Icarus
Also known as: Ikarus · Icaros · Ikaros
- 1Son of the master craftsman Daedalus.
- 2Associated with the labyrinth of Crete.
- 3Imprisoned by King Minos for revealing secrets.
- 4Mythological figure linked to the escape of Theseus.
In Greek mythology, Icarus was the son of the master craftsman Daedalus, the architect of the labyrinth of Crete, and his wife Naucrate.
Connections1
Mythological figure used to explore human hubris
The story of Icarus and Daedalus is retold by Ovid to explore the consequences of human ambition and the physical limits of the human form.
In Greek mythology, Icarus is recognized as the son of the master craftsman Daedalus, who was the architect of the famous labyrinth of Crete. His story is deeply intertwined with the political conflicts between King Minos and Theseus, the king of Athens.
Icarus (right) with his father Daedalus on a Roman mosaic from Zeugma, now in the Zeugma Mosaic Museum.Wikimedia Commons: File:Gaziantep_Zeugma_Museum_Daedalus_mosaic_1873.jpgJacob Peter Gowy 's The Fall of Icarus (1635–1637)Wikimedia Commons: File:Gowy-icaro-prado.jpg17th-century relief with a Cretan labyrinth bottom right ( Musée Antoine Vivenel )Wikimedia Commons: File:'The_Fall_of_Icarus',_17th_century,_Musée_Antoine_Vivenel.JPG Following the escape of Theseus from the labyrinth, Minos suspected that Icarus and his father had disclosed the secrets of the structure. Consequently, the two were imprisoned, either within the labyrinth itself or in a high tower overlooking the sea, depending on the specific mythological tradition.