Expressions & Sayings
~ Английские выражения на букву C ~
Cadmean victory - a victory that is secured at an almost ruinous cost - кадмейская победа; победа ценой гибели победителя; победа, доставшаяся дорогой ценой, Cadmean [kæd'miən] - относящийся к Кадму или Кадмее, беотийский.
In Greek mythology Prince Cadmus killed a dragon that guarded the fountain of Dirce, in Boeotia (Беотии), and planted its teeth, from which a race of armed warriors sprang up.
Cadmus set the warriors fighting by throwing a precious stone among them, and only five escaped death. Cadmus, along with the five survivors, then went on to found Thebes.
The allusion of the expression therefore is to the victory of the five survivors in the conflict with the multitude of other warriors.
It is interesting to note that this story also gave rise to the expression sow the dragon's teeth.
One can take a course of action that is intended to be peaceful, such as disposing of the dragon's teeth by burying them, but in reality, the course of action leads to dissension or warfare.
Сравните: A Pyrrhic ['pɪrɪk] victory (пиррова победа) is a victory with such a devastating cost to the victor that it carries the implication that another such victory will ultimately cause defeat.
