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CADME, CADMUS was the son of Agenor, king of Tyre, and the brother of Europa. His father ordered him to set out in search of Europa after she disappeared riding the white bull. The Delphic Oracle instructed him to follow the sacred heifer and to build a city where she lay down. Thus he built Thebes, which suffered from Juno's hatred because Jupiter fell in love with several Theban princesses (Met III.1-130; OM III.1-204).

Arcite, a Theban prince, laments the woes of the house of Cadmus, KnT 1546-1550.

Cadme, the ME form, appears in medial position with elided final -e, KnT 1546; it is also found in Gower, Confessio Amantis I.339, in the story of Acteon, son of the Theban princess Autonoë. Cadmus, the Latin form, appears in medial position, KnT 1547. [Agenor: Amphioun: Arcita: Europe]

John Gower, The Complete Works, ed. G.C. Macaulay, I: 45; Ovid, Met, ed. and trans. F.J. Miller, I: 124-133; OM, ed. C. de Boer, I, deel 15: 299-303.
From CHAUCER NAME DICTIONARY
Copyright © 1988, 1996 Jacqueline de Weever
Published by Garland Publishing, Inc., New York and London.
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