n entirely
novel in Greece, chose rather to follow the more wonderful version,
and to say, that Cadmus had five companions produced from the teeth of
a serpent; as, according to Bochart's suggestion, the same Phoenician
phrase may either signify a company of men sprung from the teeth of a
serpent, or a company of men armed with brazen darts.

This conjecture is, perhaps, confirmed by a story related by Herodotus
(book ii.), which resembles it very much. He tells us, that
Psammeticus, king of Egypt, being driven to the marshy parts of his
kingdom, sent to consult the oracle of Latona, which answered that he
should be restored by brass men coming from the sea. At the time, this
answer appeared to him entirely frivolous; but certain Ionian
soldiers, being obliged, some years after, to retire to Egypt, and
appearing on the shore with their weapons and armor, all of brass,
those who perceived them ran immediately to inform the king, that men
clad in brass were plundering the country. The prince then fully
comprehended the meaning of the oracle, and making an alliance with
them, recovered his throne by the assistance they gave him. These
brass men come from the sea, and those sprung from the earth were
soldiers who assisted Psammeticus and Cadmus in carrying out their
objects. Bochart's conjecture is strengthened by the fact, that Cadmus
was either the inventor of the cuirass and javelin, or the first that
brought them into Greece. Without inquiring further into the subject,
we may conclude, that the men sprung from the earth, or the dragon's
teeth which were sown, were the people of the country, whom Cadmus
found means to bring over to his interest; and that they first helped
him to conquer his enemies, and then to build the citadel of Thebes,
to ensure his future security. Apollodorus says that Cadmus, to
expiate the slaughter of the dragon, was obliged to serve Mars a whole
year; which year, containing eight of our years, it is not improbable
that Cadmus rendered services for a long time to his new allies before
he received any assistance from them.

FABLE III. [III.131-252]

Actaeon, the grandson of Cadmus, fatigued with hunting and excessive
heat, inadvertently wanders to the cool valley of Gargaphie, the usual
retreat of Diana, when tired with the same exercise. There, to his
misfortune, he surprises the Goddess and her Nymphs while bathing, for