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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Creon say has caused the disasters to the town?
(a) a fight between protecting gods
(b) an unavenged murder
(c) a slight to the gods
(d) an unfulfilled prophecy

2. Why does Oedipus ask Creon to speak in front of the townspeople?
(a) Oedipus wants to show the townspeople he's not afraid.
(b) Oedipus wants the townspeople to become used to Creon's voice.
(c) Oedipus feels more for the townspeople than for his own life.
(d) Oedipus wants to show Creon that he's not afraid.

3. What is Oedipus' attitude toward Teiresias when he first speaks to the prophet?
(a) angry and ironic
(b) derisive and snide
(c) defensive and annoyed
(d) deferential and complimentary

4. Why does Oedipus feel linked to Laius?
(a) He feels drawn to the memory of Laius.
(b) He says the prophets have linked him to Laius.
(c) He feels bound to Laius by the Sphinx's riddle.
(d) He is now married to Laius' wife.

5. What does Oedipus say he has to fear from Laius' murderer?
(a) The murderer may flee quietly and leave the town to suffer the gods' wrath.
(b) The murderer may seek revenge on Oedipus for trying to find him.
(c) The murderer may want to kill the queen, Laius's wife.
(d) The murderer may want to kill the new king, too.

6. What does the chorus say about human prophets?
(a) Human prophets have human motivations.
(b) Human prophets are the same as the gods and priests.
(c) Human prophets are always wrong.
(d) It's impossible to tell if human prophets have real knowledge beyond the everyday.

7. Does Oedipus say he's ever met Laius?
(a) Yes, he says he met Laius once.
(b) Yes, he says he's med Laius many times.
(c) No, Oedipus believes he's never met Laius.
(d) He says no, but he realizes he's met Laius many times.

8. What does the priest say that Oedipus will be king of, if he doesn't solve the town's problems?
(a) an ocean
(b) a forest
(c) a mountain
(d) a desert

9. Where does Creon say Laius was when he was killed?
(a) in the palace
(b) on an ocean voyage
(c) on the road to Delphi
(d) on the way to visit a nearby shepherd

10. What does Oedipus call the people of Thebes?
(a) the gods' children
(b) the gods' creations
(c) his children
(d) his creations

11. What does Creon say stopped the city from looking into the king's death?
(a) a war with Corinth
(b) a plague on the crops
(c) trouble with the Sphinx
(d) a storm that destroyed the town

12. Where has Oedipus sent Creon?
(a) to the kingdom of Corinth
(b) to Apollo's shrine
(c) to wander the wilderness
(d) to Zeus's oracle

13. What argument does Oedipus offer that Teiresias is not really a prophet?
(a) Teiresias's prophecies conflict with the oracle.
(b) Teiresias changes his prophesies from one day to the next.
(c) Teiresias is only faking blindness.
(d) Teiresias did not answer the Sphinx's riddle.

14. What does the chorus leader think of Oedipus' curses on the murderer?
(a) that the murderer will laugh at them
(b) that the murderer will take them seriously
(c) that the murderer will make fun of them
(d) that the murderer will ignore them

15. What does Creon say about Laius' companions when he was killed?
(a) They were all killed.
(b) The king was alone.
(c) They all ran away.
(d) They were all killed but one, who ran away.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Creon say of the news he brings?

2. What does the priest point out about Oedipus overcoming the Sphinx?

3. Before Teiresias leaves, what does he say about the murderer's nationality?

4. What does Oedipus decree that no citizen of Thebes shall do?

5. What reason does Teiresias give for not answering Oedipus' questions?

(see the answer keys)

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