Divine intervention and communication played a major role in ancient writings. The writers usually attributed odd occurrences to their gods. In Virgil’s Aeneid and Oedipus the King both divine intervention and communication play a prominent in their respective stories story. The events could range from prophecies, dreams, oracles, and direct communication with the characters. These events usually foreshadow a major event to come, but they are often in riddles. To the character just looking at it just for its face value it is useless but if the character can look at into the deeper meaning it can reveal untold truths. While in other works like the Illiad interventions can be so intense that they can save a characters life. Typically …show more content…
“Behold, what a full tide of misfortune swept over his head.” This was said by the Chorus, and it shows that the people in the story believe that a higher being is controlling their every move. In Oedipus, early on we are shown the importance of the gods. Oedipus, who is the king, wants to know why his city is plagued. Showing respect to the gods he sends Creon to the oracle at Delphi. When Creon returns he has been given some advice. Apollo tells him that Oedipus must “drive out defilement nurtured in your land.” Seeing how it would be a terrible crime to hide an enemy within his city limits, Oedipus vows to find out who the person is who committed such a crime. Later in the story Tiresias, a blind prophet, comes to tell Oedipus what he knows on the matter. After much hesitation, Tiresias tells him about how Oedipus is responsible for the murder of Laius. Oedipus reacts by discrediting Tiresias and his prophecies by calling him a crazy old man. As Tiresias is about to leave he leaves Oedipus with a riddle. He says, “I say that with your dearest family, unknown to you, you are living in disgrace.” Which tells Oedipus that he married to his own mother. Another line that stood out was said by Oedipus after he tore his eyes out, “It was Apollo, friends, Apollo. He decreed that I should suffer what I suffer; But the hand that struck, alas! was my own, And not …show more content…
In Oedipus the gods and the prophet were trying to help Oedipus stop his hunt for the murderer. This is shown by the oracle not going into much detail about finding the killer to stop the plague. The same idea works for Tiresias, he was hesitant to tell Oedipus about his fate hoping that holding out would make him become disinterested. He then tells him a riddle telling him that he did in fact marry his mother, if he could have decoded this he might have tried to sweep this mess under the rug to save himself. Instead he acts in rage and discredits all Tiresias has to say on the matter. While in the Aeneid Virgil sees the god was players and the characters pieces on a chess board. Their acts are carefully planned out and have interior motives, they also know what their next moves are going to be. The gods guide the humans by giving them notices if they stray from their destiny. This is seen with Aeneas when he wants to stay in Carthage. The gods give him a friendly reminder via dream that he must continue on his