While the Theban insists that the events about which he is being questioned are so distant as to be at best vaguely recalled, his actions suggest otherwise; he has avoided the palace and sought to suppress his testimony, from which it can be inferred that he has always known exactly who Oidipous was and what that meant. Here again the audience is given occasion to observe how evidence based on eyewitness statements may be tainted by the witness’s motives. [Mpew] Investigation into Laios’ death has always been derailed by the sole survivor’s misleading statement that the traveling party was set upon by many. This obfuscation remains in place until a new agent propelled by a different set of motives arrives on the scene. It would seem, however, that different agents with diverse agendas play equally well into the god’s hands. It appears to have suited Apollo to allow the herdsman to remain for years in the wings until needed, but now he has arranged both for this witness to be summoned to testify and for him to be compelled to change his story. [Apa] [Apc]