Tired of his lengthy confinement on Crete after having planned and built the labyrinth, Daedalus dreamed of returning to his native land, from which he was kept away by the vigilant fleets of Minos. Yet, while Minos may have been master of the land and sea, he had no dominion over the air.
So the great architect built a bizarre device, unknown to the science of the day: he took a bundle of feathers and skillfully arranged them to resemble the wings of a bird, bound them with cord, and fixed them at the base with wax. When the work was finished, Daedalus attached a pair of these wings to his shoulders and did the same with his son Icarus, warning him not to fly too high, close to the blaze of the sun. He then launched himself into the air, his son following behind.
They had already passed Delos on their left when the young man began to take delight in their daring feat: fascinated by the sky, he flew higher, toward the burning sun. Its heat melted the wax and the feathers came unstuck. Icarus beat his arms frantically, but plummeted straight into the waters off Samos, into the sea that is still known by his name.