The verb ἐτιμάθης (“you were honored”) echoes and reverses what Oidipous said when complaining of his mistreatment at the hands of the god when he was dismissed from Delphi “without honor” (ἄτιμον, l. 789). By now the audience should know that that was a misperception; it was Oidipous who dishonored Apollo just as Laios had done before him. The city’s honoring Oidipous for solving the Sphinx’s riddle has similarly been based upon a misperception; it was Apollo whose powers were at work. For a city to honor any man as it has honored Oidipous is impious; it must reserve praise and gratitude for “the greatest” services (τὰ μέγιστ᾽), which will always be performed by its gods. Bestowing such honor on a mortal contaminates the city and calls for the gods to apply corrective measures. [Mpei] [Mpea] [Apa] [P] [Aj]