<P> Oedipus was the son of Laius and Jocasta , king and queen of Thebes . Having been childless for some time , Laius consulted the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi . The Oracle prophesied that any son born to Laius would kill him . In an attempt to prevent this prophecy 's fulfillment , when Jocasta indeed bore a son , Laius had his ankles pierced and tethered together so that he could not crawl ; Jocasta then gave the boy to a servant to abandon ( `` expose '' ) on the nearby mountain . However , rather than leave the child to die of exposure , as Laius intended , the servant passed the baby on to a shepherd from Corinth and who then gave the child to another shepherd . </P>
<P> Oedipus was the son of Laius and Jocasta , king and queen of Thebes . Having been childless for some time , Laius consulted the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi . The Oracle prophesied that any son born to Laius would kill him . In an attempt to prevent this prophecy 's fulfillment , when Jocasta indeed bore a son , Laius had his ankles pierced and tethered together so that he could not crawl ; Jocasta then gave the boy to a servant to abandon ( `` expose '' ) on the nearby mountain . However , rather than leave the child to die of exposure , as Laius intended , the servant passed the baby on to a shepherd from Corinth and who then gave the child to another shepherd . </P>
who made the prophecy about oedipus at his birth
who made the prophecy about oedipus at his birth
the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi
the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi