Oidipous responds to the suggestion that he move with greater deliberation and caution by defending his propensity for quick action. He offers up the kind of argument that is common in time of war: namely, that the enemy’s precipitous action demands an immediate response, for once their action succeeds, counter-action will be less effective. This logic would be difficult to refute were it not for the fact that the audience knows that here it is wrong, for Oidipous’s preemptive actions have already missed their mark; he has killed his father and married his mother even while hastening to avoid precisely these actions. This is compounded by the participle ἡμαρτημένα ἔσται, which has two meanings. Applied to action, it means “will have fallen short,” but when applied to thought (here in the form of plans), it means “will have missed the point.” Oidipous is referring to the action that he is defending, but the other unintended meaning underscores the fact that for most of his adult life he has been missing the point that it is not always wise to act precipitously. Kreon is the actor whom he takes to be a “quick schemer,” but the audience knows this to be an error, for even if Kreon meant to do him ill (for which there is no evidence), he has waited years to act. The one thus far quickest to act was Oidipous himself when he heard the prophecy that he must kill his father and have intercourse with his mother. The position of “enemy,” in that instance was held by Apollo or, if not the god himself, the oracular institution speaking in his name. “Enemy” is, however, how Athens must have regarded the oracle at Delphi once it learned that the Pythia had prophesied victory for Sparta and promised Apollo’s help in achieving it, against which Athens hastily decided to act. [Mg] [Mpe] [Gt-a] [Mi]