Describe the Dragon’s Teeth

Why, exactly, a dragon?
That the spring of Ares would
Be guarded by a dragon,

A fire-breathing one, at that,
Makes good sense. But Athena
Having Cadmus plant the teeth

Seems odd. Retroactively,
The aristocrats of Thebes
Maybe just wanted to claim

Descent from such a dragon,
Sacred guard of the war god,
But the idea that people

Could spring specifically from
Planted teeth of a fabled
And supernatural beast

Feels like it has a treasure
Secreted in it—people
Are not like other creatures,

Not once talking, certainly
Not once well-armed with writing.
Thebes was built on Linear B.