Lessons in the Myth of Dedalus

For thousands of years myths and parables have been told for all time, whether they be the Greek or Roman, these myths all had two main purposes. First all myths seek to entertain their audience. Second and more importantly all myth seek to deliver an instrucional message. The myth of Daedalus is no exception and carries several very strong messages. The primary instructional message of the myth of Daedalus is to show that it is very important to listen to one’s elders as they are more experienced and wiser. Two important secondary instructional messages of the myth of Daedalus are human intellect is a powerful force that can accomplish amazing things, and that sometimes you need to know when it’s time to quit.
It is very important to listen to one’s elders. In the Story of Daedalus, Daedalus and his son Icarus escape from the Labyrinth in which King Minos has entrapped them in. When preparing to fly away Daedalus tells Icarus, “To keep a middle course over the sea. If he flew too high the sun might melt the glue and the wings drop off.” (145) This is very simple advice; However Icarus being young and assuming himself to be invincible, pays no heed to this warning. Instead he flies as high as he wishes and what his father told him would happen did happen. The glue melts, the wings fall off, and Icarus dies, while Daedalus flies to Sicily.
The power of Daedalus’s intellect saves him from dying in the Labyrinth and while in Sicily allows him to get a great reward from King Minos. When trapped in the Labyrinth he builds a pair of wings both for himself and for his son, after they fly away, and angry King Minos offers “a great reward” (145) to anyone who can run a thread through a complex spiral shell. “He bored a small hole in the closed end of the shell, fastened a thread to an ant, introduced the ant into the hole and then closed it.” (145) This shows the power of Daedalus’s intellect in an “out of the box” way of solving the challenge, in addition to this it also lead King Minos to his doom
. Sometimes it’s better to just know when to give up. After learning the task had been completed King Minos says: “ “Only Daedalus would think of that,” Minos said, and he came to Sicily to seize him. But the king refused to surrender him, and in the contest Minos was slain.” (145) Had King Minos accepted his defeat by Daedalus he never would of chased him to Sicily and been killed by the Sicilian King who refused to relinquish Daedalus.
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There are many more lessons taught in this myth but among the most important are to listen to elders, knowing when to give up, and the power of human intellect. There are reasons certain myths stay alive throughout time. The lessons taught in stories and myths are still important and need to be passed on.
Works Cited * Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. New York: Warner Books, 1969.

Cited: * Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. New York: Warner Books, 1969.