What action does Oedipus take to prevent the prophecy from coming true?

Oedipus leaves Corinth as a preemptive measure to avoid fulfilling the prophecy that foretold he would kill his father and marry his mother. Upon learning from the oracle of Delphi about this gruesome fate, Oedipus believes that by leaving his home, he can escape the tangled web of fate laid out for him. He believes that by distancing himself from Corinth, where his adoptive parents, Polybus and Merope, live, he can avoid encountering the biological parents he is unaware of, thus attempting to outsmart the prophecy.

This action encapsulates one of the central themes of the play: the tension between fate and free will. Oedipus's determination to avoid his destiny leads him to make choices that ironically lead him closer to fulfilling the prophecy. His departure from Corinth sets into motion a series of events that ultimately fulfill the very fate he sought to evade.

The other options do not directly address his attempt to prevent the prophecy from coming true; confronting his parents or seeking the oracle may arise later in the story, but the act of leaving Corinth is his initial response to the prophecy he receives.