Cadmus, << KAD muhs >>, in Greek mythology, was the son of Agenor, the king of Tyre, a city in Phoenicia. He set out to find his sister Europa, whom Zeus had stolen. But an oracle told him his search was useless, and directed him instead to follow a cow. Cadmus was to build a city where the cow lay down. A dragon was guarding the spot. Cadmus killed the dragon and sowed its teeth in the ground. At once, armed men sprang up and fought with each other until only five were left. These five helped Cadmus build the city of Thebes in Boeotia (see Thebes). Cadmus is also said to have brought the alphabet from Phoenicia to Greece.
