The problem the painting poses to me is that the spear Oedipus holds in his hand has yet to pierce the wicked beast. He has allowed the monster to places its claws on his heart, the one organ that affects our minds. He must have seen this powerful beast approaching him, flying from the chasm below him. The chasm, opened up to the evilness of Hell, the destination to those who do not find their peace. Why is your spear not piercing the body of this creature? Look at the man; he uses all his courage to stare down this creature. It is clearly much stronger than he is, a shape shifter as well. It right claw has tapped into his heart and has gained knowledge of Oedipus’ weakness… women. Her eyes stare into his and the monster presses onto Oedipus. They are where the monster is comfortable, the dark mountains.

Why Oedipus has you made your way into the mountains? What good does this place have for you? Look at the chasm, have you not noticed the dead moaning for help. They have toyed with evil and the dark and now face the consequences of those actions, hell. Throw the monster back and spear it. Yes her beauty is mesmerizing but you must not succumb to that. Women are but the end of great men. Women are those who change a man into a worse man and only cause grief and sadness. Push the monster off of you and stab it. The spear is at your ready. You have the power, you have faced it down and it will be the end of you if you do not hurry. Only the evil of a creature like the Sphinx can cause the gorgeous day to turn into the dreary night.

Continue to face it down, I am very proud of you. You show no fear and only induce fear into the creature from Hell. I pray that you only hurry up and put an end to it. It will leave you soon, knowing a good man will not always change to the ways of sin but, it will lead to the demise of a weak good man. The beast is powerful and moves quickly and will not stop until the world becomes evil. It has begun with you, in the Cithaeron Range. This opened chasm will engulf the world. Push it off of you and spear it down, now! Does this creature promise you a monarch or glory? It tiara only represents its dominion over the evil dead and the evil living. What gain will you get out of that, you may one day rise up to be the monarch of Thebes or perhaps Greece.