In Greek mythology Daedalus was originally from Athens where he worked as a sculptor and architect. His nephew Talos also worked in his workshop, of whose mastery he became so jealous that he killed him. For this he was banished from Athens and welcomed in Crete by King Minos. Daedalus mated with the slave Naucrates and they had a son, Icarus.

For Pasiphae, Minos’ wife, Daedalus built the wooden cow with which he managed to mate with the sacred bull, sent by Poseidon, and from this union the Minotaur was born. Minos had the Minotaur locked up in the labyrinth of Knossos, built by Daedalus himself.

Since Daedalus was aware of the secrets of the labyrinth, he was locked up there with his son so that he would not reveal them. We recall that it was Daedalus himself who gave Ariadne, daughter of King Minos, the thread to be delivered to Theseus to kill the Minotaur and free the other sacrificial victims in the labyrinth.

The only way to escape from Crete was by sky as the coasts were guarded and so he slowly built wings with small to large feathers, like a bird. He tied them together with linen threads and used wax to secure them to their base. Daedalus warned Icarus to be careful: too close to the waves and the sea foam would wet the wings and make them too heavy. On the other hand, too close to the sun, the wax would melt.

They set off but Icarus, too caught up in the joy of flying, leapt too high. The sun melted the wax on his wings and he fell into the sea. His father Daedalus, having arrived in Cuma , in Campania, erected a temple in honor of Apollo, symbol of the destroying sun, consecrating the wax wings of his unfortunate son to him.

With his wings Daedalus reached the island of Sicily in the kingdom of Cocalo and was well received by the king, as impressed by Daedalus ‘ skills as the Athenians and the Minoans had been.

Meanwhile, King Minos had not forgotten him and was always on the lookout for him. Finally he asked King Cocalo if his magnificent craftsman could find a way to put a string through shell. Daedalus made a hole in the tip of the shell and put a drop of honey. Then he tied a thread to an ant, which traced the spirals of the inside of the shell to reach the honey. Such intelligence was all the proof King Minos needed. When Minos arrived, King Cocalo, instead of handing over the craftsman, killed the king. Daedalus continued to live a peaceful and productive life in Sicily.

Daedalus symbolizes man’s knowledge and respect for Nature and human ingenuity which, with the labyrinth, recalls the effort of going through life, but also the hope of finding a way out.