the unfortunate king of Thebes, whose history is partly fabulous, flourished about 1266 B. C. It is said he was given by his father to a shepherd, who was ordered to put him to death, in order to prevent the misfortunes with which he was threatened by an oracle. But the shepherd, being unwilling to kill him with his own hands, tied him by the feet to a tree, that he might be devoured by wild beasts. The infant was however found in this situation by another shepherd named Phorbas, who carried him to Polybus king of Corinth; where the queen, having no children, educated him with as much care as if he had been her own son. When he was grown up, he was informed that he was not the son of Polybus; on which, by order of the oracle, he went to seek for his father in Phocis; but fearce was he arrived in that country, when he met his father on the road, and killed him without knowing him. A short time after, having delivered the country from the monster called the Sphinx, he married Jocasta, without knowing that she was his mother, and had four children by her; but afterwards, being informed of his incest, he quitted the throne, and, thinking himself unworthy of the light, put out his eyes. Eteocles and Polynices, who were celebrated among the Greeks, were born of this incestuous marriage.