Oedipus Rex OEDIPUS: [. . .]
Say, sirrah, hast thou ever proved thyself
A prophet? When the riddling Sphinx was here
Why hadst thou no deliverance for this folk?
And yet the riddle was not to be solved
By guess-work, but required the prophet’s art;
Wherein thou wast found lacking; neither birds
Nor sign from heaven helped thee, but I came,
The simple Oedipus; I stopped her mouth
By mother wit, untaught of auguries.
This is the man whom thou wouldst undermine.

Part A
Which of the following best describes the theme developing in this passage?

A. “people must beware of prophets, for they are often false”

B. “mother wit will triumph over art”

C. “excessive pride can blind people to the truth”

D. “prophets must be able to prove themselves”

Part B
Which sentence or phrase from the passage supports your answer?

A. Say, sirrah, hast thou ever proved thyself / A prophet?

B. Why hadst thou no deliverance for this folk?

C. And yet the riddle was not to be solved / By guess-work, but required the prophet’s art

D. Nor sign from heaven helped thee, but I came, / The simple Oedipus, I stopped her mouth