Daedalus is a favored mortal of Athena, who is a craftsman of amazing oddities, tools, and structures. He is best known for crafting the Labyrinth and wings for him and his son Icarus, who flew too close to the sun and died.
Daedalus was Athena’s favorite mortal. He had an amazing talent and skill and could craft anything, from tools, to large structures, to mystical trinkets. However, his nephew and apprentice Talus began to surpass his uncle in talent, and Daedalus grew very jealous. After Talus figured out that a fish bone spine was sharper than a knife and would make a great new tool, Daedalus pushed him off of the roof of Athena’s temple. Athena turned the boy into a partridge in mid-fall, and turned her fury to Daedalus. She withdrew her favor from him and chased him out of Athens, so he went to Crete where King Minos and Queen Pasiphae ruled.
Daedalus impressed the royal family with his talents and was asked to stay on the island to work for them. Queen Pasiphae, in a conversation with Daedalus, expressed that she didn’t believe in the gods and goddesses—especially Aphrodite, which angered Aphrodite. Meanwhile, King Minos sought out a white bull for his own amusement, as he had a particular fascination with white bulls. Aphrodite sent a white bull that was the most splendid in all of the land, and Queen Pasiphae fell in love with it.
In some versions of the myth, King Minos requested a white bull from Poseidon to show his support of his quest to rule Crete over his brothers. Rather than sacrifice the bull to Poseidon, as he was supposed to, he chose to keep it instead. To punish him for his disobedience, Poseidon made the Queen fall madly in love with the bull, and the Minotaur was the result of this affair.
She asked Daedalus for help, so he constructed a cow suit for her to wear. The result of this was that the Queen soon gave birth to the Minotaur, which literally means “Minos’ bull.” The Minotaur was a fearsome half-man, half-bull creature that loved to eat human flesh. His head was the head of a bull, the body that of a man's, with hooves and giant black horns that stuck out from the top of his head. Minos quickly realized what happened and instructed Daedalus to build a Labyrinth, which was an intricate maze of shrubs that was nearly impossible to navigate. It had 999 entrances in and only one exit. Minos locked Pasiphae, the Minotaur, Daedalus, and Daedalus’ son Icarus in the Labyrinth to hide his wife’s shameful secret.
Icarus suggested that his father make them wings so that they could escape from Crete. Daedalus crafted the wings and sealed them to their bodies with wax, warning his son not to fly too close to the sun or the wax would melt. Unfortunately, an over-excited Icarus found himself flying higher and higher before the wax melted and he plummeted to his death in the ocean.
From Icarus’ experience, we get the warning not to be too over-zealous or ambitious or we may fail terribly. This is usually encompassed in the saying, “Don’t fly too close to the sun.”
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Parents
Unknown
Notable Myths
- Talus and the Fish-bone Saw
- Cretan Bull
- Icarus
Symbols / Attributes
- Labyrinth
- Wings
Companions
Wife unknown, but father of Icarus and Iapyx
How Tos about Daedalus - Mythical Inventor
Engage students with a creative Daedalus-inspired STEAM project
Introduce Daedalus as a legendary inventor and craftsman from Greek mythology. Connect his story to themes of creativity and innovation in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) subjects. This sets the stage for hands-on learning.
Guide students to research Daedalus’s inventions using picture encyclopedias
Encourage students to use visual resources to explore Daedalus’s famous inventions, such as the labyrinth and wings. Visual learning helps students remember key facts and understand complex ideas more easily.
Facilitate a design challenge inspired by Daedalus’s creativity
Ask students to brainstorm and sketch their own invention that solves a classroom or everyday problem, just like Daedalus did. Support creativity and critical thinking through collaborative discussion and drawing.
Encourage students to present and explain their inventions to the class
Have students share their ideas and explain how their invention works, referencing Daedalus’s problem-solving skills. Build confidence and communication skills while making learning interactive.
Connect the project to real-world STEM careers and historical inventors
Discuss how inventors like Daedalus inspired modern engineers, artists, and scientists. Help students see the relevance of mythological stories to today’s world and future career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions about Daedalus - Mythical Inventor
Who was Daedalus in Greek mythology?
Daedalus was a legendary inventor and craftsman in Greek mythology, famous for designing the Labyrinth for King Minos of Crete and for crafting wings to escape imprisonment.
What did Daedalus invent?
Daedalus is credited with inventing the Labyrinth, a complex maze to contain the Minotaur, and creating wings made of feathers and wax for himself and his son Icarus to fly away from Crete.
Why is Daedalus important in ancient stories?
Daedalus is important because he represents human creativity and ingenuity. His stories teach lessons about the risks and rewards of innovation and the consequences of ignoring warnings.
What is the myth of Daedalus and Icarus?
The myth tells how Daedalus built wings for himself and his son Icarus to escape Crete, but Icarus flew too close to the sun, causing his wings to melt and leading to his fall into the sea.
How can teachers use the story of Daedalus in lessons?
Teachers can use Daedalus's story to discuss themes like invention, problem-solving, and the importance of listening to advice. It also connects to lessons in literature, art, history, and science.
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