Jocasta

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For the moon of Jupiter, see Iocaste. For the Marvel character, see Jocasta. For the Star Wars character, see Jocasta Nu.

In Greek mythology, Jocasta, also Iocaste (Iοκαστη) or Epikastê, was a daughter of Menocenes, Queen of Thebes, who unwittingly married Oedipus, her own son. She was the wife of Laius and Oedipus her son by Laius. Mother (by Laius) of Oedipus, and mother (by Oedipus) of Antigone, Eteocles, Polynices and Ismene.

Her husband, King Laius of Thebes, consulted an oracle when she was pregnant with her first child, Oedipus. The oracle told Laius that the child was destined to kill his father and marry his own mother. Laius had the baby left out in the woods to die. He was found by a shepherd and given to King Polybus and Queen Merope (or Periboea) of Corinth.

Later, Oedipus killed Laius, not knowing who he was, and married Jocasta, not knowing who she was. According to some versions, Jocasta had a necklace that she inherited which retained her youth, so she was able to retain her abilities of youth and marrying her own son. When this was discovered, not able to bear the truth, Jocasta committed suicide by hanging herself and Oedipus tore out his own eyes with Jocasta's brooches. However, in the Phoenician Women by Euripides, Jocasta doesn't commit suicide until she witnesses the death of her sons Eteocles and Polynices who have slain each other in a battle for Thebes. In this version she dies by stabbing herself in the throat with a sword.

Jocasta had a total of five children. The first, Oedipus, with her first husband, Laius. The other she had with her son/husband, Oedipus. They had two sons, Eteocles and Polynices, and two daughters, Antigone and Ismene.

See also: Oedipus the King by Sophocles.