When the blind
prophetfirst appears in , he is purposely vague as he begins to answer s
questions. He knows the terrible truth, and is not eager to share it. When Oedipus asks why he
looks so despondent, Teiresias says he wants to go home as they each have their own fates to
face. Teiresias goes on to say that it is . . . because I see thy lips speak words /
ill-timed, ill-omened, that I guard my speech.
As the interrogation
continues and Oedipus becomes demanding and harsh, Teiresias becomes agitated, and also somewhat
more direct. When repeatedly challenged by Oedipus to tell what he knows, Teiresias responds,
Thou art the accurs¨d plague-spot of the land. While this is more direct, Oedipus refuses to
understand the meaning of the words and continues to ask what he means, threatening him into
being more precise. When Teiresias hesitates, Oedipus begins to accuse him of orchestrating the
murder that has led to the plague. Teiresias finally...
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