Cadmus and the Founding of Thebes

When Europa was carried off by the god Zeus in bull form, King Agenor sent off his sons, Cadmus, Phoenix and Cilix, in pursuit of their sister, with instructions not to return without her.

However, the quest was fruitless, so the sons made homes for themselves. Phoenix gave his name to Phoenicia, Cilix settled in and gave his name to Cilicia, and Cadmus, accompanied by his mother, went to Thrace. Cadmus consulted the oracle at Delphi who told him it was foolish to continue to hunt for his sister because the bull on which she had been carried off was no ordinary beast. Instead, Cadmus should follow a cow with a white, full moon-shaped spot on either flank. Where the cow collapsed in exhaustion, Cadmus was to build a city. This city was Thebes.

Cadmus would become the progenitor of a troubled family whose members included Oedipus, Dionysus, Pentheus and Semele. Read the rest of the article on Cadmus and the Founding of Thebes.

Cadmus, Athena and the Dragon image © Clipart.com