from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Cadmean \Cad*me"an\ (k[a^]d*m[=e]"an), a. [L. Cadmeus, Gr.
Kadmei^os, from Ka`dmos (L. Cadmus), which name perhaps means
lit. a man from the East; cf. Heb. qedem east.]
Of or pertaining to Cadmus, a fabulous prince of Thebes, who
was said to have introduced into Greece the sixteen simple
letters of the alphabet -- [alpha], [beta], [gamma], [delta],
[epsilon], [iota], [kappa], [lambda], [mu], [nu], [omicron],
[pi], [rho], [sigma], [tau], [upsilon]. These are called
Cadmean letters.
[1913 Webster]
{Cadmean victory}, a victory that damages the victors as much
as the vanquished; probably referring to the battle in
which the soldiers who sprang from the dragon's teeth sown
by Cadmus slew each other. Similar to a {Pyhrric victory}.
[1913 Webster +PJC]