<P> A man arrives from Corinth with the message that Oedipus's father has died . Oedipus, to the surprise of the messenger, is made ecstatic by this news, for it proves one half of the prophecy false, for now he can never kill his father . However, he still fears that he may somehow commit incest with his mother . The messenger, eager to ease Oedipus's mind, tells him not to worry, because Merope was not in fact his real mother . </P> <P> It emerges that this messenger was formerly a shepherd on Mount Cithaeron, and that he was given a baby, which the childless Polybus then adopted . The baby, he says, was given to him by another shepherd from the Laius household, who had been told to get rid of the child . Oedipus asks the chorus if anyone knows who this man was, or where he might be now . They respond that he is the same shepherd who was witness to the murder of Laius, and whom Oedipus had already sent for . Jocasta, who has by now realized the truth, desperately begs Oedipus to stop asking questions, but he refuses and Jocasta runs into the palace . </P> <P> When the shepherd arrives Oedipus questions him, but he begs to be allowed to leave without answering further . However, Oedipus presses him, finally threatening him with torture or execution . It emerges that the child he gave away was Laius's own son, and that Jocasta had given the baby to the shepherd to secretly be exposed upon the mountainside . This was done in fear of the prophecy that Jocasta said had never come true: that the child would kill his father . </P> <P> Everything is at last revealed, and Oedipus curses himself and fate before leaving the stage . The chorus laments how even a great man can be felled by fate, and following this, a servant exits the palace to speak of what has happened inside . When Jocasta enters the house, she runs to the palace bedroom and hangs herself there . Shortly afterward, Oedipus enters in a fury, calling on his servants to bring him a sword so that he might cut out his mother's womb . He then rages through the house, until he comes upon Jocasta's body . Giving a cry, Oedipus takes her down and removes the long gold pins that held her dress together, before plunging them into his own eyes in despair . </P>

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