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GREEK

Icarus flew too close to the sun and his wax wings melted.

According to Greek myth, a boy escaped a tower on homemade wings - but ignored his father's warning and flew too high.

1 min read
Icarus flew too close to the sun and his wax wings melted.
THE FULL STORY

Icarus is one of the most famous tragic heroes in Greek mythology. According to the legend, he and his clever inventor father Daedalus were trapped on the island of Crete by a cruel king. Daedalus built two pairs of wings out of feathers held together with wax so they could fly to freedom.

Before they took off, Daedalus warned Icarus carefully. Fly too low and the sea spray would soak the feathers. Fly too high and the sun would melt the wax. Icarus listened - for a little while. Then, thrilled by flight, he soared higher and higher into the sky.

The wax softened, the feathers fell out, and Icarus tumbled into the sea below. He drowned in the spot now called the Icarian Sea, between Greece and Turkey. The Greeks told this story to warn young people not to ignore good advice and not to let pride lead them into danger.

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