What consequence did the Sphinx face after Oedipus solved her riddle?

What consequence did the Sphinx face after Oedipus solved her riddle?

• A. She became immortal
• B. She killed herself
• C. She was punished by the gods
• D. She transformed into a statue

Answer: (B)

The consequence the Sphinx faced after Oedipus solved her riddle is that she killed herself. In Greek mythology, the Sphinx was a creature with the body of a lion and the head of a woman. She terrorized the city of Thebes by posing a riddle to its inhabitants: “What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening?” When Oedipus correctly answered "man," identifying the stages of human life, the Sphinx could not bear the shame of her defeat. Rather than face the consequences of her loss and the end of her reign of terror, she chose to end her own life, thus highlighting themes of pride, defeat, and the tragic nature of some mythological beings. This event ultimately leads to Oedipus becoming the hero of Thebes, while the myth serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of hubris and the inevitable fate that befalls those who challenge the gods or set themselves above others.

The consequence the Sphinx faced after Oedipus solved her riddle is that she killed herself. In Greek mythology, the Sphinx was a creature with the body of a lion and the head of a woman. She terrorized the city of Thebes by posing a riddle to its inhabitants: “What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening?” When Oedipus correctly answered "man," identifying the stages of human life, the Sphinx could not bear the shame of her defeat. Rather than face the consequences of her loss and the end of her reign of terror, she chose to end her own life, thus highlighting themes of pride, defeat, and the tragic nature of some mythological beings. This event ultimately leads to Oedipus becoming the hero of Thebes, while the myth serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of hubris and the inevitable fate that befalls those who challenge the gods or set themselves above others.