E-grāmata: From Greek representational literatureSophoclesTranslated by: Taha Hussein

Ayios, son of Labedkos, was king over the city of Thebes. The oracle of the gods warned him that he would be killed by the hand of a son born to him. However, when a boy was born to him, the king ordered him to be thrown out into the open on a mountain called Kitiron. But the shepherd who was ordered to do so took pity on the boy, so he handed him over to the shepherds of Polybus, king of the city of Corinth. They handed him over to their master, who raised him and took care of him until he grew up. Then the boy began to hear rumors about his birth, so he went out to consult the gods. They suggested to him that if he returned to his homeland, he would kill his father and marry his mother. So the boy left the city of Corinth and went to the city of Thebes, and on his way to it he met an old man in some of his guards, and there was a quarrel between them and the old man. The Sheikh killed him. He continued on his way until he reached the city of Thebes, and behold, a strange, deadly animal had risen on a rock near the city, posing a riddle to everyone he passed by. If he did not solve it, the animal attacked him and devoured him. The people of Thebes knew that their old king had died on his way, but they did not know his killer, and panic had filled their hearts because of the location of this animal in their city and its bad effect on them. Taha Hussien