The Myth of Daedalus and Icarus Summary

The Myth of Daedalus and Icarus is an ancient Greek myth about the brilliant craftsman Daedalus, his son Icarus, and their tragic attempt to escape Crete by flying.

The Myth of Daedalus and Icarus Main Characters analysis

• Daedalus — A famous sculptor and architect of ancient Athens. He is a highly skilled craftsman who creates remarkable works, but his jealousy and later actions lead to tragedy. He is also Icarus’s father.
• Icarus — Daedalus’s son. He joins his father in attempting to escape Crete by flying, but becomes carried away by the experience and ignores his father’s warning.
• Tal — Daedalus’s nephew and apprentice. A talented craftsman whose growing skill makes Daedalus jealous.
• Minos — The king of Crete who welcomes Daedalus to his court but keeps him there as a prisoner.
• Cocalus — The king of Sicily, whose daughters help protect Daedalus when Minos comes to capture him.

The Myth of Daedalus and Icarus Summary

One of the most famous sculptors and architects of ancient Athens was Daedalus. He created such beautiful works that people could only marvel at his talent.

Daedalus had a nephew named Tal, who became his apprentice. Tal was a gifted craftsman, and before long, his works began to surpass those of Daedalus himself. Daedalus became jealous, so he took Tal to a high mountain and pushed him off.

Tal fell onto sharp rocks and was killed. Daedalus wanted to bury his body to hide the evidence of the crime, but he did not have time. He was caught with the body, and the crime was discovered. Daedalus was sentenced to death, but he managed to escape and hide on the island of Crete, where King Minos ruled.

Minos gladly welcomed the great sculptor, and Daedalus created many beautiful statues and palaces for the king. Even the famous Labyrinth of the Minotaur was built by Daedalus.

However, Daedalus lived under Minos as a prisoner, and he soon grew tired of it. He began thinking about how he could escape from Crete. He decided to use the air as his way out, since Minos controlled both the land and the sea.

Daedalus gathered feathers and began fastening them together with thread and wax. He made four large wings. Nearby, his son Icarus was playing and having fun beside his father.

At last, the wings were ready. Daedalus put on one pair and took flight. Icarus watched his father in amazement. Daedalus came back down and began explaining to Icarus how to fly.

“Listen, my son,” Daedalus said. “We are about to begin our flight, but you must be careful. If you fly too low, the waves will wet your wings; if you fly too high, the sun will melt the wax. So fly carefully and follow directly behind me.”

And Daedalus and Icarus flew like gods. Daedalus flew ahead but often looked back at Icarus. The boy became completely carried away by the experience of flying and began to fool around. He flew too high, and the sun melted the wax holding his wings together. Icarus fell from a terrible height into the sea and died.

Daedalus looked back, but his son was gone. Only white feathers were floating on the water. Daedalus cursed his own art and flew to Sicily.

He lived there for a long time. When King Minos came to capture the runaway craftsman, the daughters of Cocalus, the king of Sicily, poured a bucket of boiling water over Minos’s head, and he died. Later, the old Daedalus returned to Athens and became the ancestor of a family of artists.