The Golden Mean In Sophcoles Oedipus The King

Famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle once stated that the golden mean is “the best means of living is with the moderation of all things” (The Golden Mean). Sophcoles’ Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex portrays the golden mean using Oedipus’ otherworldly hubris. Oedipus’ hubris from evading fate causes him to run off course away from the golden mean, making him the one cursed and shamed.

Oedipus’ extraordinary hubris from doing numerous heroic acts and from “escaping” his fate as predicted by the oracle of Delphi deviates him from the golden mean and shines him in the spotlight of shame. Oedipus’ hubris is evident when he states: “Or why when the bitch-dog Sphinx of riddle sang, you never spoke a thing to break the spell? And yet her riddle called for insight trained-no traveler’s guess-which you plainly showed you did not have either from theology or birds. But I, the Oedipus who stumbled here without a hint, could snuff her out by human wit, not taking cues from birds” (Sophocles, Oedipus the King, 23). Oedipus’ arrogance and his hubris is evident here because he thinks of himself as larger than Apollo’s priest, Tiresias. His arrogance is also supported by the fact that he was the one solving the riddle of the Sphinx, saving thousands, and no one, in years, has spoken to him in a candid attitude like Tiresias. Oedipus’ shame comes from him denying Tiresias’ prophecy, “That man, I say, is here: a stranger in our midst, they thought, but in a moment you shall see him openly