Laius was a character from Greek mythology, known as the king of Thebes. He was the son of Labdacus and the husband of Jocasta. Laius is most famous for his tragic fate, which was foretold by an oracle. The oracle warned him that he would be killed by his own son. In an attempt to avoid this prophecy, Laius ordered his infant son to be abandoned. However, the child survived and eventually returned to Thebes as Oedipus. Unbeknownst to Laius, he encountered and killed his father, fulfilling the oracle's prediction and leading to a series of tragic events in their family.