Oidipous understandably interprets the plurals in αὐτοέντας and τινας to mean that there was more than one perpetrator involved in Laios’ killing, but the inaccuracy will seem to refute Kreon’s judgment that the god spoke “clearly.” Yet, the audience having just realized that, regardless of the way that the message is read, the god’s intentions are clearly expressed, must direct responsibility for misinterpretation towards Oidipous, and it might see that he is working from two sets of assumptions. On the one hand, he understands himself to be one instance of the authorities (αὐτοέντας) who will exact retribution for Laios’ death. On the other hand, he does not see himself as even once a perpetrator. Oidipous identifies himself with a multiple when it suits him to do so but separates himself from a multiple with which he does not wish to be associated. The multiple readings enrich the audience’s awareness of Oidipous’s predilection to interpret as it suits his self image. [Md] [Mpe] [Mipd]