Regarded as Sophocles’ greatest work the play is considered a perfect tragedy. It was composed 17 years after Antigone and 10 years before Oedipus at Colonus. Oedipus, meaning “swollen foot” cannot escape his fate that is the prophecy that he kills his father and marries his mother. The majority of the story takes place before the play begins. Oedipus is the son of Laius and Jocasta of Thebes. An oracle predicts that Laius is to be killed by his own son. In attempt to avoid this, Laius sends Oedipus to a servant with orders to kill him. The servant cannot do this, so he abandons Oedipus. A shepherd brings him to Corinth and raises him as his own. Oedipus then learns from the Delphic Oracle that he is to marry his own mother and kill his father. On the road to finding his true parents, Oedipus murders Laius. Oedipus becomes king through saving Thebes from the curse of the Sphinx by solving a riddle. The riddle is, “What is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three in the evening?” Oedipus answered correctly, “Men.” All of this has taken place before the play begins.