Addressing Oidipous (now offstage) as “Laios’ offspring,” the Chorus, or rather Apollo speaking through the choral song, underscores the similarity between the two men and so affirms the audience’s understanding that Oidipous’s present punishment was made necessary by the same impious attitude that required Laios to die at his own son’s hands. [Gd] [P] That the god required Oidipous to take on the burden of parricide may from the audience’s present perspective appear to be just, for he is a physical manifestation of his father’s impiety, and as his father’s son, he can be presumed to carry the seeds of that same impiety. It was therefore appropriate that he submit himself to extraordinary purification. That he failed to recognize that opportunity when it was presented to him has led to his having been forced to participate in exacting justice for the god, first against his father, now against himself. [Md] [Mpea] [Apa]