According to Oedipus, who can help him understand his fate?

In "Oedipus Rex," Oedipus believes that the shepherd holds the key to understanding his fate. This is because the shepherd possesses crucial knowledge of Oedipus's past, including the details surrounding his birth and the prophecy that foretold his tragic fate. Specifically, the shepherd is the one who was tasked with abandoning the infant Oedipus to prevent the fulfillment of the oracle's prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother. As the story progresses, it is revealed that the shepherd's testimony ultimately uncovers the truth about Oedipus's origins and the irony of his fate.

The other figures mentioned in the choices have roles that contribute to the narrative but do not hold the same pivotal information regarding Oedipus's past and fate as the shepherd does. Jocasta, for example, is unaware of the full implications of the prophecy and tries to dismiss its significance, while the oracle primarily delivers prophecies rather than personal knowledge of Oedipus's history. Thus, the shepherd's position as the one who can reveal the truth about Oedipus's existence makes him the key figure for Oedipus's understanding of his fate.