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Sphinx for the land of Thebes, where he later became their King, and felt he had defied the prophecy that was said to be his. Both Odysseus and Oedipus were made portrayed as God-Like, larger than life in their capabilities and strengths. Odysseus had his cunning intelligence which is shown in his multiple uses of disguise and deceptive speech, while Oedipus solved the Riddle of the Sphinx that saved his people and land in Thebes. Both were perceived by their people as very capable rulers. Both had the important characteristic of being suspicious of others.
Odysseus mutinously became suspicious of people due to the wrongs he had lived through and Oedipus became suspicious of Croon and, the “Seer”, Tires after they came bearing news of the murderer of King Alias living amongst them, in Thebes, and causing the plague. Both men were wonderful rulers: just, compassionate and sympathetic to their people. This is also where their differences lie. When the plague hit Thebes, the oracle told Croon, King Alias’ murderer lives among the people of Thebes and with his exile the plague would end.
Oedipus vows to find out who murdered the king and to exile this errors from Thebes. The need to solve this mystery is what eventually ends Oedipus’ rule. With Odysseus, he was a hero due to the triumph over the Trojan and it also caused a lot of his tribulations he had to endure from Poseidon. Odysseus went to war and defeated his opponents, Oedipus had war come to him and found out he was his own opponent. Odysseus’ journey was for himself. Oedipus’ was for his people at first and turned into a journey to find out who he was. The characteristics of these two men are important today as well.
These rulers cared about their people. They laid their lives on the line for their land. They also overcame trials given to them by the gods. People now have to endure these types of things as well. The world today has many differences from the world then but most people will still fight to keep what is theirs, they will protect their own and all people have some type of journey to find out who they are and where they belong. The only characteristic in these two works that does not apply to today’s world, is the God-Like appearance of these two men. There are no God-Like figures in today’s world.