When Oidipous completes his thought, he confirms that he means to say that he acts as he does because he “needs” to avoid becoming his father’s murderer, yet the word to express need (χρῆιζων) is related to and reminiscent of the word he earlier quoted the god as having used (χρείη/χρῆναι; ll. 791 and 995) to express the necessity (or need) to which he is subject. Thus, when he says “needing not to be my father’s murderer,” Apollo can be heard to say “not needing to be my father’s murderer.” The shift pits against each other two perceptions of necessity, that of god and that of Oidipous. The word χρῆιζων has raised the issue of ranking the constraints and influences to which mortals are subject: their own wishes, their perceptions of necessity, divine instruction to mortals regarding what they must do, and the necessities that dictate the divine instructions. Necessity is the most compelling grounds for action; to it gods and mortals are alike subject. [Md] [Mpe] [Mi] [Dn]