Cadmus

Cadmus, in Greek Mythology, the son of Agenor and Telephassa, and brother of Europa. When the latter was carried off by Zeus, he was sent by Agenor in quest of her, with injunctions not to return without her. The search was vain, and the oracle at Delphi told Cadmus to relinquish it, but to follow a cow of a certain kind which he should meet, and build a city where it should lie down. He found the cow in Phœis, followed her to Boeotia, and built there the city of Thebes. Intending to sacrifice the cow to Athena, he sent some men to the well of Ares hard by for water, but they were killed by the dragon, a son of Ares, who guarded it. Cadmus then slew the dragon, and sowed the monster's teeth in the ground. From these at once sprung up armed men who set upon and slew each other until none were left but five, who became the progenitors of the Theban families. To Cadmus (perhaps a Phœnician name) was ascribed the introduction into Greece of the Alphabet (q.v.).