As he put the wings on Icarus, he instructed the young man to fly carefully beside him. He fashioned them out of feathers and wax. He wanted to leave Crete and journey to the distant Island of Sicily.Īn ingenious craftsman, Daedalus built two sets of wings, one for himself and the other for his son. He ordered his guards to imprison both Daedalus and Icarus in a high tower above the palace. King Minos felt Daedalus had betrayed his trust. He fought and killed the Minotaur and succeeded in returning alive through the confusing Labyrinth by following the trail of string. As the young man walked through the maze, he unwound the string behind him. He gave Ariadne a ball of string to give to Theseus. She begged Daedalus to help her find a way to help save Theseus from certain death in the Labyrinth.ĭaedalus came up with an ingenious idea. When the brave young man arrived in Crete, King Minos’ daughter, Ariadne, fell madly in love with him. Finally, an Athenian hero named Theseus volunteered to join the group of victims, hoping to destroy the Minotaur. The father and son would eventually find themselves fleeing for their lives!Īt seven year intervals, the people of Crete sent fourteen captives from Athens into the Labyrinth for the Minotaur to eat. Guilt-ridden and afraid, King Minos wanted to keep the Minotaur hidden away inside the Labyrinth and out of public view.Īs it happened, the Minotaur would have a great impact on the lives of both Daedalus and Icarus. Queen Pasiphae of Crete had given birth to the Minotaur after he husband, King Minos, offended the sea god Poseidon. The Minotaur possessed the head of bull and the body of a man. The king used the labyrinth as a prison for the Minotaur, a fearsome creature. King Minos required the labyrinth for a sinister reason. The structure built by Daedalus involved so much complexity, anyone entering would have enormous difficulty finding a way out. A “labyrinth” is basically a maze of passageways and tunnels. King Minos asked him to construct an elaborate labyrinth beneath his palace. King Minos welcomed Icarus and his father to his kingdom. The ruler lived in a splendid palace on the lovely Island of Crete. They received an invitation to join the court of King Minos of Crete. The pair set out in a boat and sailed across the blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. As a result of this crime, Daedalus had to leave Athens and flee into exile. Daedalus finally committed a terrible deed: he pushed the young man from a great height, killing him. He perhaps feared his nephew might one day surpass him as an inventor. Yet as more people began to appreciate Talos’ abilities, Daedalus slowly grew jealous. He apparently possessed more talent then Icarus.Īt first, Daedalus took great pride in his nephew’s accomplishments. The young man, known as “ Talos” (or “Perdix”), showed great promise as a craftsman, also. Daedalus and his family prospered there.ĭaedalus had already acquired fame as a skilled inventor, when one of his nephews joined his household. Magnificent buildings, lovely works of art and a variety of attractive hand-made goods enabled many people in Athens to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. The grandson of a former Athenian leader, Erechtheus, Daedalus developed a reputation as an ingenious builder.ĭuring Icarus’ early childhood, his family resided in the City of Athens, a very beautiful place. Icarus became well known in legends mainly on account of his father, Daedalus, a master craftsman and skilled artisan. Overconfidence sometimes produces disastrous results! Even today, some people recount this story as a cautionary warning. The Tragic Story of Icarus A Cautionary TaleĪ young man named Icarus holds center stage in a very memorable tale from ancient Greek mythology.
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