Counseling Oidipous to place hope in “the one present” (τοῦ παρόντος) the Chorus must mean the witness who was present when Oidipous slew Laios, but the present participle suggests a witness who is now present. Oidipous was a witness, and it is his testimony that has affronted the sole survivor’s account. Oidipous’s testimony is the more accurate, and it condemns him. Another witness, however, is the god who at this moment appears again to be using double entendre to speak directly through the mouth of the choral leader. Where it has been Oidipous’s strategy, now seconded by the chorus of Thebans, to privilege any witness, even the weakest, over the god’s counsel, the god, now speaking via double entendre, instructs mortals that hope is to be sought in one who is always present: himself. The god offers a vantage that should be presumed to be both superior and free from prejudice. He offers his service, then, as an independent arbitrator. Where Oidipous stakes everything on the god’s fallibility, the god advises mortals to stake everything on his ability and his disposition. His advice is supported by the fact that he can presently make himself heard and that he is presently bringing to fruition a complex project to restore his relationship with mortals and to lend credibility to the medium of communication between himself and mortals. [Gd] [Ad] [Apcma] [Apcmu] [Apa]