the identity of King Liaus' murderer, Oedipus is put face to face with the harsh reality that he may be his father's killer.