The sun represents arrogance which is an exaggerated estimate of one’s own importance. The sea represents humility which is a low estimate of one's own importance. Icarus was flying between the sea and the sun. He continued to fall through the air, until he landed in the sea and drowned. He screamed for help as he began to fall out of the sky with no wings to keep him in flight. The wings began to fall apart as Icarus struggled to maintain flight. The wax holding the wings together began to melt under the heat.ĭaedalus looking up in fear could see what was happening, unable to do anything to help his son. It was then that he began to notice the heat of the sun. Icarus looked down at his father, who now appeared as a tiny speck floating in the sky. Ignoring his fathers words he continued, higher and higher, believing more and more that he was just like the gods. Now, intoxicated with excitement, Icarus decided to climb higher and higher. Dipping down and climbing back up, tilting from side to side, under and over his father, wind in his hair, sun in his face, the only humans to fly. As Icarus became more comfortable and reflected on the idea that he and his dad were the only humans to fly, a sense of excitement began to grow inside him. He felt a sense of pride and fulfillment as they flew through the air. Icarus thought to himself how lucky he was to escape with his father. He also warned not to fly too low, which would cause the feathers to get wet with sea water, become too heavy and stop working.įinally the opportunity arose, together they escaped and began flying towards Sicily. Icarus was excited as he thought to himself not only would they escape but he and his dad would be the first humans to fly.ĭaedalus warned Icarus not to fly too high because the heat of the sun would melt the wax that holds the wings together.

Icarus and his father waited for the perfect opportunity to escape. So, Daedalus being a genius craftsman managed to create two sets of wings from feathers, held together with wax. God is self existent but man was created to exist. Gods are eternal and immortal while humans are temporal and mortal beings. And there is a big difference between humans and gods in Greek mythology. In Greek mythology, humans could not fly, only gods could fly. The plan was to break out of the prison and fly over the Mediteranean sea toward Sicily.

The king decides to imprison Daedalus and his son Icarus.Īfter being imprisoned for months, Daedalus decided he and Icarus would escape. The maze would be used to trap a minotaur, half man half bull.Īfter working for King Minos, Daedalus wrongs the king. Daedalus’s job was to create a labyrinth, which is a continuous maze. Heracles erected a tomb for him.On the island of Crete which today is the largest and most populous island in Greece, Daedalus and his son Icarus are imprisoned.ĭaedalus was a famous craftsman and was hired by the King of the island, King Minos. Icarus when en route to Sicily fell into the water andĭrowned. Daedalus had constructed the first sails for the boat. Hellenistic writers give the tale variants, which has Icarus escape from Crete via boat provided by Pasiphaë. The sea in which he fell in became known as the Icarian Sea. The wax on his wings melted from the Sun's heat and it caused Icarus to fall and die. However, Icarus ignored his father's words and flew too close to the Sun. Icarus was warned not to fly too close to the Sun, nor too close to the water. Daedalus fashioned a pair of wings for his son and him, which they attempted to use to escape. He had given Minos's daughter, Ariadne, a ball of string (clew), which she used to help Theseus, Minos's enemy.Īlong with himself, Icarus was also imprisoned. He was exiled because of his involvement in helping Theseus, who survived the Labyrinth and defeated the Minotaur. Daedalus, Icarus's father, who was a remarkable Athenian craftsman who was exiled in the palace of Knossos by King Minos.

Icarus father