To illustrate Oedipus says: "He said that I would sleep, when in the mood, with my mother and raise offspring who, although they bore the father's royal name, the people would avoid, out of utter shame. He said that my horrible destiny was to kill the one who had fathered me. Hearing this, I left my home and ran away... And all this time I was a criminal unaware of the crime , I put this curse on myself and, to make matters worse, I stained the bed made by my father. At this point in the play, Oedipus comes to the so-called realization that he may have killed Laius and that the prophecy is true time knew the prophecy, but continues to declare himself unaware of the crimes committed. He ignored the prophecy assuming it to be true and could have eluded it, but as a result his choice of action disappointed him. Furthermore, for a moment in the play Oedipus recalls his encounter at the crossroads and his unknown encounter with Laius, the old man paid the price and more; he hit him with his staff and knocked him down... he didn't give them a chance to fight back, he made sure to kill them all and says "my self defense was a simple execution". His claim of self-defense is not justified, according to the play Laius and his men did not pose a serious threat, in fact the reason why this altercation occurred was a simple