Chapter XVII: The Building of Thebes

After the death of Cadmus many more people came to live in the Cadmea, and when there was no more room on the hill, they established themselves in the plain round it and built more and more houses, till there came to be a great city to which they gave the name of Thebes. The Cadmea then became the castle or citadel of Thebes; the king's palace was inside it, and it was fortified with very strong walls, so that it the city were besieged by enemies, the inhabitants could take shelter in the citadel and hurl darts and javelins at their enemies from its walls.

There was once a king of Thebes named Amphion, who could sing most beautifully, and also play upon the lyre. When he sang, it was impossible for anyone to resist stopping to listen, however great a hurry he might be in, and even the very stones would detach themselves from their places in order to come nearer to him. Amphion knew this, and one day he said to himself, 'Since I have such power over the stones, I will make them serve me.' So he sat down in the middle of the city, and began to sing in a loud voice which was echoed by the distant hills. Then there was a sound of rumbling and scuffling, for every stone {60} that heard the song, no matter how far off it was, came rushing towards Amphion, and they heaped themselves one upon the other till at last a great stone wall was built up all round the city; and the Thebans took hatchets and crowbars and broke open seven spaces in it, where they erected seven great gates.

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