The Oracle Said Wander
Sufjan Stevens Lyrics


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Cave the Cadmus country soon.
Europa's sake he drew,
Till the oracle said wander.

Safe libation water slew,
A serpent near him knew;
The dragon's teeth he threw,
Till the oracle said wander.




Overall Meaning

In Sufjan Stevens's song The Oracle Said Wander, the lyrics describe the adventures of Cadmus, the founder of the city of Thebes in Greek mythology. The first line, "Cave the Cadmus country soon," suggests that Cadmus is embarking on a journey through his own country. "Europa's sake he drew" refers to Cadmus's quest to find his sister Europa, who was abducted by Zeus in the form of a bull and taken to Crete. Cadmus was tasked with finding Europa and bringing her back safely. However, his journey is not without obstacles as demonstrated in the next lines.


"S safe libation water slew, a serpent near him knew; The dragon's teeth he threw, till the oracle said wander." These lines explain that Cadmus encountered a serpent while drawing water for a libation, and was forced to slay it. Later, he found a field of dragon's teeth and, following the advice of an oracle, threw them into the ground. From the teeth sprung fully armored soldiers, who fought each other until only five remained. These five, along with Cadmus, became the founding members of Thebes.


Overall, the lyrics of The Oracle Said Wander are a poetic retelling of a significant mythological event in Greek history. They showcase both the challenges and rewards of embarking on a journey, and the importance of heeding advice from trusted sources.


Line by Line Meaning

Cave the Cadmus country soon.
Leave the Cadmus country soon.


Europa's sake he drew,
He drew for the sake of Europa.


Till the oracle said wander.
He wandered until the oracle instructed him to do so.


Safe libation water slew,
He drank safe water to make a libation.


A serpent near him knew;
There was a serpent nearby who was aware of him.


The dragon's teeth he threw,
He threw the teeth of a dragon.


Till the oracle said wander.
He continued to wander until the oracle instructed him otherwise.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: SUFJAN STEVENS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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