The Tragedy of Oedipus - (2)
"Ah... a mortal suffering due to the curse of Ares..."
The voice of an old woman, seemingly emerging from the earth itself or from deep within Oedipus's mind, echoed around him. Could it be a god? Had a deity appeared to punish and mock him?
"Who are you?! Are you a god come to mock and punish me?!"
Oedipus bellowed in a voice that seemed to rise from the depths of his being. After a moment of silence, a soft whisper reached his ears.
"You misunderstand. I am not one of the Olympian gods who have ruined your life. In fact, I am their enemy."
"An enemy... of the gods?"
The voice, so distant yet so clear, seemed to come from a being far beyond human comprehension. Oedipus, struggling to calm himself, took deep breaths as the divine voice continued to fill his ears.
"Did you know that Thebes's founder, Cadmus, was cursed with misfortune because he killed the dragon, a child of Ares?"
"A curse... you mean the curse that has been passed down through the generations...?"
"You bear no guilt. All of this is because of the Olympian gods."
Oedipus's eyes began to redden in a strange, unnatural way. An ominous energy seemed to flow from the earth into him, filling him with madness and clouding his judgment.
"If not for them, you would never have killed your father and married your mother."
"Hu... huuuuuh..."
A voice, like a divine revelation, spoke to Oedipus as he writhed in self-loathing and agony.
His throbbing head suddenly felt clearer, and his thoughts became simpler.
Yes... that's right. If not for those cursed gods... None of this is Oedipus's fault—it's all because of the gods!
And if that's true, then his duty is clear...
"Finally, you've found the right path. I, Gaia, grant you my blessing."
He must destroy the accursed temples of the Olympian gods in Thebes.
The first thing King Oedipus did upon returning to the palace was to exile the prophet. Since only Oedipus had heard the prophet's words, he believed that if he banished and later killed the prophet, the secret would be kept safe.
"I condemn you to exile for daring to speak falsehoods to the king. Leave Thebes at once!"
"I understand."
"But, Your Majesty, the prophet Tiresias..."
"I don't want to hear it! Guards! Take him away!"
Oedipus's drastically changed attitude—contrasting with the respect he had shown when the prophet was first summoned—left everyone in the palace shocked.
But this was only the beginning.
"Gather the troops. I will lead them myself."
"Your Majesty, what are the soldiers for...?"
"The plague in Thebes is caused by the temples of the god of madness and the god of the underworld. I intend to destroy those temples built outside the city!"
All the courtiers were alarmed and tried to dissuade Oedipus. No one had forgotten how King Pentheus had met his end for angering Dionysus, the god of madness.
Moreover, Oedipus was now planning to destroy the temple of Pluto, the god of the underworld. Had the wise king who saved Thebes from the Sphinx gone mad?
"Your Majesty, please calm yourself and reconsider. If you attack the temples, the gods' wrath will descend upon Thebes!"
"Pluto may rule the underworld, but he is also a god of mercy. Please, make the right decision..."
"We don't know what the prophet told you, but..."
Just yesterday, Oedipus had been a wise and benevolent king, concerned for his people suffering from the plague. Now, seeing him plan an attack that could lead to the destruction of Thebes, everyone desperately tried to change his mind.
But for some reason, he was unyielding, as if possessed by something.
"Silence, all of you! The plague in Thebes is the gods' fault. If we destroy their temples, the plague will be driven away!"
At the king's shout, the courtiers fell silent. Though their faces were filled with dismay, they had no choice but to obey.
Soon, the soldiers gathered at the palace. Oedipus, his eyes bloodshot and his demeanor unnervingly excited, drew his sword and declared:
"Now we march to the temple of Dionysus! We will destroy the temples of the gods who have brought this plague upon us!"
The soldiers of Thebes, bewildered by the sudden orders, murmured among themselves as they tried to grasp the situation.
"What is the king talking about?" "Is the tragedy of King Pentheus happening all over again...?" "He's planning to fight the god Dionysus?!" "Why is the plague Dionysus's fault...?"
Naturally, the general leading the soldiers moved to petition the king. As he approached to offer his counsel, his eyes met the king's.
"Your Majesty, do you truly intend to attack the temples? If you provoke the gods' wrath..."
"Silence! The Olympian gods may be up in the clouds, but I am here before you!"
"Guh!"


Swish—
In a single stroke, Oedipus decapitated the general. Blood sprayed everywhere, and fear gripped the onlookers.
Killing a man he had once favored was shocking enough, but the way the king's blade had sliced the general's body in two with such ease was even more terrifying.
"Is there anyone else who dares to oppose me?"
It was clear to all that Oedipus had gained strength beyond that of a normal human. Everyone realized that something had changed about their wise king.
The temple of Dionysus received an unexpected visit. Soldiers, armed and anxious, surrounded the temple.
"What on earth is going on?"
"Drag everyone out of the temple and throw them into prison! Kill anyone who resists!"
King Oedipus himself led the charge, threatening the priests of the temple. His soldiers, though uneasy, pointed their weapons at the worshippers.
"Is this really the right thing to do...?" "Shut up! Do you want to die at the king's hand?" "We're going to be cursed by the gods..."
The soldiers' morale was low. Attacking a temple was not something any sane person would do.
"Capture the worshippers now! Anyone who retreats will be cut down!"
Dionysus may have been unseen, but the king's sword was close. Faced with Oedipus's harsh command, the soldiers reluctantly began arresting the worshippers.
Until a massive leopard appeared and began tearing the soldiers apart.
Roar!
"Aaaagh!" "The gods' wrath! It's the gods' wrath!"
A creature, several times larger than a normal leopard, attacked, aiming for the soldiers' throats. Oedipus stepped forward to face it.
"Stand aside! This mere beast is nothing!"
The creature, recognizing the one who had threatened Dionysus's followers, charged at Oedipus with savage ferocity.
Snarl! Hiss!
Clang!
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Oedipus's sword flashed, deflecting the leopard's claws. The battle between the hero-king and the divine beast was enough to terrify the onlookers.
"Haaa!"
The sword of the hero who had saved Thebes cut through the air. The creature, quick and agile, dodged the attack but...
"Heh... Got you."
Snarl!
Oedipus abandoned his sword and grabbed the leopard's neck with his bare hands. An impossible feat for any ordinary human.
But with the power granted by Gaia, his strength had risen to that of a hero, and he choked the life out of the divine beast.
Thud!
"He... he's insane...!" "The king defeated a divine beast with his bare hands?!"
"Did you all see that?! This so-called beast of Dionysus is nothing! Burn down the temple!"
As King Oedipus, veins bulging in his muscular arms, roared, the soldiers, now terrified of him, set fire to the temple.
"Is this... right...?" "Shut up! Do you want to die right now?"
As the temple of Dionysus went up in flames, Oedipus watched with a grin. But behind him, the eyes of the leopard's corpse began to glow once more.
"Wha... what is that?" "It was definitely dead..."
The fallen leopard slowly rose to its feet and stared at King Oedipus, speaking with a voice that chilled everyone to the bone. The bloodstained mouth of the beast spoke human words.
"Are you the king of Thebes?"
Whether it was the beast's howl or a whisper of madness, the deep voice from the leopard filled the humans with terror.
"How dare you defile my temple? You will never die peacefully..."
The voice of Dionysus, filled with vengeful wrath, spoke through the creature before it fell silent once more. Oedipus's fate was now sealed, yet he felt no fear.
"Pah! Even a god can only send a mere beast!"
As Oedipus spat on the corpse of the divine beast and mocked it without hesitation, there was no sign of the wise king who had once defeated the Sphinx with his intelligence.
"You threaten me with curses because your beast is dead?! But what does it matter? My whole life is a curse!"
Oedipus roared at the sky. His bloodshot eyes and twisted face created a terrifying atmosphere, causing the soldiers to retreat in fear. The burning temple of Dionysus stood out in the background, but the soldiers felt a small sense of relief that, for now, they wouldn't have to commit any further acts of desecration.
The soldiers, thinking they would offer prayers to Dionysus for forgiveness once they returned, were soon shaken by a voice like a bolt from the blue.
"Next, we will burn down the temple of Hades! Follow me, all of you!"
What? Whose temple did he say?!
The Tragedy of Oedipus - (3)
"I will burn down the temple of Hades next! All of you, follow me!"
The soldiers couldn't believe their ears. Was the king really planning to destroy the temple of Hades after already burning down the temple of Dionysus?
Dionysus was one of the Twelve Olympian gods, the god of madness. Years ago, when King Pentheus of Thebes defied Dionysus, he met a horrific death. Some people sympathized with King Pentheus and bore a grudge against the god of madness.
King Pentheus had merely imprisoned the worshipers who caused disorder while drunk, but in return, he was stoned to death by his own mad family.
In Thebes, the name of Dionysus was spoken with a mix of fear, reverence, and resentment. He was a merciless god who could kill a king and spread the madness of wine just for offending him.
"But Lord Pluto..." "It was one thing to burn down the temple of Dionysus, but..." "Should we flee?"
However, the name of Hades (Pluto) carried a different meaning in Thebes.
He was the god of the underworld, wealth, and mercy. He granted the living blessings of wealth and mint leaves to mask the stench of decay, and there were even rumors that he had descended into a priest's body to save them from a monster.
The fear associated with Hades was unlike that of Dionysus—it was a more primal fear of punishment after death. As the ruler of the underworld, often called the Zeus of the underground, he commanded immense authority and power.
"If we burn down Pluto's temple... we'll end up in Tartarus after we die..." "This is no different from destroying Zeus's temple..." "Is King Oedipus not afraid of death?"
"What are you waiting for? Follow me quickly!"
King Oedipus, wielding his sword, threatened the soldiers. But unlike before, they could not move.
Even though Pluto was known as a god of mercy, if his temple were attacked, he would not merely forgive such an offense—no god would. The soldiers all imagined the terrifying punishments he could inflict.
"Your Majesty! Please withdraw your command! This is like stirring up a hornet's nest!" "The temple of Pluto contains the statues of other gods as well!"
Indeed, Pluto's temple housed statues of other gods, including Thanatos, the god of death, Lethe, the goddess of forgetfulness, and even the Furies, goddesses of vengeance whose names people feared to speak.
The soldiers begged Oedipus to retract his order, but all they received was the crazed king's wrath.
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"Hmph! Even if Hades himself descends, he'll flee to the underworld after meeting my sword! Move now! If you don't obey, I'll cut you all down!"
"If you don't obey, I'll cut you all down!"
Mad King Oedipus attempted to force the soldiers into action with sheer power. He believed that by killing the general and slaying the divine beast, his display of strength would compel everyone to follow him.
But...
"If we touch Pluto's temple, aren't we dead anyway?" "No, we might suffer eternal torment even after death." "Damn it... in that case, we might as well..."
Even if they feared the sword in front of them, nothing could be more terrifying than the god of the underworld. Eternal suffering after death was a punishment worse than death itself.
The soldiers' gazes toward Oedipus began to fill with resentment, anger, and murderous intent. Even if Oedipus had the strength of a hero, perhaps they could still overpower him if they all attacked together.
Noticing their rebellious looks, Oedipus turned and laughed maniacally.
"Oh... you dare to defy your king's orders?"
"Facing the wrath of Pluto is scarier than dying by your hand!" "We cannot obey this command! Stop this blasphemy now!" "Are you in your right mind, wanting to burn down a temple of mercy?"
The soldiers' spears turned toward Oedipus as they defied his orders. But the mad hero, empowered by Gaia, only sneered.
"Heh heh... Ha ha ha! Fine, all of you die!"
"Let's kill the mad king and offer him to Dionysus as a sacrifice to beg for mercy!" "Quickly, tell the priests at Pluto's temple!" "We won't suffer eternal punishment because of you!"
As news spread that the temple of Dionysus had been burned, citizens gathered in protest. Rumors quickly spread that the once-wise king had gone mad and intended to burn the temple of Hades next.
"Hasn't the god of mercy bestowed countless blessings upon the living...?" "Indeed! Look at his eyes! It's as if he's been hearing the whispers of Dionysus..." "Has the king gone mad from wine? Attacking temples—such insanity!"
Soon, the area around the temple of Dionysus was filled with soldiers and citizens shouting in protest. And in the midst of this chaos, King Oedipus, drenched in blood, swung his sword wildly, turning the scene into a massacre.
"Ha ha ha! Die, die, all of you!"
Slash. Slash.
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"Aaargh!" "His strength is incredible!"
No matter how many soldiers there were, they were no match for him. Who could stand against the power of a hero who had transcended humanity?
Blood splattered everywhere, staining the earth red like blooming flowers. The smiling figure of the king, drenched in blood and madness, was no longer the hero who had saved Thebes.
Meanwhile, news of Oedipus's massacre reached the temple of Hades. A soldier who had always been a devotee of Hades rushed in to report the events.
"You must flee! The temple of Dionysus has already been burned!"
"Soldier, we appreciate your concern, but as priests, we cannot abandon the temple." "To think that the once-wise king has gone mad and is burning temples, slaughtering people... How could this happen?" "Just yesterday, he was a benevolent king, caring for his people suffering from the plague..."
The priests of Hades were stunned by the sudden turn of events. But before they could fully grasp the situation, another soldier arrived, breathless.
"Quick, flee! The mad king is killing everyone who stands in his way and is coming here!"
"Oh heavens... Lord Hades." "The god of mercy is surely watching over us."
The priests began to pray, their lips trembling. But the sounds of screams grew closer and closer, until finally, a terrifying figure appeared.
From head to toe, covered in blood, the butcher Oedipus had arrived. After slaughtering countless soldiers and citizens who tried to stop him, he stood there, panting heavily.
"Ha... haaa... Olympian... gods... die..."
As the fallen hero slowly approached, everyone in the temple was gripped by fear. Although the priests were blessed with some divine power, they were not warriors.
"How did he get here so quickly...?" "God of mercy... please help us."
Meanwhile, in the Underworld.
I, the lord of the underworld and one of the three great gods, was at my desk, going through my duties. What good is a high position if there's always a mountain of work to do?
Even Charon, one of the primordial deities and a child of Nyx, the goddess of night, still works as a ferryman. And now, it seems that Thanatos, the god of death, is urgently entering the room.
"Hades! Didn't you tell me to inform you if people started dying under strange circumstances?" "Yes, I did. Have the Gigantes attacked a city?" Could it be that they've finally made their move? Where did the attack occur? Athens? Delphi?
"There's a madman in Thebes slaughtering people. The death toll is already in the dozens." "A human, causing such a massacre in the city?"
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Just as I was puzzled by the news of a human, rather than the expected Gigantes, wreaking havoc, Lethe, the goddess of forgetfulness, rushed in, her long silver hair flowing behind her.
"Hades! The king of Thebes is killing everyone! But my powers don't seem to work on him...?" "You mean your power of forgetfulness doesn't work?"
Even without descending to the mortal world or using my full power, Lethe's powers should have caused most humans to lose their memories.
"There must be some divine blessing or curse at play. Or perhaps a special bloodline..." "Could it be the influence of Dionysus, driving him mad?" "I don't think so. I'll take a look at the mortal world."
Even though Dionysus is the god of madness, he doesn't usually drive people to massacre others. Especially not in a city like Thebes, where both my temple and Dionysus's followers are numerous.
I temporarily shifted my consciousness to the mortal world. By borrowing the eyes and ears of a follower, I could observe the mortal realm without needing a direct prayer from a priest.
There, I saw a madman wielding a sword, slaughtering people.
"God of mercy... please help us." "King Oedipus has gone mad. Please..." "Lord Pluto... the streets are filled with corpses and blood..."
The followers praying to me trembled with fear. Some even believed that this was a punishment from the Olympian gods.
And that madman was...
"Ha ha ha!! Die!!"
With blood-red eyes, an expression twisted with madness, and a maniacal laugh echoing through the air, Oedipus was no longer the wise king who had once saved Thebes. The power of the earth goddess Gaia had driven him to insanity, causing him to slaughter countless people. It was clear that this was Gaia's curse, intended to wreak havoc in Thebes, where both my temple and Dionysus's temple stood.
"Ordinary mortals won't be able to stop him. Thanatos, I'll bring that human to the underworld myself. Please summon the goddess Mnemosyne."
"You're going yourself? The lord of the underworld doesn't need to bother. I have followers praying to me, so..."
"I know you planned to take a break like you did when you dealt with Sisyphus."
"W-Well... Ahem..."
I cut off Thanatos before he could make an excuse and closed my eyes. The best vessel to descend into was the body of a priestess who had already accepted me once before.
'My priestess, Penedeye.'
"Yes...! Your servant, Penedeye, is ready to receive your command."
'I need to borrow your body for a short time, as I did before.'
"It is an honor...! Lord Hades!"
A poor soul ensnared by Gaia's curse... A swift death would be a mercy for him.
With those thoughts, I began to descend into the mortal realm, taking control of Penedeye's body. As I did, the consciousness of the priestess was pushed to the background, allowing me to fully take charge.
Now, it was time to deal with Oedipus and bring an end to his tragic, cursed life.The Tragedy of Oedipus - (Final)
Familiar sensations and a shifting view—these were signs that I had possessed a human body. Black energy emanated from all around me, confirming that I had taken control.
"Oh...? Could it be...?" "Lord Hades...?"
The surrounding priests quickly bowed their heads in reverence. As I made my way through the temple, I saw before me the crazed king of Thebes.
"Haa..."
It was clear that King Oedipus had been granted power by Gaia. Once a hero celebrated for his wit in defeating the Sphinx and a wise ruler, he was now a madman.
Without recognizing that a god had descended into a human body, Oedipus charged at me—no, perhaps he didn't recognize me at all, his mind completely surrendered to madness.
"Hyaah!"
Boom!
As he lunged at me, I simply extended a hand and released divine power. No matter how powerful he had become among mortals, he was not strong enough to challenge a god, even one inhabiting a human body.
Crash!
Oedipus was sent rolling across the ground by the wave of divine energy, struggling to rise again. For a brief moment, his eyes reflected confusion.
This madness was not the kind induced by Dionysus; it was a madness that could be shaken off with repeated shocks.
Boom!
"Guh!"
But to burn temples and slaughter the people of Thebes? It was clear that only someone whose mind had become dangerously unstable could commit such acts.
Oedipus staggered to his feet once more.
"Are you regaining some sense now?"
"Hah... Hades... god..."
The madman looked at me directly.
"You are filled with sorrow. I will listen to your story."
"Hah..."
Gaia's curse had merely sparked the fire that was already smoldering in the pile of emotional kindling within him.
As Oedipus looked at me once again, a brief flicker of sanity returned to his eyes. He glanced between the black divine energy surrounding us and my eyes, then slowly raised his sword to his own arm.
Slice.
"Gaaah!"
"King Oedipus... he's cutting off his own arm..." "What?!" "What is happening...?!"
Oedipus fell to one knee, gritting his teeth. By cutting off his own arm, he had briefly freed himself from the influence of madness, and he looked at me with clear eyes at last.
Finally, the king of Thebes, his eyes filled with clarity, bowed his head.
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"O god of mercy, Pluto."
But along with that clarity came a torrent of emotions—sorrow, anger, self-loathing, guilt, resentment, despair...
"Do not show me mercy... I am a sinner... Hah, ha..."
A flood of all the negative emotions one could imagine. What on earth had happened to him before Gaia's curse took hold?
But regardless, his crimes were enough to warrant his judgment in the underworld. Concentrating power in my hand, I stepped toward the kneeling man.
"In your current state, it will be difficult to converse. We will talk again shortly."
"I'm sorry... Mother."
Swish.
Thud. Roll.
Oedipus's head rolled across the ground, his body offering no resistance as if he had resigned himself to his fate. For a man who had burned the temple of Dionysus and murdered countless citizens in a fit of madness, his end was unexpectedly anticlimactic.
I watched his head roll for a moment before turning to observe the humans around me. Fearful that divine punishment might befall them, the citizens of Thebes avoided meeting my gaze.
"Lord Pluto..." "Show us mercy..."
The priests of the temple quietly closed their eyes and clasped their hands in prayer. I noticed that one of the newer priests was weeping with reverence.
"...Not one of you fled from the temple. I will remember your devotion."
With those final words, I returned my consciousness to the underworld.
Back in the underworld, I found myself surrounded by gods with stern expressions. They had all gathered upon hearing what had transpired in Thebes.
"Thanatos, please summon King Oedipus immediately. Also, bring Judge Minos."
"Understood."
"Shall I bring the waters of Lethe?"
"Goddess Mnemosyne, I don't believe that will be necessary."
From what I had seen in Oedipus's eyes in the mortal realm, he would likely retain his memories even after crossing the river of forgetfulness. It was time to hear his side of the story.
Soon, Thanatos dragged Oedipus's soul before me. Though the madness was no longer visible in his eyes, they were still filled with a storm of emotions.
"I will listen to your story, and then, in consultation with Judge Minos, we will determine your punishment."
"....."
"Speak freely, without reservation. Even if you wish to curse Zeus, it matters not to me."
At these words, Oedipus slowly began to speak.
"I killed my father and lay with my mother, even siring children with her."
In a hoarse, trembling voice, he recounted his life's journey—from being raised as a prince of Corinth, to killing his father in the chariot, to Thebes, the Sphinx, and his mother-wife Jocasta.
He spoke of the truth revealed by the prophet Tiresias, and of the power granted to him by someone who claimed to be Gaia.
Oedipus fell silent after recounting his tale. Had it not been for Gaia's influence driving him to burn the temples and murder people, his guilt would have been greatly reduced.
"Gaia filled your mind with wicked thoughts."
"At first, my head was indeed filled with resentment toward the gods, but at some point, my own will became involved."
Oedipus admitted that he had given in to the madness.
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Why? While it's true that resisting such madness is no easy feat...
"Were you angry at Apollo, the god who made the prophecy?"
"He merely revealed to me the future that was already fated."
"Then, did you harbor anger toward Ares, who placed the curse upon the Theban royal family?"
"If someone had killed my child, I might have cursed them as well."
"And what about Gaia, who drove you to ruin? Do you believe she is to blame?"
"She merely redirected the flames that were already burning."
He says this, yet it's clear he held some resentment toward the gods. While caught in madness, he had indeed lashed out against the Olympians by destroying temples.
But... perhaps his other desires were so overwhelming that he had no room left to blame the gods. It was time to confirm my suspicions.
"Then, what is it that you desire?"
"I wish to be punished for the heinous crimes I committed—killing my father, lying with my mother, burning the temples, and slaughtering the citizens of Thebes."
Perhaps he had wanted divine punishment all along. Despite committing the horrific acts of patricide and incest, the Furies had not tormented him. Likely, this was because his crimes had no malice or intent, but did that only make Oedipus feel more miserable?
"You do not claim that it was Gaia's curse that drove you to kill those people."
"...I'm sorry."
Did he believe that only by receiving a cruel and harsh divine punishment for his heinous crimes could he truly atone?
Human minds are far more fragile and unstable than those of the gods. When pushed to their limits, they often choose self-destruction.
Sometimes, those who overcome such trials are hailed as heroes among heroes... but Oedipus was not so fortunate.
Human emotions are complex, and there are times when even they do not know what they truly want.
Especially a human whose mind was already broken and further tainted by Gaia's madness...
"Please, deliver my punishment."
"Your punishment is not something that can be decided quickly. It will be postponed for now."
Was it not the madness that drove him to his actions? Or was he pleading with the gods to punish him because he had willingly embraced that madness?
Oedipus was led out under heavy guard by the soul-wardens.
After dismissing the other gods, I called Judge Minos to consult with him. Although his two brothers were too busy judging other souls to attend, Minos alone was more than capable of offering sound advice.
"Minos, what do you think?"
"I believe the severity of his punishment should be determined by how much Gaia's curse influenced his mind."
"And?"
"Beyond that, we must consider the desecration of the temples, the prophecy of tragedy, his contributions to Thebes, and the lives he took."
Minos was right.
When Oedipus slaughtered people and burned temples, the balance between his intentions and the madness induced by the curse must be carefully considered.
I needed to make the fairest judgment possible.
"Gaia likely tempted him by claiming that everything was the gods' fault."
"But according to Oedipus, at some point, he began to embrace the madness and act on his own will."
"There was likely a shred of willpower left in him, even amidst the madness."
"That's why he spoke of his will being involved as well."
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"If not for Gaia's curse, would he have simply ended his suffering by gouging out his eyes, as he swore he would blind the parricide he sought?"
"Oedipus's already broken mind was pushed further into ruin by Gaia's curse..."
After a long discussion with Minos, considering his actions, his contributions, and the curse's influence...
"Bring Oedipus back."
It was time to deliver the final judgment.
Oedipus was brought before me once more. As the silent king of Thebes stood before me, I began to speak slowly.
"Your crimes include violating your mother, killing your father, burning the temple of Dionysus in a fit of madness, and slaughtering innocent citizens of Thebes."
Perhaps Oedipus is the most tragic figure in Theban history.
"By the severity of your crimes alone, you should be sent to Tartarus to endure endless labor. However..."
Most of his crimes were not truly his fault. Even the burning of the temple and the murder of Theban citizens were committed under the influence of his broken mind.
"I will take into account the madness induced by Gaia's curse, the prophecy of your tragic fate, and the fact that you were once revered as a wise and just ruler of Thebes."
From beginning to end, Oedipus was manipulated by the gods. A curse from Ares brought misfortune upon the Theban royal family. The prophecy led his father to abandon him, and he unknowingly violated his mother. Upon discovering the truth, he was further driven into madness by Gaia.
"I sentence you to a punishment of building stones at the outskirts of the underworld for 200 years, with the blessing of forgetfulness to erase your memories of the mortal world."
For a man who had killed dozens of people, destroyed a temple, and even slain a sacred beast, this might seem like a light sentence. But given his circumstances, I deemed it appropriate.
"You will not be allowed to reincarnate, and once your labor sentence is complete, you will serve as a guard at the gates of the underworld for eternity."
"Is the blessing of forgetfulness... a mercy you are granting me?"
"Think of it as a small compensation for the suffering you endured at the hands of the gods from the moment you were born until the end of your life."
Oedipus, unable to speak, bowed his head. I turned to the goddess Lethe.
"Goddess Lethe, please take care of this."
The judgment was complete.
After Oedipus received the blessing of forgetfulness and was taken away to begin his sentence of labor, I found myself deep in thought.
"Hades, the Olympian god Dionysus has requested that Oedipus be punished more severely."
"...." "Hades...?"
As I slowly raised my head, I saw the sorrowful face of the silver-haired goddess.
"I'm not sure if the judgment I made was the right one."
"You did your best, Hades. You gave the appropriate punishment and mercy to a mortal who was battered by fate..."
"I'm not sure..."
Had I truly judged Oedipus correctly? Were his punishment and the small mercy I granted him fair and just? Was there any part of my judgment that wasn't entirely impartial?
"We gods... we are not as omnipotent as mortals believe."
"Yes, that's true." "Even Zeus doesn't know everything, and even we, the three great gods, are swayed by our emotions." "That's only natural." "Athena isn't always wise, and Hephaestus sometimes wields his hammer poorly."
Gods are not omnipotent. Athena sometimes loses her wisdom in moments of passion, and even Hephaestus occasionally creates flawed works.
"But as the god of the underworld, such lapses in judgment should not happen."
When mortals die, they come to the underworld. Victims and perpetrators meet here. Murderers and innocent victims arrive here. Those who committed crimes because they were manipulated, those who were killed by the gods, all find themselves here. Even those who committed sacrilege, those who were deceived into wrongdoing, and those who unjustly suffered and resented the gods all come to the underworld.
This is the final destination for all mortals and the place where their deeds in life are judged.
For this reason, I must strive to be as fair and impartial as possible. This is the duty of the god who wields such great power over the underworld.
"Why must you be so infallible? Hades, you're not the primordial god, Chaos. You're allowed to make mistakes." "But..." "Even I sometimes make mistakes when bestowing the blessing of forgetfulness upon mortals. If something goes wrong, so what?" "My duty is to judge mortals..." "You're already doing that well. Even Minos accepted your judgment and left satisfied."
Minos, known for his fairness, is not someone who would hesitate to speak up if he disagreed with my judgment. I'm well aware of this.
"But still... I wanted to make the most just decision..."
Suddenly, Lethe embraced me tightly, activating her power of forgetfulness. The warmth of the goddess's compassion spread through my body.
I didn't resist.