The Flight of Icarus - Greek Mythology in Comics - See U in History - Webcomic (Daedalus and Icarus)

Summary

Daedalus, a renowned Athenian architect and inventor, fled to Crete after a crime and served King Minos. He built the Labyrinth to imprison the Minotaur but was later imprisoned himself with his son Icarus. To escape, Daedalus crafted wings of feathers and wax. Despite warnings, Icarus flew too close to the sun, melting the wax, and fell to his death. Daedalus mourned his son's tragic end, a cautionary tale of hubris and the perils of ignoring wise counsel.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ Daedalus was a renowned Athenian architect and inventor in ancient Greece.
• 🏃‍♂️ After committing a crime, Daedalus fled to Crete to escape justice.
• 🤝 He offered his services to King Minos of Crete, who welcomed him.
• 🏰 Daedalus constructed the palace of Knossos among other projects for King Minos.
• 👪 He had a son named Icarus with an Egyptian slave while in Crete.
• 🕷️ Daedalus designed the labyrinth to imprison the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull creature.
• 🔒 Both Daedalus and Icarus were imprisoned by King Minos, accused of treason.
• 🦅 To escape, Daedalus crafted wings made of feathers and wax for himself and Icarus.
• ⚠️ Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too low or too high to avoid damaging the wings.
• 🌞 Icarus ignored the advice, flew too close to the sun, and the wax on his wings melted.
• 💔 Icarus fell to his death, and Daedalus was unable to save him, leading to deep sorrow.

Q & A

Who was Daedalus and what was his profession?

Daedalus was a great Athenian architect and inventor renowned throughout Greece.

Why did Daedalus have to flee Athens?

Daedalus had to flee Athens after committing a dreadful crime to escape from the grip of justice.

Where did Daedalus become a refugee and who was the ruler of that place?

Daedalus became a refugee on the island of Crete, which was ruled by the mighty King Minos.

What was one of Daedalus' major projects during his stay in Crete?

One of Daedalus' major projects during his stay in Crete was the construction of the dazzling palace of Knossos.

Who was Icarus and how was he related to Daedalus?

Icarus was the son of Daedalus, born from a romantic affair Daedalus had with an Egyptian slave.

What was the purpose of the Labyrinth of Minos that Daedalus built?

The Labyrinth of Minos was built by Daedalus to imprison the Minotaur, a half-man half-bull creature.

Why were Daedalus and Icarus imprisoned in the Labyrinth?

Daedalus and Icarus were imprisoned in the Labyrinth because they were accused of conspiring against King Minos by helping the hero Theseus to defeat the Minotaur.

How did Daedalus plan their escape from the Labyrinth?

Daedalus planned their escape by constructing two pairs of massive wings made of wood, feathers, and beeswax for himself and his son Icarus to fly away.

What advice did Daedalus give to Icarus before they started flying?

Daedalus advised Icarus not to fly too low near the sea to avoid humidity and not to fly too high to prevent the sun from melting the beeswax, and to stay close to him at all times.

What was the tragic outcome of Icarus' flight?

Icarus flew too close to the sun, causing the wax on his wings to melt, leading to a loss of control and his eventual fatal fall into the ocean.

How did Daedalus react to Icarus' death?

Daedalus was unable to find Icarus during his search and later discovered his son's dead body on a beach. He lamented that his invention had caused the death of his beloved son.