Oedipus' intelligence became evident to the Theban people when he figured out the Sphinx's riddle and upon being freed from the Sphinx's spell, the Thebans proclaimed "It was some god breathed in you to set us free" (Sophocles 5). In fact, the Thebans were so grateful to Oedipus that they decided to make him the king of Thebes and married him to their widowed queen Jocasta, who was Oedipus' long lost mother. After saving the city of Thebes from the Sphinx, a plague settled over the city and Oedipus sent his brother-in-law Creon to the Oracle of Delphi to ask the gods what needed to be done. When Creon returned to Thebes, he told Oedipus that the oracle had said that the murder of the former Theban king Laios would need to be avenged in order for the plague to be removed from the city. Thinking quickly on his feet to try and resolve the issue quickly, Oedipus told the Thebans that if the murderer confessed they would be pardoned for the crime, but would be exiled from the city. Also, no punishment would come to any who came forth with information about the crime or whereabouts of the murderer. When no one stepped forward to give information or confess, Oedipus said that if anyone who is involved in the crime in any way does not step forward, they will be banished from the city and all those around the city of Thebes forever. From that point on, Oedipus began a tireless search for the murderer of king in order to save the city of Thebes; a city that he, as its ruler, held dear to his heart.
Oedipus knew that is was his duty as king to be the one who avenged the murder of King Laios and cleanse the city of Thebes of its retched plague. Although, despite being a very intellectual ruler, Oedipus knew that he could not solve the murder by himself and that he needed help from the gods. Oedipus sought the advice of Tiresias, a blind seer that could see the future, because he believed that Tiresias could use his powers to tell him who Laios' murderer was.
