Final answer:
The source of the plague in Thebes was due to pollution, specifically in the narrative context of Oedipus the King. Historically, like the Plague of Athens, plagues often spread through contaminated water supplies or close-contact environments, with the Plague of Athens being caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. The correct option is C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The source of the plague ravaging Thebes, as presented in this week's lecture, was due to pollution. In the context of the question which should not be related to the actual Plague of Athens and more likely linked to the narrative of Oedipus the King, the pollution or miasma was a result of a curse that had befallen the city due to past sins, including the unresolved crime of the former king's murder and the incest of Oedipus unknowingly marrying his own mother.
In historical terms, when discussing actual plagues such as the Plague of Athens, the principal means of the plague's spread was through contaminated water supplies. Researchers have identified DNA from teeth recovered from a mass grave, pinpointing the cause to be the pathogenic bacterium Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. This bacterium causes typhoid fever, a disease that can lead to epidemics, particularly in overcrowded areas where it is easily transmitted, affecting a vast number of people.