Question

Taken literally, Oedipus was named after what?

Answer 1

Taken literally, Oedipus was named after the Greek words for "swollen foot". In Greek mythology, Oedipus was the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta. He was abandoned at birth due to a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother, and was found by a shepherd who gave him the name Oedipus, meaning "swollen foot", due to the fact that he was wearing a bandage on his foot.

Answer 2

Oedipus was named after his swollen feet, as his parents had pierced and bound them in an attempt to prevent a prophecy from coming true. The name "Oedipus" comes from the Greek word "oedema", meaning "swelling". Therefore, his name essentially means "swollen foot" in Greek.