OEDIPUS: That copse beside the palace where three roads met,.
Whose soil I watered with my father's blood,.
My blood - will they remember what they saw,.
And what I came that way to Thebes to do?.
Incestuous sin! Breeding where I was bred!.
Father, brother, and son; bride, wife, and mother;.
Confounded in one monstrous matrimony! (64).
Therefore, as Oedipus attempts to escape his fate, poetic, civil, and rough justice lead to divine justice being served as the gods get what they desire - Oedipus" downfall.
Dissimilarly, Teiresias, an old, blind prophet, lives a lonely, peaceful life devoid of wealth and power, so there is no tragic fate set for him. He is called upon by Oedipus to provide information about the murder of King Laius. Teiresias is well aware of Oedipus" actions, but he doesn't wish to create havoc in Thebes by revealing the truth. He has unordinary powers of divination and is completely faithful to the gods. Despite Oedipus" status, Teiresias never feels obligated to serve him; he speaks by his own will and the will of the gods:.
TEIRESIAS: King though you are, one right -.
To answer - makes us equal; and I claim it.
It is not you, but Loxias, whom I serve;.
Nor am I bound to Creon's patronage.
You are pleased to mock my blindness. Have you eyes,.
And do not see your own damnation? (37).
Thus, Teiresias is a loyal representative of Loxias (an oracle) and the gods. Divine justice serves him for his loyalty; the gods allow him to live with peace and respect.
On the other hand, King Laius, the ruler of Thebes, and Jocasta have unrivaled supremacy and the most prosperity while they are alive, and although they attempt to, they cannot avoid the gloomy fate which the gods have arranged for them. The gods do not appreciate the status of the Theban King and Queen because they feel insulted that these mortals receive almost as much acclaim as they do. Laius and Jocasta, after giving birth to Oedipus, follow tradition to consult a Delphic oracle about the future of their child.
