Final Answer:
According to the lecture, King Eteocles of Thebes was given the oracle "childless" and indirectly caused the death of his children by exposing them to death through natural causes.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Greek mythology and the story of Oedipus, King Eteocles of Thebes was given an oracle that prophesied he would die childless. This prophecy led to a series of events where Eteocles, fearing the prophecy, took actions that indirectly resulted in the deaths of his children.
Eteocles had two sons, Laodamas and Polydorus, whom he left exposed to natural causes, indirectly fulfilling the oracle by inadvertently causing their deaths.
The tragic consequences stemmed from Eteocles' attempts to avoid the prophecy. His fear of being childless drove him to take extreme measures, exposing his sons to the elements in hopes of avoiding his fate. This decision, driven by the fear of the oracle, ironically led to the demise of his children.
Eteocles' tragic story serves as an illustration of how attempts to defy or evade prophecies in Greek mythology often result in unintended and tragic outcomes, demonstrating the complex interplay between fate, free will, and the consequences of human actions in ancient narratives.