The riddle of the Sphinx as a mathematical allegory

Object the article: The riddle of the Sphinx in the Oedipus myth. Subject of the article: The riddle of the Sphinx as a mathematical allegory. Purpose of research: The author argues that the interpretation of the riddle of the Sphinx on a meta-linguistic level as an allegory of the mathematical notions (e.g. triangle) reveals the semantic parallels between the number code of the riddle and the number symbolism in the Oedipus myth. Research metods: Philological research methods applied. Results: The riddle of the Sphinx is a mathematical allegory as it is a narrative in which a concrete fictional character - a creature changing the number of feet - is used to convey abstract mathematical notions. The incorporation of the riddle into the myth in the post-Homer versions resulted in an “accommodation” of the literary story of Oedipus to the riddle by adding the images related to the number “three” (third day, crossroads, the forked motif in the double goad, “three-footed” Oedipus with a cane). Field of application: Literary studies. Conclusion: The interpretation of the riddle of the Sphinx as a mathematical allegory underscores the significance of the number motif in the riddle and myth. The semantic harmonization between the mathematical notions conveyed in the riddle and the number images in the literary versions of the legend, reflect a deep structure of the Oedipus myth. The author is indebted to Oleg B. Zaslavsky, Svetlana Gracheva and Dan F. Whitman for assistance and helpful advice .