Cadmus

Cadmus was a brave young man who had three brothers and a sister, the beautiful Europe. After Jupiter had taken Europa from Zeus, their father, King Agenor, told his sons to find their sister and not to return without her. 

At the Oracle of Delphi

Cadmus travelled to many places, but he did not manage to find Europe. So he went to the Oracle of Delphi to ask for advice. The oracle told him to stop looking for Europe and to found a city where a cow would stop to graze.

Cadmus follows the instruction

Cadmus followed the oracle's instructions and found a cow with a moon-shaped mark on its ribs. He followed the cow, which led him to Boeotia.

 When the cow lay down, he knew that he had to build the city there. To honor Athena, he wanted to sacrifice the cow, but he needed water. So he sent some of his companions to fetch water from a nearby spring that was of the god Ares.

But at the spring lived a terrible dragon, a descendant of Mars, who killed most of Cadmus' men. Cadmus rushed to the aid of his companions and killed the dragon.

Then Athena appeared and told him to sow the dragon's teeth in the earth. From the teeth sprang forth warriors, the Spartans, who were pro-warriors.

Cadmus threw stones between them, making them think they were being hit by each other. So a few of them survived and helped Cadmus build his new city, Thebes.

Cadmus had to atone for killing the dragon, so he served Mars for eight years. After his punishment, Cadmus became king of Thebes with the help of Athena.

Zeus gave him a wife, Harmony, daughter of Mars and Aphrodite.The marriage of Cadmus and Harmony was a great celebration with all the gods and the Muses singing. Harmony received gifts, a beautiful tunic and a golden necklace, the work of Hephaestus.

Cadmus and Harmony had many children: the Autonomous, Ino, Agave, Semele and Polydorus. Towards the end of their lives, Cadmus and Harmony left Thebes and went to Illyria. There they helped the inhabitants defeat their enemies and Cadmus became their king, gaining a son, Illyrio.