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The Three Great Epics

        Three of the greatest literary works are Oedipus the King,
Antigone and the Odyssey.   Oedipus the King and Antigone,   part of a
three part series, was composed by Sophocles and performed on the
stage during a three day festival. While Odyssey was story written
down by Homer and was one of the first recorded epicsthat was and is
still being read today.   The following shall be a comparison between
these three great epics in terms of their similarities and their
differences.

        In comparing Oedipus the King, Antigone and Odyssey, there is
a similarity between all three of them in terms of the main
characters leadership in response to to situations.   In Oedipus the
King, the main character that displays leadership in response to a
situation is Oedipus.   In this epic, Oedipuss leadership is greatly
noted, especially in the beginning and into the middle.   His
leadership is greatly recognizable when he takes charge when the
Chorus and the Priest ask for his help because of a plague in Thebes.
As a result Oedipus says, In all my search, I have found helpful
course, and that I have taken: I have sent Creon, Son of Menoikeus,
brother of the Queen, to Delphi, Apollos place of revelation, To
learn there, if he can, What act or pledge of mine may save the
city.(Sophocles pg 153)   Once Creon gets back with the word from the
Oracle, Oedipus springs into action when he says, I make this
proclamation to all Thebans:   If any man knows by whose hand Laios,
son of Labdakos, met his death, I direct that man to tell me
everything, no matter what he fears for having so long withheld it.  
Let it stand as promised that no further trouble will come to him, but
he may leave the land in safety.   Moreover:   If anyone knows the
murderer to be foreign, let him not keep silent:  
He shall have his reward from me.   However, if he does conceal it; if
any man fearing for his friend or for himself disobeys this edict,
hear...