Sophocles: Journal 1 (Part 1)

159: Oedipus' people are gathering at the alter, he implores an old man to tell him of his prayers.

160: The Preist tells Oedipus of how Thebes is dying and how the black plague has reached them.

161: The Preist speaks of Oedipus' past accomplishments and pleads with him to help his people and set the city on its feet.

162: Oedipus tells his people that he too suffers because they suffers and tells them that he sent his brother-in-law Creon to Delphi to ask for advice, then Creon arrives.

163: Creon brings mixed news back from Dephi and asks Oedipus if he wants it in private or in front of his people and Oedipus wants it with his people present.

164: Creon says that for the Thebes to be put right again, the murder of Laius, thier previous leader, must be avenged.

165: Creon reveals that Laius was killed in Thebes and his killers are also in Thebes, and that there was one survivor in the attack and he told Creon something.

166: Creon says that the survivor told them that the King Laius and his company were attacked by theives, and when Oedipus asks why they didnt track the killer down then, Creon says that the Sphinx persuaded them not to.

167: Oedipus says that he will avenge Laius' death and he tells the priests to come with him and to get the people at the alter to come too.

168: The chorus pleads with Zeus and the other gods for help.

169: The chorus speaks of the deaths of the people that have befallen Thebes and again pleads for the help of the gods.

170: The chorus asks the gods to defeat death for them and grind it down to nothing.