Meaning, Origin And History Of The Name Oedipus

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Oedipus NameRelated NamesRelatedRatingsCommentsNamesakes 32%RatingSave Gender Masculine Usage Greek Mythology (Latinized) Scripts Οἰδίπους(Ancient Greek) Pronounced Pron. /ˈoe̯.di.puːs/(Latin) /ˈɛd.ɪ.pəs/(English) /ˈiːd.ɪ.pəs/(English) [key·simplify]

Meaning & History

Latinized form of Greek Οἰδίπους (Oidipous), meaning "swollen foot" from οἰδέω (oideo) meaning "to swell" and πούς (pous) meaning "foot". In Greek mythology Oedipus was the son of the Theban king Laius and his wife Jocasta. Laius received a prophecy that he would be killed by his son, so he left the newborn to die of exposure. Oedipus was however rescued and raised in the home of the Corinthian king Polybus. After he had grown and learned of the same prophecy, Oedipus left Corinth so that he would not be a danger to Polybus, whom he assumed was his father. On the road to Delphi he chanced upon his real father Laius and slew him in a petty disagreement, thus fulfilling the prophecy. He then correctly answered the Sphinx's riddle, winning the now vacant throne of Thebes and marrying the widowed Queen Jocasta, his own mother. Years later they learned the truth of their relationship, prompting Jocasta to commit suicide and Oedipus to blind himself.

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