Lecture on Cadmus - Greek Mythology

Introduction

• Cadmus, a skilled warrior, and heir to the Phoenician throne.
• Connected closely to divine ancestors on Mount Olympus.

Zeus and Europa

• Zeus coveted Cadmus' sister, Europa.
• Zeus, in the form of a bull, kidnapped Europa.
• Cadmus tasked with finding and rescuing Europa.

Oracle of Delphi

• Cadmus seeks help from the Oracle of Delphi.
• Told to follow a sacred, wild cow to found a new city where it rested.

Encounter with the Serpent

• Cadmus and his men venture into the forest for supplies.
• A giant serpent attacked and killed some of Cadmus' men.
• Cadmus killed the serpent, unknowingly upsetting Ares.
• A voice predicts Cadmus’ fate of becoming a serpent.

Athena’s Intervention

• Athena instructs Cadmus to till the earth with serpent's teeth.
• Warriors sprang from the ground, helping to build the city of Thebes.

Cadmus and Harmonia

• Cadmus falls in love with Harmonia, daughter of Ares and Aphrodite.
• Marriage followed by initial hope but eventual tragedies.

The Fate of Actaeon

• Cadmus' grandson, Actaeon, unwittingly offends Artemis.
• Actaeon is transformed into a stag and killed by his own hunting hounds.

Tragedy of Semele

• Zeus seduces Semele, one of Cadmus’ daughters.
• Hera’s trick results in Semele's death; her child, Dionysus, is saved and becomes the god of wine.

Misfortune Continues

• Cadmus’ daughters Agave and Autonoë, driven mad by Dionysus’ rites, kill Agave's son.
• Hera curses Ino, Cadmus' fourth daughter, driving her to madness and into the sea.

Transformation and Redemption

• Overcome with grief, Cadmus and Harmonia wander the wilderness.
• Cadmus realizes his misfortune stems from killing the sacred serpent.
• Cadmus prays, and he and Harmonia transform into snakes, repaying his debt to the gods.