CADMEAN VICTORY Meaning and
Definition
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A "Cadmean victory" is an idiomatic phrase rooted in Greek mythology denoting a triumph that is achieved at an incredibly high cost or with significant loss, causing more harm than good. The term is derived from the story of Cadmus, the son of King Agenor and brother of Europa, in Greek mythology. In his quest to find his sister, who was abducted by Zeus disguised as a bull, Cadmus was instructed by Apollo's oracle to follow a cow and build a city wherever the cow stopped. He followed the cow until it rested in Boeotia, near Thebes.
However, while establishing the city, Cadmus faced numerous challenging encounters. He had to slay a menacing dragon that guarded the area's water supply, but in the process, several of his men were killed. To sow the dragon's teeth and create warriors for his army, Cadmus followed the advice of Athena but inadvertently provoked a brutal battle among the soldiers he had just created. In this deadly confrontation, only a handful of men survived, leading to substantial losses for Cadmus.
Therefore, a "Cadmean victory" came to symbolize a success achieved through immense sacrifice or a pyrrhic victory. It serves as a reminder that triumph achieved at a great expense, whether in lives, resources, or other detrimental consequences, can be seen as a hollow or bitter accomplishment. The term is frequently used to describe situations where the price paid for winning far outweighs the benefits gained, highlighting the negative aspects of victory.
Common Misspellings for CADMEAN VICTORY
- xadmean victory
- vadmean victory
- fadmean victory
- dadmean victory
- czdmean victory
- csdmean victory
- cwdmean victory
- cqdmean victory
- casmean victory
- caxmean victory
- cacmean victory
- cafmean victory
- carmean victory
- caemean victory
- cadnean victory
- cadkean victory
- cadjean victory
- cadmwan victory
- cadmsan victory
- cadmdan victory
Etymology of CADMEAN VICTORY
The term "Cadmean victory" is derived from the mythological story of Cadmus, an ancient character from Greek mythology. According to the myth, Cadmus was the founder and first king of Thebes.
The phrase "Cadmean victory" originated from an incident in the story of Cadmus. When Cadmus set out to slay a dragon that had been terrorizing the land, he was successful in killing it. However, the dragon's teeth were sown into the ground, and warriors sprang forth fully armed. Cadmus had to fight and ultimately kill the newly born armed men, thereby winning the battle but at a great cost. This Pyrrhic victory, in which the winner suffers significant losses, came to be known as a "Cadmean victory".
Over time, the term "Cadmean victory" transitioned to a metaphorical use outside of its mythological context.
Similar spelling words for CADMEAN VICTORY
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