Lecture Notes on Cadmus and His Tragic Fate

Introduction

• Cadmus: Skilled warrior and heir to the Phoenician throne.
• Divine ancestry, closely connected to the gods of Olympus.

Early Adventures

• Childhood Connection: Cadmus is closely watched by his divine ancestors.
• Europa's Abduction:
  • Zeus transforms into a bull and abducts Cadmus's sister, Europa.
  • Cadmus and his men tasked with retrieving her.

Oracle of Delphi

• Seeking Guidance: Cadmus visits the oracle for help.
• Divine Instruction: Told to find a sacred wild cow to establish a new city.
• Founding Thebes: Cadmus follows the oracle's advice.

Encounter with the Serpent

• Giant Serpent Attack:
  • A serpent appears, killing some of Cadmus's men.
  • Cadmus kills the serpent, unknowingly slaying Ares's sacred creature.
• Divine Punishment: A voice tells Cadmus he shall become a serpent.

Athena's Aid

• Planting the Teeth: Athena advises Cadmus to plant the serpent's teeth.
• Emergence of Warriors: Warriors sprout from the planted teeth to help build Thebes.

Family and Love

• Marriage to Harmonia: Cadmus marries Harmonia, daughter of Ares and Aphrodite.
• Hope for Peace: Initially, it seems that the family might escape divine wrath.

Tragedies Striking the Family

• Actaeon's Punishment:
  • Actaeon, Cadmus's grandson, inadvertently offends Artemis and is transformed into a stag.
  • His hounds, unable to recognize him, kill him.
• Semele's Fate:
  • Zeus's affair with Semele leads to her death after Hera tricks Zeus into revealing himself.
  • Semele's child becomes Dionysus, the god of wine.
• Dionysus’s Influence:
  • Dionysus’s rituals lead to madness in Cadmus's daughters, resulting in the death of Agave's son.
• Aino’s Madness:
  • Hera curses Cadmus's fourth daughter, Aino, leading her to madness and driving her to the sea.

Cadmus's Reflection and Transformation

• Wandering and Regret:
  • Cadmus and Harmonia reflect on their tragic experiences stemming from the serpent incident.
• Divine Recompense: Cadmus prays to atone for his actions against the serpent.
• Transformation into Snakes:
  • Cadmus and Harmonia transform into snakes, fulfilling their debt to the gods.

Conclusion

• Lesson on Divine Wrath: Cadmus’s story shows the consequences of angering the gods.
• Connection to Other Myths: Encouragement to explore the stories of Arachne and Sisyphus for similar themes of divine punishment.