Oidipous’s speech returns now to the everyday rhythm of iambs as his raving subsides, his first thought is to command the Chorus to hold its tongue, to refrain from giving further advice; he seems to have regained confidence in his own abilities. The audience may agree with him that the townsfolk lack insight, but it has found him to be equally lacking, and so his confidence is unjustified. Indeed, his rejection of counsel is reminiscent of his refusal to accept divine instruction, and so his rejection of advice appears to be symptomatic of his former penchant to rely solely upon his own reason. After Apollo’s display of his powers, Oidipous’s return to his former self is suggestive of an arrogance that further insults the gods and thus further endangers the town. Apollo’s forceful application of corrective instruction seems not to have achieved its goal, with the result that the application of yet more suffering can be expected. [Apa] [Apc] [Mp] [Md] [Aj] [Mw]