Final answer:
Oedipus accuses Tiresias of mocking the truth about the murder of Laius, as Tiresias refuses to reveal what he knows and instead suggests Oedipus's involvement, which Oedipus initially cannot see.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Oedipus, Tiresias mocks the truth and knowledge regarding the murderer of Laius, the previous king of Thebes. Oedipus believes that Tiresias, being a prophet, holds the answers to the city's plague but accuses him of withholding information and being an accomplice to the crime.
This accusation leads to a heated exchange where Tiresias hints at Oedipus's role in the tragedy, suggesting that Oedipus is metaphorically blind to the reality of his actions and the fulfillment of the prophecy— that he would kill his father and marry his mother. Tiresias's cryptic responses and refusal to speak are seen by Oedipus as a form of mockery, betraying Oedipus's ignorance of the true nature of his circumstances.
Tiresias eventually reveals that Oedipus himself is the murderer he seeks, which only becomes clear to Oedipus after further investigation confirms the truth of the prophecy, leading to the tragic resolution of the play.