Daedalus
Daedalus2, Daedalus, mythical architect
- I The mythical Athenian architect of the times of Theseus and Minos, father of Icarus, and builder of the Cretan labyrinth, Ov. M. 8, 159; 183; id. Tr. 3, 4, 21; Verg. A. 6, 14 Serv.; Mel. 2, 7, 12: Plin. 7, 56, 57, 198; Hyg. Fab. 39; Cic. Brut. 18, 71; Hor. Od. 1, 3, 34; Mart. 4, 49, 5; Sil. 12, 89 sq., et saep.—
- B Hence,
- 1 Daedălē̆us, a, um, adj., Daedalian, relating to Daedalus:
- α Daedălēo Icaro, Hor. C. 2, 20, 13: Ope Daedălēa, id. ib. 4, 2, 2.—
- β Daedalĕum iter (i. e. through the labyrinth), Prop. 2, 14, 8 (3, 6, 8 M.).—*
- 2 Daedălĭcus, a, um, adj., skilful: manus, Venant. 10, 11, 17.—
- II A later sculptor of Sicyon, son and pupil of Patrocles: et ipse inter fictores laudatus, Plin. 34, 8, 19, § 76.
(Δαίδαλος, “cunning artificer”). The mythical Greek representative of all handiwork, especially of Attic and Cretan art. As such he was worshipped by the artists' guilds, especially in Attica. He is said to have been the son of the Athenian Metion, son of Eupalamus (the ready-handed), and grandson of Erechtheus. He was supposed to have been the first artist who represented the human figure with open eyes, and feet and arms in motion. Besides being an excellent architect, he was said to have invented many implements— the axe, for instance, the awl, and the bevel. His own nephew Talus (son of his sister Perdix) appeared likely to surpass him in readiness and originality. The invention of the saw, which he copied from the jawbone of a snake, of the potter's wheel, of the turning-lathe, of the axe, of the plumbline, of glue, of the gimlet, and of other things of this kind, was attributed to him. Daedalus was so jealous of him that he threw him from the Acropolis; and, being detected in the act of burying the body, was condemned by the Areopagus, and fled to Crete to King Minos. Here, among other things, he made the labyrinth at Gnosus for the Minotaur. (See Labyrinthus.) He and his son Icarus were themselves confined in it, because he had given Ariadné (q.v.) the clue with which she guided Theseus through the maze. But the father and son succeeded in escaping, and fled over the sea upon wings of wax feathers made by Daedalus. Icarus, however, approached too near to the sun, so that the wax melted, and he fell into the sea and was drowned. The sea was called after him the Icarian, and the island on which his body was thrown up and buried by Heracles was called Icaria. Daedalus went to Camicus in Sicily, to King Cocalus, whose daughter loved him for his art, and slew Minos, who came in pursuit of him. He was supposed to have died in Sicily, where buildings attributed to him were shown in many places, as also in Sardinia, Egypt, and Italy, particularly at Cumae. In Greece a number of ancient wooden images were supposed to be his work—in particular a statue of Heracles at Thebes, which Daedalus was said to have made in gratitude for the burial of Icarus. Besides Icarus, Daedalus had a second son, Iapyx, said to be the founder of the Iapyges. See Daedala.
- early Athenian sculptor: Paus. 9.3.2, Paus. 5.25.13
- belongs to royal house of Athens: Paus. 7.4.5
- contemporary of Oedipus: Paus. 10.17.4
- master of Scyllis and Dipoenus: Paus. 2.15.1, and of Clearchus: Paus. 3.17.6
- makes a statue of Herakles at Pisa: Apollod. 2.6.3
- architect, banished from Athens for murder of Calos: Apollod. 3.1.3; Paus. 1.21.4, Paus. 1.26.4
- resides with Minos at Cnosus: Paus. 7.4.5, Paus. 8.53.8
- makes an artificial cow for Pasiphae: Apollod. 3.1.3
- son of Eupalamus, architect and first inventor of images: Apollod. 3.15.8
- murders his nephew Talos: Apollod. 3.15.8
- tried and condemned in the Areopagus: Apollod. 3.15.8
- flees to Minos: Apollod. 1.9.27
- accomplice of Pasiphae: Apollod. 1.9.27
- constructs the Labyrinth: Apollod. 1.9.26, Apollod. 1.9.27
- besought by Ariadne to disclose the way out of the labyrinth: Apollod. 2.1.3
- shut up by Minos in the labyrinth: Apollod. 2.1.4
- makes wings for himself and flies to Camicus in Sicily: Apollod. 2.1.4, Apollod. 2.1.5
- pursued and detected by Minos: Apollod. 2.1.5
- sought by Minos: Hdt. 7.170
- escapes from Crete to Cocalus in Sicily: Paus. 1.21.4, Paus. 7.4.6, Paus. 9.11.4ff.
- his fame spread over Sicily and Italy: Paus. 7.4.7
- thought by some to have colonised Sardinia with Aristaeus: Paus. 10.17.4
- his works uncouth but inspired: Paus. 2.4.5
- list of his works: Paus. 1.27.1, Paus. 2.4.5, Paus. 8.16.3, Paus. 8.35.2, Paus. 8.46.2, Paus. 9.11.4, Paus. 9.39.8, Paus. 9.40.3ff.
- a Sicyonian sculptor: Paus. 6.2.8, Paus. 6.3.4, 7, Paus. 6.6.1, Paus. 10.9.6