βεβῶτος . . . ἐλπίδων (here translated: “advanced,” literally: “having taken steps in anticipation”) calls to the audience’s mind the steps Oidipous has just now taken in “hope” or “expectation” (ἐλπίδων) of proving Teiresias wrong, the steps he has been taking in “hopes” of saving Thebes from plague, and the literal steps of his journey years ago from Delphi to Thebes in “hope” or “expectation” of avoiding the prophecy that he must kill his father and marry his mother. Those hopes, however, stand against the threat of hopelessness—the anticipation that he will prove himself to be Laios’ killer and consequently face death or banishment. His hopes are to be dashed because he took the wrong steps, because he let his hopes determine his efforts even when this meant putting himself in forceful opposition to prophecy. [Md] [Mpea] [Mi]