The chorus in Greek plays served several purposes. This group of around twelve men in masks sometimes played small roles, sang and danced, and served as a group of citizens. In the case of the second choral ode, the chorus serves to relay the thoughts and emotions of the elders of Thebes. They represent Theban men who have equal respect for the gods and the crown. Therefore, "their odes reveal both a strong attachment to the king as well as a grounding in religious culture."

In the previous episode, Oedipus insults Tiresias the blind seer, threatens him with death, and calls him a liar for having told him that he, Oedipus, is Laius's killer. Because Tiresias is a prophet of the gods, Oedipus is basically insulting the gods and rejecting Apollo's prophesy. The chorus is confused, worried, and angered, and they go back and forth with their emotions in the strophes and antistrophes.

In Strophe I, the chorus is angry and demands to know who the murderer is so that he can be punished by Zeus:

For in arms against him leaps
the son of Zeus with fire and lightning
and, following after him,(495)
the terrible, unerring Furies.

In Antistrophe I, the chorus believes that Laius's murderer is in hiding, trying to dodge the god's prophesy, but they are confident that Apollo will track him down and punish him.

For he wanders through the wild wood
and up to caves like a bull upon the rocks,
miserable, with miserable foot, living alone,
seeking to escape the prophecies
of the prophetic navel of the world,(505)
yet they forever hover, living, around him.

Next, Strophe II indicates that the chorus is confused by Tiresias' revelation. They know that they cannot deny his words, but they also don't know of an issue between Laius's and Oedipus's people or why Oedipus would want to kill Laius. Yet, they will strive to solve Lauis's "undiscovered murder" (521).

Finally, in Antistrophe II the chorus begins to question whether or not Tiresias the blind seer can know more that a common man. They acknowledge the greatness of the gods, but they refuse to judge Oedipus before they have distinct proof of his guilt, and they will never "agree when men are speaking slanders" (531). After all, wasn't he their savior when the sphinx terrorized Thebes?