King Laius

Marble statue of a cherub and a sphinx in an autumn park with fallen leaves and trees

Oedipus and the Sphinx: Greek Myth and Story

Orin Vale

Oedipus and the Sphinx is a defining episode in Greek mythology, uniting the Theban riddle, royal succession, and the tragic irony that follows Oedipus’s triumph. This article traces the myth’s literary sources, the symbolism of the Sphinx, and the larger themes of fate, identity, and human knowledge that made the story enduring.