While the herdsman may mean to ask only, “What do your require to know of me?” his question can be construed to mean rather, “What more requiring to understand?” To this the audience can supply the answer that the god requires that Oidipous understand (μαθεῖν) that Iokaste and Laios are his parents, but then even more importantlys that Apollo can and will ensure realization of prophecies in his name, for he must, for he recognizes and serves a necessity that bears upon immortals mortals alike. That necessity requires the cooperation of men and gods, which means that the god’s communications to men must be realized precisely as they are understood by their recipients. [Dnc] [Mipd] Mortals should therefore regularly employ Delphic consultation as an invaluable safeguard against misguided action. [Mpea] They should therefore under no circumstance run from even the most abhorrent prophecy; they should rather thoroughly interrogate the Oracle in order to discover precisely what necessity requires, and then with the utmost scrupulousness comply with the instructions that have been given. Oidipous is in this respect more to be condemned than pitied, for he is himself to blame for his flight from Delphic Apollo when it behooved him to look more closely into the meaning of the god’s speech and to submit to whatever the god might require of him. [Aj] [Md]