Laius

views updated May 09 2018

Laius in Greek mythology, a king of Thebes, husband of Jocasta and father of Oedipus, of whom it was prophesied that he would be killed by his own son. Laius accordingly ordered that the child should be exposed, but Oedipus was rescued and brought up in ignorance of his birth. When a man, he met Laius, quarrelled with him, and killed him; he subsequently married the widowed Jocasta.