With the expression “unhappy lot” (δυσδαίμονι μοίρᾳ) the Chorus characterizes the misery into which Oidipous appears to have been plunged as the contrivance of an ill-disposed god. The Choru seems to believe that when a life ends badly, this is attributable to a god’s animosity. Thus having embraced the traditional view that gods can cross the gulf dividing their own domain from that of mortals, the Chorus expresses another traditional view that mortal happiness is a matter of divine whim; it depends upon the gods’ changing moods and attitudes. The Chorus is passing over the question, to what extent divine good will is predicated upon mortal attitudes and actions. That the gods do in fact have the capacity to enter the mortal domain and so to affect mortal happiness does not suggest that they are ever ill disposed without good reason. To the contrary, the present action underscores the fact that Apollo is disposed to cooperate with mortals for their benefit and only becomes ill disposed when mortals fail to make proper use of the channels for verbal communication between them. [Dnp] If the gods played no role at all in mortal affairs, then mortals need not give them any thought at all. If, on the other hand, mortals suspect that the immortals can in any way contribute meaningfully to their happiness (or unhappiness), they must proceed on the assumption that the gods are disposed to help. [Ad] It behooves mortals to do everything in their power to nurture a positive disposition in the gods by honoring them and paying careful heed to the media that provide for communication between them. [Dnp] [P] This is an all-or-nothing proposition, and mortals must make a clear decision, which way they are going to play it. Fence sitting embraces a contradiction that invites disaster. [Mw] Athens must decide whether it is all in or all out. If all in, the city must seek to bring its actions into harmony with the gods’ will as expressed through prophecy. [Mip] If all out, the city can and should stop the fiction of honoring the gods through traditional institutions and practices, including temples, processions, sacrifices, festivals, and prophetic consultations. [Mpea]