Following on that ambiguous statement, Oidipous characterizes himself as an “ally” (σύμμαχον) in the field of justice, both to the country of Thebes, which he defiles without being aware of it, and to the god Apollo, whose capacities he seems willing to usurp. Oidipous’s own words thus again cast him in a dubious light—he is at once both ally and subverter of the god’s will. This contradiction presents the audience with a new problem to solve. Oidipous clearly sees himself as the god’s ally and demonstrates it through his obedience the instruction obtained by Kreon from the god at Delphi and delivered to Oidipous. But having received that message and accepted it, Oidipous thinks that he must act on his own, shedding light and solving problems independently of the god. While proclaiming himself to be the god’s σύμμαχον, he in fact sets himself up as the god’s equal. If he consults the god at Delphi, it is not with the expectation of putting himself in the god’s service, but rather the other way around: he expects the god to provide information useful to him in a project he believes himself to have initiated, for as he says here, he will go back to work “from the very start again.” His claim to piety reveals itself to express an impiety that must and shall be struck down. [Md] [Mi] [Me] [P] [Aj]