Oedipus - The King of Riddles In Greek mythology, oracles or gods are rarely wrong in their predictions of the future. Yet the characters still try to fight the predictions. Will their personalities and characteristics decide their future, or will fate take its course no matter what? Oedipus was a cunning man with wit and intellect, but his lack of intuition (the ability to clearly see and understand the inner nature of himself) and his arrogance led to his death, not fate. Oedipus's exceptional ability, or gift, was revealing itself. puzzles and solve any puzzles with ease. He had a surplus of outward-looking ability, but unfortunately he had a lack of inward-looking ability. This talent of looking outward made him famous for deciphering riddles and mysteries. However, when Tiresias appears and speaks in riddles, Oedipus is unable to solve them due to his lack of intuition. Tiresias' riddles are clear in what they explain, but Oedipus cannot understand them because he does not know himself sufficiently. Tiresias transmits: All ignorant! And I refuse to connect my statement with a fall like yours. (p. 42) At this point in the play Oedipus still cannot understand who King Laius' murderer is, even though the riddle is obvious. Oliver 2 Oedipus has the ability to understand riddles, but does not allow himself to accept the truth. When Oedipus saved Thebes from the Sphinx, he answered this difficult riddle. The Sphinx asked: What creature is it that walks on four feet in the morning, on two at noon, and on three in the evening? With his eminent mastery of riddles and having an open mind, Oedipus replied: It is the man. As a child he crawled on four. When he grows up he walks upright on two feet and as an old man he leans on a stick.1 This riddle is much more complex than Tiresias' rudimentary riddles, so Oedipus has the ability to solve the riddles but cannot afford to do so, due to his pomposity. Oedipus is so arrogant that he cannot believe that he could have done anything wrong. He suffered from the sin of arrogance. I mean, he was very vain and conceited. No matter how simple Tiresias' riddles were, Oedipus' pride would not allow him to solve them. Tiresias finally came out and explained what he meant without riddles, and Oedipus still couldn't accept that he had done something wrong.