Oedipus Rex Section 8 Summary (lines 1499-1684)
by Sophocles

Oedipus defends his choice to blind himself, saying he cannot look upon his mother and father in the underworld, nor look upon his incestuous children in this world. Oedipus beckons to the Chorus but they only recoil. Creon enters, now in charge of the city of Thebes, and Oedipus ask to be exiled—fulfilling Apollo's command. Oedipus then begs Creon to bury Jocasta properly and to allow him one last meeting with his daughters. His daughters enter and Oedipus embraces them. He asks Creon to promise to raise them, but Creon also recoils from Oedipus when he reaches for him. Creon takes Oedipus's daughters from him, telling him his power is at an end. The play ends with the Chorus directly addressing the audience, saying that Oedipus is proof that no man can be happy until he dies.