Sphinx

The Sphinx appears in Sigmund Freud’s account of the legend of Oedipus as the obstacle whose riddle Oedipus must solve before reaching Thebes. Her defeat changes his fortunes: the Thebans choose him as their king and give him Jocasta in marriage, linking the encounter to the events that later become the center of Sophocles’ tragedy.

Identity and Role

The Sphinx is presented as a figure barring Oedipus’s way to Thebes. The passage does not describe her appearance, origins, or speech beyond identifying the challenge she sets; her role is defined by the riddle and by the threshold she guards.

The Encounter at Thebes

After fleeing what he believes to be his home city, Oedipus travels toward Thebes and encounters the Sphinx. He solves her riddle, clearing the way into the city. The people of Thebes respond by making him king and presenting him with Jocasta’s hand in marriage.

Place in the Oedipus Legend

The episode is part of the earlier history that Freud recounts before turning to the opening of Sophocles’ tragedy. Oedipus’s rule initially lasts in peace and dignity, but the later plague prompts the Thebans to seek the oracle’s counsel and discover that Laius’s murderer must be driven from the land. The Sphinx’s encounter therefore marks a decisive turn in Oedipus’s fortunes, while the account assigns her no further action in the tragedy itself.