Oidipous praises as the most “sublime” (κάλλιστος) of labors the full use of one’s faculties. His statement is designed to persuade the seer to divulge what he knows, but it is said with the conviction of personal experience. The satisfaction to which he gives expression stands, however, in the sharpest possible contrast to those most ignominious of actions for which he will soon be made known. This must pain the audience, because it shows that any satisfaction deriving from the application of one’s faculties may prove to be illusory. The extreme discrepancy between Oidipous’s assumption and the actuality to come will prompt the audience to question whether one should in fact not make best use of one’s capacities. How is it right that one, rather than receiving the god’s blessing for the good one does, is made the object of the god’s derision? [Md] [Mw] [Aj]