The equation between childbirth and intercourse in terms of traffic into and out of a harbor is further developed by the verb πίπτω, which in the context of childbirth suggests that the baby “falls” between a woman’s feet at birth (LSJ IV), but here seems to be meant by the Chorus as a reference to the lot that fell to Oidipous (LSJ V 1-3) to service his mother’s needs. The Chorus might think of his deeds as his fate, but given the prominent role of the Oracle at Delphi in mentioning the necessity that Oidipous have interecourse with his mother, the idea of throwing dice or other objects, such as the oystershells mentioned by LSJ, recalls the formal procedures employed at Delphi and suggests the importance of the procedural aspect of a consultation at the Oracle. While the throwing of dice plays a prominent role in the transmission of information from god to mortals, the example of the prophecy given Laios makes it clear that his death was not a matter of chance but his own action. His violent death at his son’s hands did not simply “fall” to him. Thus the Chorus’s characterization of events as having “befallen” Oidipous are inaccurate; its views are based on a complete failure to appreciate a Delphic consultation’s function, which is not to learn what will happen but to seek guidance, what one should do, and an equally significant failure to understand a Delphic consultation’s procedure, which utilizes chance as a means to permit Apollo to indicate which of two options is the better. When the Chorus fails to attribute the pollution of its land, crops, animals, and women to a fault in its own beliefs, attitudes, and actions with respect to prophets, prophecy, and the gods, it repeats the error of its rulers—an error from which the audience is at this point in a position to distance itself, for it understands by now that Oidipous and Iokaste did not find themselves in bed with one another solely through happenstance, fate, simple inadvertence, or even the god’s contrivance; it occurred in no small part due to their own exertions. While Iokaste ignored the god’s explicit instructions, Oidipous failed to recognize instruction in the prophecy that to him seemed to express a prediction. Athenian activity, defined by ships continually entering and leaving its port is similarly problematic, for while the idea of a harbor serving both to launch and receive vessels is not itself improper, conduct of sea-based trade and warfare without due regard for divine instruction throws them into a morally dubious light that might pollute the city. Thus, where the Chorus introduces the harbor as a safe way to talk about incestuous intercourse, the audience is given a vehicle by which to understand that its own commercial and military activity can be loaded with impropriety. [Gd] [Mipd] [Mpei] [P]