Cadmus

Cadmus (Greek: Κάδμος, Kádmos; Hebrew: קדמוס, Qadmus) is a figure in Greek mythology, most famous for bringing the Phoenician alphabet to Greece. He was the founder and first king of Thebes, a city in central Greece. Cadmus is often referred to as the Cadmus theophanes ("appearing to mortals"), as he was believed to have been the first mortal to have seen the gods. In Latin, he is known as Cadmus, and in French as Cadmos. According to the myth, Cadmus was the son of the Phoenician king Agenor and his wife Telephassa. He was sent by his father to search for his sister Europa, who had been abducted by Zeus. During his search, Cadmus encountered the dragon that guarded the spring of Ares, which he defeated with the help of the goddess Athena. From the dragon's teeth, he sowed the first Spartoi, or "sown men," who became the ancestors of the Theban people. Cadmus' story is a significant part of Greek mythology, symbolizing the introduction of literacy and civilization to ancient Greece.