As a young man in Corinth, a drunken man in a banquet tells Oedipus that he is not the real son of King Polybus and Queen Meropé. Although Polybus and Merope reassure him, a lingering doubt remained. As rumors about Oedipus' legitimacy spreads, he takes matter to his own hands and travels to the Delphic oracle, to ask who his real parents are. He receives a frightening prophecy that he will kill his own father, and marry his own mother. He comes up with a solution to prevent the prophecy from happening by leaving Corinth, and starting a new life. On his way out of Corinth, he meets and fights with Laius, the King of Thebes. Oedipus accidentally kills Laius in the process. Much to his dismay, Laius is actually his real father. Considering he is Oedipus' father, he must have had the physical characteristics of an old man. Despite the fact that the oracle warns Oedipus that he will kill his father, he foolishly did not stand aside from the fight with an old man, whom may very well be his own father. This marks the start of Oedipus' tragic journey, in which he himself is fully responsible for the consequences. Oedipus finds his way out of Corinth and into Thebes. At his arrival, he finds the city in a time of stress because of a rampaging Sphinx. The only way to get rid of the Sphinx was to answer its riddle. The Thebans offer to anyone who can answer the riddle, the throne of Thebes and the hand in marriage of Jocasta, the Queen of Thebes, and Laius' widow. Oedipus eagerly tries to solve the riddle and he came out successful. The Sphinx enters a world of denial and kills itself in the process. and Thebes is saved. In gratitude, the Thebans offered the throne and the Queen, to Oedipus. Oedipus foolishly accepts both offers. Despite the fact that the oracle warns him that he will marry his own mother. Oedipus fails to clue in that Jocasta is of an age that she could potentially be his own mother. This is once again another example of Oedip