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Daedalus, the Clever Craftsman

© Linda Casselman

Daedalus was a highly gifted craftsman from Athens and news of his renowned skills quickly reached King Minos of Crete who readily employed Daedalus at his palace of Knossos. Unbeknownst to Daedalus, his employment at the King's court in Crete would bring him nothing but woe.

Daedalus' sorrows began with his engineering the fake cow into which Pasiphe, the wife of King Minos, entered so that she could mate with the magnificent white bull whom so fervently aroused her passions. From this union issued the dreaded Minotaur.

After the monster's birth, the King called upon Daedalus' skills to design and construct a Labyrinth to contain the fearsome Minotaur; and there in the maze dwelled the bloodthirsty beast. Each year seven boys and seven girls were sent from Athens, Daedalus' homeland, to be sacrificed to the monster.

The King discovered one day that Daedalus had revealed the secret of the Labyrinth - its correct path to freedom - and immediately imprisoned him with his son Icarus. But the clever craftsman worked secretly to prepare for his escape. He fashioned a set of wings made of feathers and held together with wax for both himself and his son. Then he taught his son how to use the wings to fly. But! He warned his son not to fly too close to the sun.

The day of their escape came and both Daedalus and his son fled from Crete and King Minos. But Icarus was dazzled by the sun and was drawn up to its brilliant light. Higher and higher he flew out of the reach of his father until the wax holding his wings together melted and poor Icarus crashed into the sea and drowned - the sea now known as the Icarian.

Deadalus, grieving the loss of his son, landed safely in Sicily and was taken into the court of King Cocalos where he amused the kings' lovely daughters with his clever inventions.

But all was not well for King Minos had finally discovered Daedalus in Sicily and challenged him to a battle of wits. Daedalus proved the cleverer man of the two for he outwitted King Minos. He had the daughters of King Cocalos pour boiling oil down a pipe into King Minos' bath, thus killing him.

And so ends the story of the clever craftsman from Athens - Daedalus.

Take what morals you may from this tale and learn your lessons well.

Don't fly too close to the sun, but don't forget to reach for the stars!