How does jocasta describe laius to oedipus

When Oedipus angrily repeats his charges, Creon again denies it, arguing rationally that he has no motivation to usurp the throne. The wrangling stops when Jocasta — the queen and Creon's sister — divides the men, sending Creon home. Oedipus continues to complain of Creon's charge through Tiresias that he himself killed Laius. When Jocasta hears that the charge comes from a prophet, she dismisses it immediately.

No one can see the future, she insists. As proof, she offers the story of a prophecy that her son would kill her husband, a fate avoided when Laius abandoned the child on a mountain. After Oedipus learns the details of Laius' death, he begins to worry that he is indeed the murderer. Jocasta, however, reminds him that Laius died at the hands of many men, not one.

Nevertheless, Oedipus asks that the only living witness to the murderer — a shepherd — be brought to him for questioning. This scene marks the change in the play from a simple detective story to psychological drama.

The Chorus calls on various Olympians to aid Thebes. Oedipus asks the Thebans to help him find and expel Laius' murderer. The blind priest Tiresias has information about the plague, which he refuses to divulge.

Oedipus alleges that Creon and Tiresias are conspiring against him. Creon, talking with the Chorus, denies the charges of collusion with Tiresias. Oedipus threatens to execute or deport Creon.

Oedipus' wife, Jocasta, and the Chorus defend Creon and convince Oedipus not to kill or banish him. Oedipus explains Tiresais' prophecy to Jocasta; Jocasta counters that not all of Apollo's vision come true and cites King Laius as an example. Jocasta recounts Laius' murder. Oedipus tells about the group of travellers he murdered. A messenger tells Oedipus that the King of Corinth is dead and that Oedipus is to assume the throne.

Messenger tells Oedipus that he is not, in fact, the son of Polybus the dead King of Corinth : A herdsman rescued Oedipus, after he was exposed as an infant, and turned the baby Oedipus over to the messenger himself. That way the child's fate was in the hands of the gods, and the parent wasn't considered directly responsible for its death. Sometimes Jocasta is criticized for her distrust of prophecies.

It's an understandable prejudice, though. Jocasta doesn't know that the prophecy Laius received came true—she believes her son to be dead and her husband to have been murdered by a band of thieves.

This seemingly disproves the prophecy that said Laius would die by his son's hand. As far as Jocasta knows, she abandoned her baby boy to exposure, starvation, and wild beasts for nothing. She has very good reason to be more than a little skeptical of prophets. It's important to note that though Jocasta is critical of prophecy, she isn't necessarily sacrilegious.

In fact, within the play we see her praying to the god Apollo, making offerings, and asking for his protection. No other character, besides the Chorus, goes as far. In a way you could see her as one of the more pious characters onstage. Not that it does her any good.