Dragon's teeth (mythology)
In Greek myth, dragon's teeth feature prominently in the legends of the Phoenician prince Cadmus and in Jason's quest for the Golden Fleece. In each case, the dragons are present and breathe fire. Their teeth, once planted, would grow into fully armed warriors.
Cadmus Sowing the Dragon's Teeth, by Maxfield Parrish, 1908
Cadmus sowing dragon's teeth; workshop of Peter Paul Rubens, 17th century
Cadmus Sows the Dragon's Teeth Which Turn into Armed Men, by Hendrik Goltzius, 1615
Jason and the Golden Fleece 11: Jason ploughing the earth and sowing the dragon's teeth Thiry, Leonard (ca. 1500–ca. 1550)
In Greek mythology, Cadmus was the legendary Greek hero and founder of Boeotian Thebes. He was, alongside Perseus and Bellerophon, the greatest hero and slayer of monsters before the days of Heracles. Commonly stated to be a prince of Phoenicia, the son of king Agenor and queen Telephassa of Tyre, the brother of Phoenix, Cilix and Europa, Cadmus traced his origins back to Poseidon and Libya.
3rd century BC painting of Cadmus slaying the dragon, from the Louvre in Paris, France
Sowing the Dragon's teeth. Workshop of Rubens
Hendrick Goltzius, Cadmus fighting the Dragon
Cadmus Asks the Delphic Oracle Where He Can Find his Sister, Europa, Hendrick Goltzius