The Sphinx and Oedipus
A Sphinx terrorizes Thebes with a riddle. Oedipus answers “man,” prompting the Sphinx’s death and his rise as king—beginning a tragic fate already foretold.
Story beats
- 1) The Sphinx—lion body, woman’s head, wings—blocks Thebes, killing those who fail her riddle.
- 2) “What walks on four legs in morning, two at noon, three in evening?” Oedipus answers: human life stages.
- 3) The Sphinx dies (leaps or turns to stone). Thebes crowns Oedipus, giving him Jocasta as wife.
- 4) The victory triggers the deeper tragedy: he fulfills the prophecy of killing his father and marrying his mother.
Context & symbolism
The Sphinx episode showcases intellect defeating brute menace. The riddle maps human lifecycle; Oedipus’ insight contrasts his ignorance of his own identity. Solving the riddle wins kingship but also locks in doom—fate’s double edge.
The Sphinx, a foreign monster from Ares/Hera lore, marks a liminal test before the main tragedy unfolds.
Motifs
- Riddle of life stages
- Monster at the gate
- Intellect as weapon
- Victory that seals fate
Use it in play
- Gatekeeper riddle that tests self-awareness.
- Defeating a monster opens political reward with hidden curse.
- Answering binds PCs to a prophecy.
Comparative threads
- Riddle contests: Bilbo/Gollum, Turandot; intellect over arms.
- Sphinxes elsewhere: Egyptian guardians of knowledge.
Hooks and campaign seeds
- A riddle monster dies when answered; its death releases a larger curse.
- Solving a riddle wins a throne—prophecy consequences follow.
- Multiple riddles map phases of an adventure; failure costs lives.