Chapter 10 The Story of Oedipus - 10

Oedipus resisted all the temptations of his relatives, cursing that they would be revenged by the gods, and his fate would end. One day, there were bursts of thunder in the sky.The old man heard the voice from heaven and asked to see Theseus.At this time, the entire earth was shrouded in darkness.The blind king feared that he would never live to see Theseus again. He had a lot to say to Theseus, and he wanted to thank him for his kind protection.Theseus came at last.Oedipus sincerely blesses the city of Athens. Then, he asked Theseus to obey the call of the gods and accompany him to the place where he could die, and when he died, no one's finger should touch him.After his death, Theseus could not tell anyone about this place, nor could he tell where his tomb was, so that Athens could be protected from enemies.He allows his daughter and the villagers of Chronos to give him a ride.So a procession went into the grove of Furies, and no one was allowed to touch him with a finger.The blind man, who had been led by his daughter all this time, seemed to suddenly see it, and he walked in the front with pride, walking towards the path guided by the goddess of fate.

When they reached the depths of the Nemesis Sacred Forest, the ground cracked, and there was a copper threshold at the cracked hole.There are many winding paths leading to it.Legend has it that this cave is an entrance to the underworld.Oedipus kept his companions from approaching the entrance of the cave.He stopped before a bored tree, sat down on a rock, and untied the belt that bound the beggar's clothes.He asked for some clean spring water, washed off the dirt accumulated on his body by his long exile, and put on the neat clothes his daughter had brought for him.He was standing there rejuvenated, when thunder rumbled from the ground.Oedipus embraced his daughters, kissed them, and said, "Farewell, children! From this day you will lose your father!"

Suddenly, they heard another rumbling noise.Everyone didn't know whether the sound came from the sky or from hell. "Oedipus, why are you hesitating? Why are you delaying?" The blind king let go of the children in his arms and put their hands in those of Theseus, signifying that they were handed over to him.Then he bade them all turn their backs and go back, and only Theseus could go with him to the bronze threshold.His daughter and the people who came with her turned their backs and walked for a while before looking back.Miraculously, Oedipus was gone.There was neither lightning nor thunder in the sky, not even a breath of wind.It was strangely quiet, and Theseus stood alone, covering his eyes with his hands, as if he were blinded by the miraculous sight.After he finished his prayers, he came to the two girls and took them back to Athens.