Oedipus as a young man fled his home attempting to avoid an unfortunate destiny prophesized before his birth. On a steep mountain path to the city of Thebes, he encountered a sphinx blocking the path. The sphinx would pose a riddle to travelers that none had been able to solve. If they could answer it, they could go through, if not they were torn to bits or eaten by the sphinx. Oedipus took the challenge. In this statue you can see the sexual overtones of the sphinx and Oedipus.
The riddle: What walks on 4 feet in the morning, 2 in the afternoon and 3 at night.
The answer is man. Man crawls on 4 in the morning of his life, walks upright on 2 in the day of his life and in late years walks with a cane.
Oedipus answered correctly and the Sphix threw herself from the mountain. The people in the city of Thebes were overjoyed and and made him King of Thebes.
This statue is made of bronze and resin and stands 12.5" tall and 6" deep.
