Icarus

In Greek mythology, Icarus was the son of the master craftsman Daedalus and his wife Naucrate. Daedalus built the labyrinth of Crete, a very confusing maze. After the hero Theseus, king of Athens, escaped, King Minos of Crete imprisoned Daedalus and Icarus.

Daedalus made wings from birds' feathers, threads, leather straps, and beeswax for them to escape. He told Icarus not to fly too low near the water or too high near the Sun, because this could damage the wings.

Sadly, Icarus flew too close to the Sun. The heat melted the beeswax in his wings, and they fell apart. Icarus fell into the sea and drowned. This story gave us the expression "fly too close to the Sun," which means taking a risk that is too dangerous. In some versions, Daedalus and Icarus escaped by ship instead.

The legend

Icarus's father Daedalus was a skilled craftsman. He built a labyrinth for King Minos of Crete. The labyrinth held the Minotaur, a monster with the body of a man and the head of a bull. When Minos found out Daedalus helped Theseus escape, he kept Daedalus and Icarus in prison.

To get away, Daedalus made two pairs of wings from feathers and beeswax. He made one pair for himself and one for Icarus. Daedalus told Icarus not to fly too close to the Sun or the sea. But Icarus did not listen. He flew too high. The heat from the Sun melted the beeswax on his wings. His wings fell apart, and he could not fly anymore. He fell into the sea and drowned. Daedalus was very sad about his son. Later, he named an island and a part of the sea after Icarus to remember him.

Classical literature

The story of Icarus is found in many old books. Writers like Pseudo-Apollodorus, Diodorus Siculus, Hyginus, Virgil, and Ovid all told the tale in their own ways. Ovid wrote a long version in his book called Metamorphoses. Hyginus also wrote about the myth, including the story of Pasiphaë and the birth of the Minotaur. Other writers, such as Lucian, talked about Icarus when they wrote about different subjects.

Medieval, Renaissance, and modern literature

Ovid's story of Icarus has inspired many writers in English literature, including Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Milton. During the Renaissance, artists used Icarus's story to show the risks of wanting too much. A famous painting called Landscape with the Fall of Icarus by Pieter Bruegel the Elder inspired poems by W. H. Auden and William Carlos Williams. Many poets and authors have used Icarus's tale in their work to discuss challenges and dreams. Today, Icarus appears in books and films, showing how important his story remains.

!The Sun, or the Fall of Icarus by Merry-Joseph Blondel is displayed in the Rotunda of Apollo at the Louvre. A 16th century print shows Icarus falling, and in Bruegel's Landscape with the Fall of Icarus (c. 1558), Icarus is a small detail at the lower right. Modern street art of Icaria island and falling Icarus can be seen just outside the village of Evdilos on Icaria, Greece.

Interpretation

The story of Icarus teaches us about the dangers of wanting too much. Some people think it shows how chasing dreams very hard can cause trouble. For example, psychologist Henry Murray used the term "Icarus complex" to describe people who love heights and fire. Modern author Seth Godin said that Icarus was also told not to fly too low, because water could hurt his wings. This suggests that feeling too safe can sometimes be risky.