Daedalus was the famous sculptor of Athens, and his nephew Tal inherited the skill of his uncle and surpassed him in the art of architecture. Daedalus became jealous of Tal and decided to get rid of him by pushing his nephew off a cliff. Having committed the murder, Daedalus hastened to bury the body of the unfortunate man, but the Athenians caught him doing this, and Delalus was sentenced to death for what he had done.
Fleeing from retribution, Daedalus found himself with King Minos of Crete, who gladly gave shelter to the great sculptor. Daedalus built such a palace for Minos, the Labyrinth, that entering it, it was impossible to find a way out. In this palace, Minos settled the Minotaur, a monster with a bull's head and a human body.
The cunning Minos did not let Daedalus go anywhere to use his talent alone. Daedalus was weary of such dependence and decided to flee from Minos through the air.
From feathers with the help of wax, Daedalus made four huge wings.
When the work was completed, Daedalus turned to his son Icarus:
- We're leaving with you. You must not go low to the sea, so as not to wet your feathers, and do not rise high, so that the wax does not melt and the feathers fly apart. Fly only for me.
Daedalus with his son Icarus in the photo and pictures above:
Putting on their wings, they flew. Having passed the islands of Delos and Paros, Icarus grew bolder and stopped following his father. Rapidly flapping his wings, Icarus rose to the very heights, to the Sun. And what happened was what his father had warned him about. The wax that held the feathers together melted, the feathers scattered, and Icarus fell into the depths of the sea and died.
The fall of Icarus in the photo below:
When Daedalus turned around, he saw feathers on the waves of the sea and realized that his son was no more, Daedalus cursed his talent and the day when he decided to escape from Crete with the help of wings.
The sea in which Icarus died was later called the Icarian.
The myth of Daedalus and Icarus shows the desire of people to take possession not only of land and water routes of movement, but also to conquer the airspace.
The Athenian Daedalus, the son of Mecius, was the most skillful man of his time; he was at the same time a builder, and a sculptor, and a stone carver. In every city there were works made by his hand; his statues were said to live.
He had a nephew named Tal, whom he initiated into his arts and who showed even greater ability than his teacher. Almost as a child, he invented the potter's machine, made the first snake tooth saw, and many other tools, all on his own, without the slightest help from teachers. Thus, even in his youth, he acquired great fame, which made him proud and arrogant.
Daedalus became more and more jealous of his pupil; he was afraid of being outdone. Envy took possession of him so much that one evening, when no one was there, he pushed the boy off the city wall.
But when he wanted to bury the corpse, he suddenly felt embarrassed and afraid that he might be suspected of murder. He immediately fled to the island of Crete, where he received an advantageous position as an artist from King Minos. The king offered him to build for the Minotaur, a creature that had the body of a bull and at the same time looked like a man, a dwelling in which it would be hidden from the eyes of people.
The resourceful Daedalus built a labyrinth consisting of a whole network of intricate, winding corridors in which the eye was lost, and the traveler, getting into them, went astray. All these corridors led either forward or backward, so there was almost no way out. Inside this building, the Minotaur was supposed to settle.
The food for the monster was seven young men and seven beautiful girls, whom the Athenians had to give every nine years to the king of Crete for sacrifice. But Daedalus was frightened by these victims. It was hard for the cheerful artist to stay on this lonely island, in the middle of the sea, with a strict wayward king, and he strove to return to his homeland. His resourceful mind soon found a way to escape.
“True, Minos surrounded me with the sea,” he exclaimed, “but the air is still beyond his control, so I will subdue the air!
With indefatigable diligence, he began to bind all kinds of bird feathers, starting with the shortest ones and gradually attaching longer ones to them, so that it seemed that they were real wings. He fastened the feathers in the middle with linen laces, and from below with wax, then he made a barely noticeable bend.
Daedalus had a young son, Icarus, who followed his father's work with curiosity. Then he himself began to help him. After everything was finished, Daedalus attached wings to his body and easily, like a bird, took off into the air. When he again descended to earth, his son began to insistently ask him to make the same wings for him and take him with him on air travel. Daedalus was angry at first, but then gave in and soon prepared new wings for his son.
Listen to what I tell you, my son,” he then turned to the boy, “fly carefully, because if you go too low, your wings may get wet in the sea water and you will fall into the waves. But you must also beware of the sun and not fly too high, as its rays can melt the wax that holds the wings together. Fly between the sea and the sun, right behind me and carefully follow my flight.
With such instructions he equipped his son, but his hand trembled when he attached the wings, and a heavy tear rolled down from his eyes.
Both of them took off into the air. At first everything went great. The islands of Samos, Delos and Paros were far behind them, and the coast of Greece was already visible in the distance ... Suddenly, Icarus, encouraged by a safe journey, lagged behind his caring father and teacher, and alone courageously headed up.
The close sun melted the wax that held the wings together with its hot rays; disintegrated, they hung helplessly on the boy's shoulders, and could no longer resist the wind, and the unfortunate man swiftly flew down. He wanted to call out to his father; but the waves had already swallowed him up... When Daedalus turned around, he did not see his son. In vain he called him, no one answered.
Finally, he took a careful look at the ground. And suddenly he noticed the wings of his son on the crests of the sea waves. He immediately descended to the ground and wandered for a long time along the seashore, looking for the boy. Soon the waves threw his corpse on the shore of the island, on which his father buried him, naming him Ikaria, in memory of his son.
So fate avenged the murdered Tal. After Daedalus buried his son, he flew to Sicily. Here he was hospitably received by King Kokal. Many generations later pointed to the beautiful lake he built, from which flowed a large and wide river. And on a high rock, where not a single tree could hold, he built a castle, to which a beautiful winding road, artfully carved between the stones, led. Kokal chose this corner as his seat and repository of his treasures.
The third work of Daedalus was a deep cave in which he arranged underground heating.
In addition, he erected a temple to Aphrodite and dedicated to the goddess golden honeycombs, so well made that they seemed to be filled with real honey.
When Minos learned that the builder Daedalus had fled to Sicily, he decided to go after him with a whole army and bring him back. He crossed the sea and sent messengers from the shore to the king with a proposal to extradite the fugitive.
Kokal pretended to accept the offer of the Cretan king and invited him to his castle.
Minos came and was received with great cordiality. Since he was very tired going up the steep road, a warm bath was offered to him. But while he sat in it, the water was gradually heated up until he suffocated from the heat.
The corpse of the king was handed over to the retinue with the explanation that the king, having fallen, choked in hot water. Kokal buried him with great honors, and an open temple of Aphrodite was built over his grave near Agrigent by the hand of Daedalus.
Throughout his life, Daedalus remained with Kokal, and many famous masters were brought up under his guidance. But since the death of his son, he was never happy again, and, despite the fact that with his works he made the country cheerful and beautiful, he himself lived out his old age in sorrow. He was buried in Sicily.
Name: Icarus (Icarus)
A country: Greece
Creator: ancient greek mythology
Activity: mythological hero
Family status: not married
Icarus: Character Story
Each nation faithfully and reverently preserves legends and traditions that tell about the past and combine reality and fantasy. In such narratives, familiar images and fictional creatures surprisingly coexist. So, in Greek mythology, along with mere mortals, there are gods and demigods, unusual creatures and personalities, gaining unprecedented power. Myths carry human dreams and morality. The work, which tells about Icarus, tells about how excessive self-confidence helps to achieve unprecedented heights and overthrows down, dooming to death.
Origin story
The legend says the following. In ancient Athens, there lived a talented blue-blooded artist, famous for his talent in architecture and sculpture. A man named Daedalus built imperial palaces and temples to worship the gods, famous throughout ancient Greece. His nephew Tal, a capable boy who invented the saw and the potter's wheel, was his student. One day, while walking around the Acropolis in the company of his uncle, Tal stumbled and fell down the mountain. Daedalus was blamed for the death of the young man, because of which he left Athens.
The famous artist sailed to Crete, where he married the king's maid. The wife of Navcrates gave birth to Daedalus, the son of Icarus. In a new place, the talent of the master was useful to the king, whose wife gave birth to a monster instead of a child -. Daedalus built a labyrinth for him. Over time, homesickness began to oppress the architect, and he began to gather back to Athens, but the king was against the departure of the family.
Daedalus made bird-like wings to fly away from the island through the air. He taught his son to fly, explaining that it is dangerous to rise close to the sun. The wax that connected the feathers could melt, and then death was inevitable. The water threatened to wet the wings, so it was not safe to approach it either. Daedalus ordered Icarus to follow a specific course so that the flight would go smoothly.
Rising into the sky, Daedalus and Icarus soared up like birds, and the witnesses of the flight thought that they had caught the appearance of the gods. The son followed his father, not neglecting the precepts, but the happiness of the flight turned his head. The possession of a new ability and an unprecedented horizon provoked extraordinary joy, and the young man forgot about caution.
He flew up to the sun, and the wax on his wings began to melt. The self-made device ceased to support the weight of Icarus, and he rapidly approached the sea, unable to resume flight. Icarus called his father for help, but he did not hear him.
Realizing what had happened, Daedalus was beside himself with grief. He unsuccessfully searched for his son at sea, he could not find the body of the young man. Subsequently, he found the dead Icarus. The sea, where the young man found his last resting place, was called Ikarian. The body of the hero is buried on the island of Doliha, which is now called Ikaria. Daedalus reached Sicily, and then to Athens, where he became the ancestor of the Daedalids.
Legend of Daedalus and Icarus
The history of Ancient Greece is full of reminders of talented craftsmen and creators of designs that today do not seem so unrealistic. Myths say that Daedalus was an inventor who created tools and mechanisms that did not correspond to the times. It is not surprising that the talented sculptor and architect is still remembered in the world. But the story that happened to his son Icarus stuck much more strongly in the memory of the descendants.
The young man became famous for being the only person who dared to rise to the sun. The inventor's son, literally and figuratively inspired, forgot about his father's warnings and took off much higher than was necessary for a safe flight. Approaching the sun, he was left without structures that carried him over the waves, and collapsed into the depths of the sea.
Ancient Greek mythology is full of moralistic deviations. Analyzing the legend of famous creators, it is easy to notice allusions and symbolism. Daedalus is associated with God the Father, the creator, contrary to whose words the son acted. The sun acts as an image of growing power, and the wings are a symbol of the gift that distinguishes Icarus among mortals. The fall of the young man was a punishment for the fact that he dared to disobey his father. And also a prediction: you should not strive above those boundaries that you are able to overcome.
Analysts are also considering an alternative version of the interpretation, according to which the images of Daedalus and Icarus are united for the sake of a dream that could not be realized. The father was careful and managed to get to the goal. And Icarus has become a subject for creating an idiom. “Flight of Icarus” is now called excessive self-confidence and courage, overestimation of possibilities, ideas that overcome death and the futility of hopes, as well as the unattainability of truth for its seekers.
- Unlike some heroes, whose existence has not been confirmed, the reality of the origin of Icarus' father, Daedalus, is proved by his works. According to legend, some of his sculptures were mechanized and could move. In ancient Greece, his works seemed like a miracle. Today it is quite acceptable that the chair, the statues of Hercules in Thebes and Athens, the sculptures of Trophonius and Britomartis, the statue of Athena in Delos were not static.
- It is noteworthy that the professional affiliation of Daedalus is embedded in the decoding of his name. The Greek word Daedalo means "to be realized in art". Daedalus took place as a master. The list of his developments and creations includes the labyrinth of the Minotaur and the thread, the wooden cow Pasiphae and the dance hall of Ariadne. But wax wings, the progenitors of hang glider models, are considered the main invention.
- And Icarus stands for "dedicated to the moon" or "prestige."
The myth of Daedalus and Icarus is an ancient Greek legend about father Daedalus and his son Icarus, who have become a symbol for all those who are intoxicated with success, and, as a result, underestimate the real state of affairs. The very expression "flight of Icarus" has become a symbol of risky daring. All of us, when we hear the name of Icarus, then before us there is an image of a person who boldly goes to success, regardless of everything, despite the risks, in his desire he rises above the ordinary life.
Daedalus and Icarus summary
The ancient Greek myth of Daedalus and Icarus takes us to ancient times and introduces us to the life of the Athenian architect, famous inventor, draftsman, sculptor Daedalus, as well as his son Icarus. These two images have become an example for most dreamers, and in order to get to know the myth of Ancient Greece about Daedalus and Icarus, we offer a summary.
So, the myth of Daedalus and Icarus in brief takes us to Athens, where Daedalus lived, who was known as a sculptor and architect. He made various sculptures, statues, built beautiful houses. In addition, he was also an inventor who came up with many tools that allowed him to create his own masterpieces. Together with Daedalus, his nephew Talos also worked, who was his student. Soon, Daedalus began to notice how his student was superior to the teacher, so he goes to kill, throwing Tal from the Acropolis. But he could not hide his crime, the Athenians condemned him, after which Daedalus fled to the island of Crete.
There he lives under the wing of King Minos, works for him and fulfills his wishes. So the famous labyrinth appeared to the world, in which the Minotaur lived. Daedalus helped Theseus, who had killed the Minotaur, get out of the Labyrinth by providing him with a ball of thread. For which he was put in prison with his son. It was in the dungeon that the idea came with the help of the created wings to fly away from the hands of King Minos. This is how the feathers were collected. Daedalus sealed them with wax. When the four wings were ready, Daedalus and Icarus leave the island.
The father warned his son about the possible danger, so it was necessary to stay away from the sea and the sun, only Icarus, the son of Daedalus, drunk on flight, forgot about all the warnings. He wanted to fly higher and higher until the scorching sun melted the wax. As a consequence, Icarus falls from a bird's eye view and crashes. The body of the son of Daedalus was found by Hercules, who buried the guy on a small island, which later received the name Ikaria, the sea itself was called Ikarian.
Daedalus, having mourned his son, reached Sicily, where he lived with King Kokal. When Minos became aware of the location of Daedalus, he began to demand that Kokal return the master, but Kokal did not want to lose such a craftsman. When King Kokal invited Minos to his place, his daughters poured boiling water on the guest, as a result of which Minos died a painful death. Daedalus himself lived for some time in Sicily, and then returned to Athens, where he became the founder of Athenian artists.
As you can see, the legend of Daedalus and Icarus, which appeared in ancient times, indicates that already at that time a person was striving to conquer the sky, probably for this reason, it was the invention of wings that became an outstanding event, which became above all his other works. But the myth of Daedalus and Icarus is also a collapsed dream, because the wings that allowed a person to fly like a bird caused a terrible tragedy. It was the only flight of father and son that ended tragically.
Daedalus, a descendant of King Erechtheus, lived in Athens, he was a great architect, artist and sculptor of ancient Hellas. He built many beautiful buildings and temples, created many wonderful statues, which were of such great skill that they were said to be moving and seeing. Daedalus invented many tools useful for people.
Daedalus had a nephew, his disciple Taloe. He was distinguished by even greater talent and skill than Daedalus. As a boy, he invented the saw without the help of his teacher - this idea prompted him to look at a fish bone. He invented compasses, potter's wheel, chisel and many other useful items.
And so Daedalus, jealous of his gifted student Talos, decided to kill him. Once he threw him from the high Athenian Acropolis. They learned about this, and in order to avoid the punishment that threatened him, Daedalus left his hometown of Athens and fled to the island of Crete, to the power-hungry king Minos, who joyfully accepted the skilled craftsman.
Minos instructed him to build a huge building for the terrible bull Minotaur with many winding, intricate passages.
And there was a Minotaur half-bull-half-man, he had a body of a bull. And so the inventive Daedalus built a huge labyrinth for the monster, consisting of many long underground corridors, from where it was impossible for anyone who did not know them to get back. This is where King Minos settled his Minotaur. 
But Daedalus soon realized that the king was looking at him as his prisoner, that they were watching him and did not want to let him go, but he wanted to leave Crete and return to his homeland.
Once Daedalus presented a gift to Pasiphae, the wife of Minos, without telling the king about it. For this, the cruel Minos decided to take revenge on the artist.
He ordered to conclude Daedalus, along with his son Icarus, in a terrible labyrinth, but they managed to escape from there. And so Daedalus firmly decided to leave the island of Crete, but it was almost impossible to do this. And then Daedalus thought: “If the sea routes are closed to me, only the free sky remains for me. The evil and greedy Minos can take over everything, but not the sky! And he began to think about how he could rise into the air and master the free element.
Daedalus thought for a long time, and, carefully watching the flight of birds, he began to skillfully fit the bird feathers one to one, starting from the smallest to the longest, and tied them in the middle with linen threads, and fastened them with wax at the bottom. So he made them look like real big wings, then he gave them a slight bend, which happens with the wingspan of birds.
The young son of Daedalus, Icarus, closely followed the work of his father and began to help him. When the wings were ready, Daedalus put them on and, waving them like a bird, rose into the air. Icarus began to ask his father to make the same wings for him and take him on a flight with him. Daedalus made wings for Icarus and began to instruct him before departure:
- My son, hold on, flying, the middle. If you go too low, the waves of the sea can wet your wings and you will drown in the sea, but if you rise high, the hot sun can scorch them and the wax that holds the wings together will melt. Keep your path between the sea and the sun, fly after me.
Having made wings for Icarus, he soon taught him to rise above the ground.
On the day when it was decided to fly from the island of Crete, Daedalus, early at dawn, attached wings to Icarus, hugged him, kissed him and flew into the air. Icarus followed him.
As a bird that has flown out of its nest for the first time with its chick looks back, encourages it and points out how easier it is to fly, so Daedalus looked back timidly at his son Icarus. The fishermen looked at them in amazement, pulling a net on the seashore; the shepherds and farmers, who followed the plow, wondered if it was the gods flying over the fields. 
And there was already an open sea under Daedalus and Icarus, the islands of Samos, Patmos and Delos, Lebint and Kalymna remained behind them, and the shores of Hellas were already visible in the distance. Many people marveled at the brave aeronauts. Icarus began to fly bolder and, forgetting his father's advice, rose high to the sky to refresh his chest in the cold ether. But the hot sun melted the wax that fastened the feathers on the wings, they fell apart and hung on the shoulders of Icarus.
In vain, the unfortunate young man stretched out his hands to his father, the air no longer held him, and now Icarus is rapidly falling into the sea. In fright, he only managed to shout the name of his father and drowned in the raging waves. Daedalus looked around, hearing the cry of his son, but he looked for him in vain. - Icarus, where are you? Daedalus shouted for a long time. But only feathers floated on the waves of the sea. Delal landed on the nearest island, and for a long time he wandered, sad, along the seashore. Soon the body of Icarus was washed ashore by the waves.
Daedalus buried his beloved son, and from that time on the island that Ikaria began to be called, and the sea in which Icarus drowned was named Ikarian in memory of him.
Directed his way Delal from Ikaria to Sicily and was there cordially received by King Kokal. He did many wonderful works for him and his daughters: he built a beautiful palace on a high rock, built a deep cave in which he arranged underground heating, erected a temple to Aphrodite and made golden honeycombs for him so skillfully that it seemed they were filled with real transparent honey .
Minos, trying to find Daedalus, came up with a trick. He announced that he would give a big reward to whoever could thread a thread through a winding shell. Kokal, seduced by the reward, instructed Daedalus to complete this task. A skilled craftsman tied a thread to the ant's leg, and the ant pulled it through the shell. Kokal reported this to Minos, and he then guessed that Daedalus was at Kokal. Then Minos arrived in warships in Sicily to bring Daedalus back to him. But the daughters of the Sicilian king, who loved Delalus, decided to destroy the evil Minos: they prepared a warm bath for him and, while he was sitting in it, poured boiling water over him.
Having lost his son, Daedalus from that time on was no longer happy. Having done a lot of wonderful things for people, he lived to a very sad old age and died, according to some legends, in Sicily, and according to others - in Athens, where after him there was a glorious family of Daedalides, that is, the descendants of Daedalus.
