Laius was the son of Labdacus, a previous king of Thebes. He married Jocasta, the daughter of his uncle Creon. After consulting the oracle about their child, Laius was told that his son would grow up to kill him and marry his mother.
Determined to prevent this, Laius had Oedipus' ankles pierced and tied together before leaving him on a mountainside to die. However, Oedipus was found and rescued by a shepherd, who then took him to Corinth.
Oedipus was raised in Corinth believing that the king and queen were his real parents. As a young man, he consulted the oracle and was told that he was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus left Corinth to avoid this fate, but on his journey, he met and killed Laius in a fight.
Unbeknownst to Oedipus, he had returned to Thebes and fulfilled the oracle's prophecy. He became the king of Thebes and unknowingly married his mother, Jocasta. Together, they had two sons: Eteocles and Polynices, and two daughters: Ismene and Antigone.
Eventually, the truth about Oedipus' origins was revealed, and he was driven from Thebes in disgrace. He wandered the land as a blind beggar until his death. Jocasta committed suicide upon learning the truth, and Eteocles and Polynices killed each other in a battle for the throne of Thebes.
The story of Oedipus and his family is one of tragedy and fate, with the characters trapped by circumstances beyond their control. It has been told and retold for centuries and remains one of the most famous Greek myths.