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The Sphinx of Thebes

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description The Sphinx of Thebes Overview

The Sphinx of Thebes is a monster in Greek mythology, depicted with the body of a lion, the wings of a bird, and the head of a woman. According to the Theban cycle, she terrorized the city by posing a riddle to travelers and killing those who could not answer, until Oedipus solved it. The myth was treated by Sophocles in the Oedipus Tyrannus and became one of the best-known episodes of Greek legend.

help The Sphinx of Thebes FAQ

What riddle did the Sphinx of Thebes ask travelers?

The most famous version asks: "What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?" The answer is a human—crawling as a baby, walking upright as an adult, and using a cane in old age. When Oedipus gave this answer, the Sphinx destroyed herself, freeing Thebes.

Who solved the riddle of the Theban Sphinx?

Oedipus solved the Sphinx's riddle, ending her reign of terror over Thebes. In gratitude—and unaware of his true parentage—he was made king of the city and married the recently widowed Queen Jocasta, who was in fact his mother. The story is central to Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex.

What did the Sphinx of Thebes look like?

The Theban Sphinx is traditionally described as having the body of a lion, the wings of a bird or eagle, and the head of a woman. Unlike the male Egyptian Sphinx (such as the Great Sphinx of Giza), the Greek version is female and monstrous rather than guardian-like.

Where does the story of the Sphinx of Thebes appear in Greek mythology?

The Sphinx story belongs to the Theban cycle of myths, most famously dramatized in Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus Rex (also known as Oedipus Tyrannus). Elements also appear in earlier sources such as the Odyssey and later in works by Euripides and other tragedians.

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