Horrible, Horrible News

Dear Diary,


Well, I was correct in my assumption that King Oedipus would give his all to find Laius's murderers. This morning, he addressed the city of Thebes from his royal balcony and assured us that he would try to avenge Laius as if the man was his own father, and that when the murderer was caught, he will be executed and buried outside of the city. The citizens, including myself, were grateful for the confidence with which King Oedipus spoke; it seemed as if he was going to stop the plague that very minute! For the rest of the day, I felt hopeful that everything would be alright. 


Then, I did something bad. 


It was close to dusk, and I was walking around the palace grounds, just to blow off some steam from an earlier assignment, when I heard the strong voice of our king, Oedipus, speaking. It was coming from an open window on the second floor. I could see some of the inside of room they were in, which was the king's personal office. King Oedipus had his back turned towards the window, but I knew that if he turned around he would see me very quickly. So, I quickly dashed to the olive tree that stood conveniently under the window, and crouched at the base closest to the wall. From there, no one from that window would have been able to see me. 


I  knew then, as I know now, that eavesdropping is always a horrible idea, especially on royal families (what right do I have to listen to their private conversations?), but that same bad feeling of foreboding seized me as it did yesterday, and I felt a burning curiosity. I felt as if I had to know.


So, I strained my ears to catch whatever Oedipus was saying to the mystery person inside, and what that person might be saying back.


That was said, but I caught some of what Oedipus was saying when I first walked by; "Therefore begrudging neither augury nor other divination that is thine..." From that, I could guess that the other person may have been a seer. My thought was that King Oedipus may have been consulting the seer to get help with finding Laius' murderer, and at the moment I felt the dark feeling that had been welling up inside me vanish. I had faith that everything was going to be fixed!


And then I heard the seer speak. He sounded melancholy, as if he had just been given grave news (which was actually the correct assumption, given what he said next).  He asked to be able to return home, and to not be forced to have to reveal what he had seen. Of course, King Oedipus would not have that. He was the King after all, and who has the right to refuse him? The king persisted, and asked him directly: Who killed the old king?


Coming to this point of the conversation, I am now beginning to think that holding this knowledge is my punishment for eavesdropping, especially on the king.


The seer, who I've yet to hear the name of, says that he, King Oedipus, is the one who murdered Laius, and is the reason for the plague! My ears feel like they are still ringing from his words, and I don't know what to think. The king was outraged, of course, that someone would even suggest that! The king reminded him that he was the one who saved us all from the Sphinx and her riddles, which required a vast amount of intelligence and cleverness, and that he could not be easily fooled. He then accused the seer of being hired by Lord Creon to tell a false prophesy to seize the throne! 


The seer countered with disturbing questions and statements, asking if the king was aware of his lineage. He then said that the curse of his mother and father will someday cause the king to be banished beyond our borders, and that he's set himself and his children on a path of misfortune. 


This was not the worst of it. 


On his way out, after the king dismissed him in anger, the seer told King Oedipus that the man who murdered Laius is here, and passes for an alien in the land, but will soon be proven a true Theban. He then said the news will be him little joy, and that to his children he is both their brother and their father, and the murderer of his own sire. The seer then left, saying that if he is wrong, that he has no skill in prophecy. Sickened by his words, I left quickly and quietly, making my way in the darkness to my father's home.


I don't know what to think of this. If what the seer says is true, then we, as the city of Thebes, have been praising our king's murderer (and son!) as a hero! And it doesn't seem to make sense. If King Oedipus was the son of Laius, why was he not seen until he wandered into the city and defeated the Sphinx? He couldn't be the old king's son! Because if he is, then he has married his mother, and sired his own siblings! 


No...I can't believe that, I won't believe it! It is most likely just what King Oedipus claimed, that it is a plot made by Lord Creon. He is clever enough...


Things will work out. They have to.


Sincerely, 


The Royal Messenger, -------- (name has been scratched out)