Act II begins with the return of Creon, an advisor to Oedipus and brother to Jocasta. He has returned from the Oracle at Delphi after being sent to find a solution to the plague. Reluctantly, Creon shares that Thebes must avenge the murder of the former King Laius to end the plague. Oedipus continues to press for details, uncovering the details of Laius’s death. He wishes for suffering upon the killer. With Creon and the Oracle unable to identify the killer, they call upon the prophet Tiresias.

Upon Oedipus’s request, Tiresias begins a ritual to make the meaning of the Oracle’s message clear and to identify the killer. Due to his blindness, Tiresias has his daughter, Manto, help with the sacrifice. This sacrifice contains many horrific omens.

Despite this sacrifice, they still do not have the name of the killer. Oedipus presses Tiresias to continue. To get the name of the killer, Tiresias proposes summoning Laius’s spirit. Oedipus sends Creon to help with this ritual.

The act ends with another speech from the chorus. They sing a people’s hymn in praise of Bacchus, the cult god of Thebes.