The InterCriPol research network, whose mission is to reopen and solve cold cases of fiction, organizes an international conference on mythology on 3-5 March 2023, in Athens. The conference has as its starting point Pierre Bayard’s recent book, Œdipe n’est pas coupable (Minuit, 2021), in which Sophocles’ solution is questioned. The two-day conference will be followed by a visit to the crime scene and a reconstruction.

As many readers, first and foremost Voltaire, have pointed out, the investigation that is the subject of the Oedipus Rex tragedy, concluding that the king of Thebes is guilty, is carried out in a hasty manner and is based on incomplete and contradictory testimonies. A persistent, confusing and unanswered question is how many attackers were present when Laius was killed. Therefore, as many ambiguities remain with regard to the murder of Laius, the guilt of Oedipus cannot be taken for granted. The play’s inconsistencies need to be detected, with the help of goodwill and willing researchers / detectives. Four articles that reexamine the case are already available online: http://intercripol.org/fr/thematiques/critique-policiere/grand-dossier-de-contre-enquetes-sur-la-culpabilite-douteuse-d-dipe-2.html.

Any paper – in French or in English – that seeks to further explore all possible hypotheses concerning the Labdacids is very welcome. Papers may also investigate another work of ancient Greek drama, or another episode of Greek or Roman mythology. In either case, the work chosen must be subjected to rigorous detective criticism, put under scrutiny and reviewed under the guidelines of InterCriPol: http://intercripol.org/en/investigations/instructions-for-investigators.html.

Please submit proposals by September 30th 2022  to za257@cantab.ac.uk. or pierrebayard91@orange.fr

For any further information or any suggestions, please contact: pierrebayard91@orange.fr and za257@cantab.ac.uk.