Literature: Cadmus and Harmonia (Tales of Greek Mythology)

Radko C. (United States of America)
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. center
    an area that is in the middle of some larger region
    The Delphic OracleIn very early times Ares had a cult center at Dirce.
  2. sacred
    made, declared, or believed to be holy
    Here a prized dragon belonging to the god watched over a spring that was sacred to him.
  3. approach
    move towards
    Not knowing how he should approach the situation, Cadmus stopped to consult the oracle at Delphi.
  4. situation
    physical position in relation to the surroundings
    Not knowing how he should approach the situation, Cadmus stopped to consult the oracle at Delphi.
  5. consult
    seek information from
    Not knowing how he should approach the situation, Cadmus stopped to consult the oracle at Delphi.
  6. advise
    give advice to
    The priestess advised him to abandon his search and instead focus on founding a city of his own.
  7. abandon
    forsake; leave behind
    The priestess advised him to abandon his search and instead focus on founding a city of his own.
  8. search
    look or seek
    The priestess advised him to abandon his search and instead focus on founding a city of his own.
  9. focus
    the concentration of attention or energy on something
    The priestess advised him to abandon his search and instead focus on founding a city of his own.
  10. founding
    the act of starting something for the first time
    The priestess advised him to abandon his search and instead focus on founding a city of his own.
  11. cow
    female of domestic cattle
    As Cadmus listened he was told that a cow would rest upon the place where he should begin building.
  12. heifer
    young cow
    As he left Delphi, a beautiful heifer with the shape of the full moon etched on both of her sides appeared before him.
  13. shape
    a perceptual structure
    As he left Delphi, a beautiful heifer with the shape of the full moon etched on both of her sides appeared before him.
  14. etch
    carve or cut a design or letters into
    As he left Delphi, a beautiful heifer with the shape of the full moon etched on both of her sides appeared before him.
  15. sacrifice
    the act of killing in order to appease a deity
    Because he wanted to sacrifice the animal to Athena, Cadmus sent his men to the spring of Dirce to retrieve some water for the rite.
  16. retrieve
    get or find back; recover the use of
    Because he wanted to sacrifice the animal to Athena, Cadmus sent his men to the spring of Dirce to retrieve some water for the rite.
  17. rite
    any customary observance or practice
    Because he wanted to sacrifice the animal to Athena, Cadmus sent his men to the spring of Dirce to retrieve some water for the rite.
  18. surprise
    come upon or take unawares
    To their surprise they were greeted by Ares' dragon, who promptly made the visitors his afternoon meal.
  19. promptly
    with little or no delay
    To their surprise they were greeted by Ares' dragon, who promptly made the visitors his afternoon meal.
  20. slew
    a large number or amount or extent
    Cadmus rushed to the spring and slew the beast, but it was too late.
  21. companion
    a friend who is frequently with another
    All of his companions were gone.
  22. slay
    kill intentionally and with premeditation
    Cadmus Slaying the DragonKnowing he could not build the city on his own he prayed to Athena, who instructed him to sew the teeth of the dragon into the earth.
  23. instruct
    impart skills or knowledge to
    Cadmus Slaying the DragonKnowing he could not build the city on his own he prayed to Athena, who instructed him to sew the teeth of the dragon into the earth.
  24. sow
    place seeds in or on the ground for future growth
    These were known as The Sparti or the Sown-Men because they were born directly from the earth herself.
  25. crowd
    a large number of things or people considered together
    Cadmus then took a stone and threw it into the center of the crowd, causing all the men to turn upon each other.
  26. prosperous
    in fortunate circumstances financially
    Together with his new helpers Cadmus went on the build the very prosperous city of Thebes.
  27. service
    an act of help or assistance
    As a punishment for killing Ares' dragon, Cadmus was placed in the service of the god for eight years.
  28. sentence
    a string of words satisfying grammatical rules of a language
    At the end of his sentence Athena proudly crowned Cadmus the king of Thebes.
  29. splendid
    characterized by grandeur
    It was a splendid affair, with all the gods in attendence.
  30. affair
    a vaguely specified social event
    It was a splendid affair, with all the gods in attendence.
  31. muse
    reflect deeply on a subject
    Apollo and the Muses provided the music and wonderful presents were given, among them being The Necklace of Harmonia .
  32. provide
    give something useful or necessary to
    Apollo and the Muses provided the music and wonderful presents were given, among them being The Necklace of Harmonia .
  33. wonderful
    extraordinarily good or great
    Apollo and the Muses provided the music and wonderful presents were given, among them being The Necklace of Harmonia .
  34. spite
    meanness or nastiness
    But in spite of all the merriment, Ares spent the night sulking bitterly in a corner, never being able to forgive Cadmus for slaying his beloved dragon.
  35. merriment
    activities that are enjoyable or amusing
    But in spite of all the merriment, Ares spent the night sulking bitterly in a corner, never being able to forgive Cadmus for slaying his beloved dragon.
  36. sulk
    be in a huff and display one's displeasure
    But in spite of all the merriment, Ares spent the night sulking bitterly in a corner, never being able to forgive Cadmus for slaying his beloved dragon.
  37. beloved
    dearly loved
    But in spite of all the merriment, Ares spent the night sulking bitterly in a corner, never being able to forgive Cadmus for slaying his beloved dragon.
  38. fickle
    liable to sudden unpredictable change
    But the Olympians were a fickle bunch, and it was not long before misfortune made its way into the house of Cadmus.
  39. misfortune
    a state resulting from unfavorable outcomes
    But the Olympians were a fickle bunch, and it was not long before misfortune made its way into the house of Cadmus.
  40. tragic
    very sad, especially involving grief or death or destruction
    His daughter Semele met a tragic end after becoming pregnant with Zeus' child Dionysus.
  41. wicked
    having committed unrighteous acts
    Ino went on to become the wicked step mother to the children Phrixus and Helle.
  42. frenzy
    state of violent mental agitation
    While being in a Dionysian frenzy, Agave took the life of her son Pentheus , and Autonoe lost her son Actaeon to the arrows of Artemis .
  43. unknown
    not known
    His only son Polydorus ruled Thebes for a short time before dying of unknown causes.
  44. flee
    run away quickly
    Cadmus and HarmoniaAfter the death of Pentheus, Cadmus and Harmonia, who were quite up in age fled Thebes and traveled onto Illyria.
  45. plunder
    steal goods; take as spoils
    When the Encheleans began plundering the temples of Apollo, they were quickly routed, but Ares stepped in and rescued Cadmus and Harmonia.
  46. route
    an established line of travel or access
    When the Encheleans began plundering the temples of Apollo, they were quickly routed, but Ares stepped in and rescued Cadmus and Harmonia.
  47. rescue
    free from harm or evil
    When the Encheleans began plundering the temples of Apollo, they were quickly routed, but Ares stepped in and rescued Cadmus and Harmonia.
  48. mystery
    something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
    It is a mystery as to why Ares had a change of heart.
  49. transformation
    the act of changing in form or shape or appearance
    Though one can view this transformation as a punishment it is important to remember that in the ancient world the snake was looked upon as a benevolent creature.
  50. ancient
    belonging to times long past
    Though one can view this transformation as a punishment it is important to remember that in the ancient world the snake was looked upon as a benevolent creature.
  51. benevolent
    showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding
    Though one can view this transformation as a punishment it is important to remember that in the ancient world the snake was looked upon as a benevolent creature.
  52. creature
    a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
    Though one can view this transformation as a punishment it is important to remember that in the ancient world the snake was looked upon as a benevolent creature.
  53. hero
    someone who fights for a cause
    It was also a common belief that before returning to the world of the living, a dead hero often first assumed the shape of a serpent.
  54. assume
    take to be the case or to be true
    It was also a common belief that before returning to the world of the living, a dead hero often first assumed the shape of a serpent.
  55. indication
    the act of pointing out by name
    This is another indication that the physical changes of Cadmus and Harmonia were truly honorable.
  56. physical
    involving the body as distinguished from the mind or spirit
    This is another indication that the physical changes of Cadmus and Harmonia were truly honorable.
Created on Thu Dec 27 17:25:24 EST 2012 (updated Tue Jan 21 14:56:13 EST 2014)

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