In Greek mythology, Polybus is the king of Corinth who takes in and raises Oedipus, abandoned as a child, knowing nothing of his true origins. Oedipus believes himself to be his legitimate son, which drives him to flee Corinth to escape the oracle foretelling that he will kill his father and marry his mother.
Polybus
Polybus
Corinthe antique
7 min read
Frequently asked questions
Key Facts
- Legendary king of Corinth, husband of Merope (or Periboea according to some versions)
- Takes in and raises Oedipus, a child abandoned by Laius and Jocasta, king and queen of Thebes
- Raises Oedipus as his own son, never revealing the adoption
- His death, reported to Oedipus, leads the latter to believe he has escaped the prophecy of patricide
- A central figure of the Theban cycle, notably taken up in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex (5th century BC)
Works & Achievements
Taking in the abandoned child and raising him as a prince of Corinth is **Polybus**'s central act. Without this kind-hearted adoption, the tragic fate of Oedipus could never have come to pass.
**Polybus** rules the wealthy city of the isthmus, portrayed as a stable and prosperous kingdom. His kingship grants Oedipus a princely standing throughout his youth.
On the death of **Polybus**, the Corinthians send a messenger to offer the crown to Oedipus. This promised succession paradoxically triggers the revelation of the hero's origins.
**Polybus** and **Merope** let Oedipus believe he is their legitimate son. This family secret is the mechanism that drives Oedipus to consult **Delphi** and then to flee.
Anecdotes
According to mythological tradition, shepherds belonging to King Polybus found an abandoned infant on Mount Cithaeron, his ankles pierced and bound. They brought him to Corinth, where the childless Polybus and his wife Merope adopted him and raised him as their own son.
The very name of Oedipus (*Oidipous*), often interpreted as “swollen feet” in Greek, recalls the ankle wounds the child bore when he was entrusted to the court of Polybus. Raised as a Corinthian prince, he had no idea throughout his youth that he was not the king's son.
During a banquet, a drunken guest taunted Oedipus that he was merely a supposed child and not the true son of Polybus. Troubled, the young man went to consult the oracle of Delphi, which proclaimed that he would kill his father and marry his mother: believing Polybus and Merope to be his parents, he fled Corinth never to return.
According to Sophocles, it is the natural death of old Polybus that reassures Oedipus for a moment: a Corinthian messenger comes to announce the death and offer him the throne. Oedipus rejoices at having escaped the parricidal oracle — before learning, from that very same messenger, that he was only an adopted child.
In several versions, it is the Corinthian shepherd who received the child from the hands of a servant of Laius, king of Thebes. The figure of Polybus thus links two cities, Corinth and Thebes, and his well-meaning ignorance is the tragic mechanism that makes Oedipus's destiny possible.
Primary Sources
Polybus of Corinth was my father, and my mother was Merope, a Dorian. I was looked upon as the foremost of the citizens.
The Messenger: Polybus was no kin to you by blood. — Oedipus: What are you saying? Polybus did not father me? — The Messenger: No more than I did; he and I alike were strangers to you.
The child was taken in and brought to Polybus, king of Corinth, who raised him; and because his feet were swollen from the bonds, he named him Oedipus.
The shepherds of Polybus found the exposed child and brought him to Queen Periboea (Merope), who raised him as her own son.
Key Places
City where Polybus is king and where Oedipus grows up as an adopted prince. A commercial crossroads located on the isthmus linking the Peloponnese to mainland Greece.
Mountain between Thebes and Corinth where the infant Oedipus was exposed, then taken in by Polybus's shepherds. A wild place laden with omens in Theban mythology.
Sanctuary of Apollo where Oedipus consults the oracle that seals his fate. It is here that he learns the prophecy driving him to flee Polybus and Corinth.
Oedipus's true city of origin, ruled by Laius and then by Oedipus himself. The complete opposite of Polybus's peaceful Corinth, it is the place where the truth will come to light.
Residence of Polybus and Merope, where Oedipus is raised in ignorance of his origins. The heart of Corinthian power and the setting of the hero's happy childhood.
Typical Objects
Headband or crown marking Polybus's kingship over Corinth. It symbolizes the power that Oedipus believes he is destined to inherit.
Staff of command of the Greek kings, traditional attribute of the sovereign of Corinth. It embodies the legitimate authority of the royal palace.
Straps or a pin that pierced the feet of the exposed infant, the origin of the name “Oedipus” (swollen feet). It is by these marks that Polybus takes in the wounded child.
Curved staff of Polybus's shepherds who found the child on Mount Cithaeron. A humble object that links the royal palace to the pastoral world.
Wine cup used at Corinthian feasts, like the one at the banquet where a guest blurted out to Oedipus that he was not Polybus's son. It evokes the moment that sets off the hero's flight.
Royal seat of Polybus, symbol of the succession promised to Oedipus. The Corinthian messenger will come to offer this throne to the hero after the old king's death.
School Curriculum
Vocabulary & Tags
Key Vocabulary
Daily Life
Morning
As king of Corinth, Polybus begins his day at the palace, receiving his servants and attending to the affairs of the city. He inquires about the herds and the harvests, on which the kingdom's prosperity depends.
Afternoon
The afternoon is devoted to administering justice, receiving foreign guests, and overseeing the trade of the isthmus. Polybus also sees to the education of his adopted son, trained in the exercises and customs befitting a prince.
Evening
In the evening, the king presides over banquets where wine mixed with water is drunk and where the bards sing of the heroes' exploits. It is during one of these feasts that a guest, in front of Oedipus, casts doubt on his royal lineage.
Food
The royal table of Corinth offers barley and wheat bread, olives, cheeses, fish from the isthmus, and meat during sacrifices. Wine, always mixed with water, accompanies meals and libations to the gods.
Clothing
Polybus wears the linen or wool chiton and the himation draped over the shoulder, marks of his rank. The diadem and jewels signal his royalty during public ceremonies.
Housing
The king resides in a palace (megaron) adorned with columns, featuring a great hall with a central hearth where guests and counselors are received. The outbuildings house servants, grain stores, and workshops.
Historical Timeline
Period Vocabulary
Liens externes & ressources
Références
Œuvres
Adoption et éducation d'Œdipe
Temps mythiques
Règne sur Corinthe
Temps mythiques
Transmission du trône (offre posthume)
Temps mythiques
Le silence sur l'adoption
Temps mythiques
