Greek Self-fulfilling prophecy

oedipus in arms of phorbas.

the best known example greek legend of oedipus. warned child 1 day kill him, laius abandoned newborn son oedipus die, oedipus found , raised others, , in ignorance of true origins. when grew up, oedipus warned kill father , marry mother. believing foster parents real parents, left home , travelled greece, reaching city biological parents lived. there, got fight stranger, real father, killed him , married widow, oedipus real mother.

although legend of perseus opens prophecy kill grandfather acrisius, , abandonment mother danaë, prophecy self-fulfilling in variants. in some, accidentally spears grandfather @ competition—an act have happened regardless of acrisius response prophecy. in other variants, presence @ games explained hearing of prophecy, attempt evade cause prophecy fulfilled. in still others, acrisius 1 of wedding guests when polydectes tried force danaë marry him, , when perseus turns them stone gorgon s head; polydectes fell in love danaë because acrisius abandoned @ sea, , perseus killed gorgon consequence of polydectes attempt rid of danaë s son marry her, prophecy fulfilled in these variants.

greek historiography provides famous variant: when lydian king croesus asked delphic oracle if should invade persia, response came if did, destroy great kingdom. assuming meant succeed, attacked—but kingdom destroyed own. in such example, prophecy prompts action because led expect favorable result; achieves another, disastrous result nonetheless fulfills prophecy.

people not have unsuccessfully avoid prophecy in order prophecy self-fulfilling. example, when predicted zeus overthrow father, cronos, , usurp throne king of gods, actively waged war against him in direct attempt fulfill prophecy. makes prophecy self-fulfilling 1 because prophecy gave zeus inspiration in first place.