A plague.
The murderer of King Laius must be found and punished so the gods will end the plague on Thebes.
The plague would be lifted when the murderer of old king Laius was found.
The fact that Laius's murderer (Oedipus) lives unpunished.
The people of Thebes have been stricken by plague at the beginning of the play. The city is dying and the people are begging Oedipus to save them.
A plague.
The murderer of King Laius must be found and punished so the gods will end the plague on Thebes.
The plague would be lifted when the murderer of old king Laius was found.
The fact that Laius's murderer (Oedipus) lives unpunished.
Oedipus must find out how to lift a plague from Thebes.
The sphinx was sent by the gods. To plague the town of thebes for a ancient crime they comitted.
The people of Thebes have been stricken by plague at the beginning of the play. The city is dying and the people are begging Oedipus to save them.
Crops are blighted. The cattle are dying. Women are miscarrying or dying or both.
A plague has invaded the city, and Oedipus must find a cure
Creon suggests that the reason that the plague is upon Thebes is by one of the land and its' blood. This meaning that the plague is brought on by some one in the family.
That the plague at Thebes is occurring because the murderer of Laius lives unpunished.
The plague has come to Thebes, because the previous sovereign, Theban King Laius, was murdered. It was a most heinous crime to murder a king. His murderers weren't identified specifically, and never were punished. That unsolved crime of murder has encouraged the equally heinous crime, but yet unknown offense, of incest.