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Oedipus is King of Thebes. He also is the vanquisher of the Sphinx, who overtaxes Thebans and terrorizes Theban residents and visitors alike. That act of conquest shows him to be a hero.

A hero is known for great deeds and great powers. Oedipus shows both in outsmarting the Sphinx at her own mental and physical games. He does so by solving a seemingly unsolvable riddle. He alone figures out that a human being is the life form that gets around on fours in the morning of life, on twos in the afternoon, and on threes in the evening.

Additionally, Oedipus is the adopted child of King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth. He's the biological child of King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes. He's the descendant of Cadmus, the founder and first king of Thebes. He's the father and half brother of his daughters Antigone and Ismene, and of his twin sons Eteocles and Polyneices. He's the nephew of his brother-in-law and uncle, Theban King Creon.

But at the same time, he's the albeit unknowing killer of his father and sovereign, Laius. He's the albeit unknowing incestuous partner of his mother and wife, Jocasta. And he's the unknowing victim of his own free will. Specifically, the choices that he freely makes and the actions that he freely pursues ironically lead to the carrying out of the very fate that they're intended to avoid.

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Q: Who is the Greek hero Oedipus?
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