In contrast to Iokaste (ll. 711-12), Oidipous ascribes directly to Apollo the response he received from the Oracle. He entirely ignores the priestess’s role as an intermediary. At this point in the account, Oidipous evinces no skepticism whatsoever. Rather, accepting the words of the priestess as coming directly from the god, he complains about the god’s attitude towards him. He went to Delphi in order to confirm his right to the respect of his townsmen; he came away with the impression that he did not have the god’s respect (ἄτιμον), for the god, as it seemed to him, dismissed him without deigning to satisfy him on the matters about which he had come. [Ad] His complaint reverses the notion of piety as the mortal’s obligation to demonstrate sufficient regard for the gods, for they expect mortals to show respect to them, their intermediaries, the rites conducted in their name, and the institutions founded in their honor. [P] [Mip] In Oidipous’s complaint the audience can read an exaggerated sense of self-importance, which he measures in relation to Apollo’s institution at Delphi and his intermediary in the Pythia. Oidipous regards Apollo as if it were the god’s duty to serve him. For this he might expect to suffer the god’s just wrath. [Aj] [Mw]