He would shake off the cloud if he could and as he has tried to do, but to no avail, for it cannot be overpowered (ἀδάματον). Despite all his efforts, he has been unable to outrun or evade the terrifying report that he must kill his father and wed his mother. The report sailed on; the terror has now presented itself as a fait accompli. Unlike prophecy, however, the proper meaning of which was obscured by his terror, the present darkness has no power to confer a helpful insight; confusion persists. The audience, however, can see that if he were to recognize his mistaken response to Delphi and if he were to ascribe his error to his own mental darkness, he would see clearly. He would see the god’s hand touching upon his life from conception on. His self-darkening would then represent an appropriate acknowledgement of his own responsibility for the consequences of denying the power of the god’s speech and actions and doubting his willingness to put these at his disposal to help him cope with a necessity beyond his ken. [Dn] [Md] [Mpei] [Mw]