I probably oculd have posted this in GQ, but I like everybody here.
What does the word/name Oedipus translate as? My English teacher in the 12th grade told me it meant “hurt heels” (which makes sense), but this jackass I knew who thought he was the smartest man alive told me it meant “club foot” (which doesn’t make sense). I’d like to prove him wrong. Anyone know for sure?
I think that roughly translated into English it means “Mama’s Boy”
::ducks and runs::
perhaps you’re thinking of Achilles? (the myth that surrounds Achilles is that he was “dipped” into something to make him impervious to wounds, but that since he was held by his one ankle, that area was able to be pierced, leading to his death - hence the term “Achilles heel” meaning vulnerable spot)
The character Oedipus (IIRC a play vs. a myth) who ended up being king by killing the current king and marrying that king’s widow. Oh, tragedy of tragedy, when mother’s day came 'round, guess who he had to send the card to? When he discovers that he’s married to dear old mom, he puts his eyes out (The Greeks had a way with words)
Wring, Achilles was dipped in the River Styx by his mom as an infant.
You know, come to think of it, if I can find that river, and dip my car in it, the next time some A**hole cuts me off, I can ram him with my Invulnerable Car of Death…
In the myth of Oedipus, his name does mean pierced heel or something similar. It’s because when he was found by a shepard as an infant his heels had been pierced so that he could not walk- he was abandoned to die, as he was prophesized to kill his dad and sleep with his mom.
oooh I sit corrected.
[andy rooney voice on] Didja ever notice how Greek myths and plays always had mothers and ankles in them? [andy rooney voice off]
Laius, king of Thebes and father of Oedipus, learned from an oracle that his own son would kill him. He therefore pierced and bound the feet of the newborn baby and had him left to die on Mount Cithaeron. But a kindhearted shepherd found the child and named him Oedipus, meaning “swollen foot.”
The child was brought to the king of Corinth, who reared him as his son. When Oedipus was grown, an oracle told him he was to kill his father and marry his own mother. To escape this fate he left home, for he believed that the king of Corinth was his father.
On his way to Thebes, he encountered Laius, quarreled with him, and killed him. About this time a terrible Sphinx appeared near Thebes. This monster asked a riddle of all who passed and forced them to guess it or be devoured. The Thebans offered the throne and the hand of Queen Jocasta to whomever should answer the monster’s riddle.
“What animal,” asked the Sphinx when Oedipus confronted it, “walks on four legs in the morning, on two at noon, and on three at night?” Oedipus quickly replied: “Man, for in the morning, the infancy of his life, he creeps on all fours; at noon, in his prime, he walks on two feet; and, when the darkness of old age comes over him, he uses a stick for better support as a third foot.” Thereupon the Sphinx dashed herself over the rocky precipice and perished.
Oedipus became king and was married to his mother Jocasta. Soon the country was devastated by a terrible plague. The oracle promised relief when the murderer of Laius should be banished. Oedipus then learned what he had done.
In horror Oedipus put out his eyes, while his mother hanged herself. A blind and helpless outcast, Oedipus wandered away with his faithful daughter Antigone. She cared for him until he died. The Greek dramatist Sophocles told the story of Oedipus and his children in the great trilogy of ‘Oedipus Rex’, ‘Oedipus at Colonus’, and ‘Antigone’.
Oedipus…following Greek tragedy info…Latin from Greek Oidipous: oidein, to swell + pous, foot; see octopus.
Does that contribute anything of value?
Ya beat me to it, Unc. For an interesting discussion on the lame hero in mythology (you know what I mean :)), interested parties could take a look at Claude Levi-Strauss’s “The Structural Study of Myth.” It’s not that uncommon a theme worldwide in mythology.
Which of course means not gone, or still here.
DNR
One thing that always puzzled me about Oedipus:
During the play he pulls 2 pins off the shoulders of his toga to poke his eyes out. If these 2 pins were holding his toga up, how come his toga didn’t fall off when he yanks out the pins? Never happened in any re-enactment I’ve ever seen, the toga just stays up magically without pins holding it there…
- to quote one of America’s greatest songwriters:
From the Bible to the popular song,
There’s one theme that we find right along.
Of all ideals they hail as good,
The most sublime is Motherhood.
There was a man, though, who it seems,
Once carried this ideal to extremes.
He loved his mother and she loved him,
And yet his story is rather grim.
<insert upbeat rag-time theme here>
There once lived a man named Oedipus Rex.
You may have heard about his odd complex.
His name appears in Freud’s index
'Cause he loved his mother.
His rivals used to say quite a bit,
That as a monarch he was most unfit.
But still in all they had to admit
That he loved his mother.
Yes he loved his mother like no other.
His daughter was his sister and his son was his brother.
One thing on which you can depend is,
He sure knew who a boy’s best friend is!
When he found what he had done,
He tore his eyes out one by one.
A tragic end to a loyal son
Who loved his mother.
So be sweet and kind to Mother,
Now and then have a chat.
Buy her candy or some flowers or a brand new hat.
But maybe you had better let it go at that!
Or you may find yourself with a quite complex complex,
And you may end up like Oedipus.
I’d rather marry a duck-billed platypus,
Than end up like old Oedipus Rex.
I guess the sound in the background of my recording is Sophocles rotating in the grave…
Lyrics by Tom Lehrer - as if there was any doubt.
Love your mother, just don’t love your mother.
Oedipus come home, all is forgiven…
Mother
From Mel Brooks’ History of the World, Part I:
Oedipus: Give to Oedipus! Give to Oedipus! - Hey Josephus!
Josephus: What’s up, motherfucker?
My Greek tragedy teacher said the name could also be parsed as “I have seen feet.” Thus, the name called attention both to the scars, and to Oedipus’ lack of foresight - he knew where he was but never where he was going. Always thought that was too odd to be true.