1. Daedalus and Icarus & The Myth of Phaeton

2. Summary of Daedalus and Icarus
In the Myth of Daedalus and Icarus, Daedalus was a
famous Greek inventor. Daedalus was considered one
of the smartest in Greece. The King did not want anyone to be smarter than himself, so he arrested the inventor. Daedalus was a prisoner on an island in the sea near Greece. Daedalus was allowed to have his son, Icarus, join him. They could not escape the island.Daedalus begins to think about how they could get away. He watched the birds fly and he thought about how free they were and decided to make wings for himself and Icarus.

3. Summary Continued…
Daedalus and Icarus made the wings out of a variation of bird feathers and wax. They tied the wings onto each other. Daedalus warned his son to be careful while flying. If he went to close to the sea, he might fall in; but if he flew too high in the sky, the heat of the sun would melt the wax on his wings and he would fall. Icarus promised to be careful. So they set off for freedom. While in Flight Icarus forgot what his father had said and started to fly higher and higher. The sun began to melt the wax of the wings, causing the feathers to fall off one by one. It was too late when Icarus noticed and began to fall to the sea.

4. Summary continued...
There Icarus drowned. After returning to Greece Daedalus wasn’t happy due to the lost of his son. Daedalus often returns to the edge of the water, where he would look out over the sea. Icarus was never seen again, but to this day you can still see his rainbow colored feathers flashing on the surface of the sunny sea.

5. Characterization of Daedalus
Daedalus was a famous Greek inventor, who was known for his skill as an architect, sculptor, and inventor. The Greeks were smart people and among them, he was one of the smartest. He displays many aspects of a person with extraordinary skills. Daedalus was very intelligent and brilliant to the point that King Minos grew worried about him. The king did not like anyone who was smarter than himself so he decided to sent Daedalus to an island. Daedalus built wings using feathers and wax to escape the island. Human beings are not meant to fly, only gods could fly in the air. In the myth, Daedalus told his son “ when men must try to do what the gods can do without trying.” This symbolizes an act of pride of Daedalus. Unlike most of the popular beliefs, Daedalus was not considered as an “epic hero”. He was not strong, nor displays any leadership. He was more gifted in his intelligence. Throught the actions of Daedalus, he has taught us not to do the same mistakes that he did.

6. Main Ideas
The myth of Daedalus and Icarus didactic primarily to teach a lesson.
Instead of achieving for something extraordinary, we all should know our limits and be content with what we possess.
Back in the day, the gods did not like it when humans tried to act like them by overcoming their mortal limits. In ancient Greek culture, acting like a god was called "hubris", and it was often severely punished. In the myth, Daedalus tried flying through the air ( god’s activity) which constituted hubris.
Consider the consequences before acting
Icarus continued to push the limits by flying higher and higher leading to his own demise.
When Daedalus invented the wing, he briefly consider what might happen when if the wing were too close to the sun or too close to the sea. Because of this, Daedalus unintentionally caused the death of his son Icarus.

7. Main Ideas Self Control/ listening to others, especially your elders.
Icarus realizes how fun and easy flying is, he forgets his father's warnings and continues to fly higher and higher.. Ultimately leading to his death. If Icarus would have listened to his father’s advice and used self control he wouldn’t be dead.

8. Scientific Phenomenon
The myth Daedalus and Icarus explains the Scientific phenomenon of a rainbow. When the myth says that, to this day, some people say, you can still see his rainbow of colored feathers flashing on the surface of the sunny sea which describes a rainbow.

10. Summary of The Myth of Phaeton
Phaeton was a normal Greek boy. He had curly black hair, a straight Greek nose and smile that could light up the room. He was quite intelligent and did very well in school. He has almost everything a boy could besides a father. He lived with only his mother ever since he could remember. When he was almost full grown his mother sat down with him and told him why his father didn’t live with them. His mother told him that his father was the Sun god Helios. Helios was the god who brought the sun up every morning(the sun cycle).

11. Summary cont.
After hearing of this fantastic news Phaeton was too excited to sleep that night. He could barely concentrate in school the next day! He was so happy he shared this new with his friends but they just made fun of him he got into a fight. Coming home with a black eye he questioned if his mother was telling him the truth. His mother told him to meet his father he must walk towards where the sun rises. He then set out on a journey to meet his father. He walked for many days to the edge of the Earth to find his father's

12. Summary cont.
palace. After reaching very high mountains he noticed a red glow in the sky ahead of him. He saw a palace of light. The walls were made of gold, the towers shone of diamonds and the twelve heavy doors were made of silver! He knew that this had to be his father palace. When he entered his father’s palace he saw a man sitting on a bright throne. But this was no man this was his father! This was a god! Around his father were his attendants. On the right there was Day, the Month and the Year. On the left stood Hours.

13. Summary Cont.
In front of Helios were the four seasons. Helios spoke first asking what this boy who entered his palace wanted. Phaeton responded by asking for proof that Helios was his father. His father said to him “only the son of a god could have come here alone, you are my son”. He then told Phaeton to wish for anything and he would grant it. Phaeton wanted to drive the son chariot. Helios reminded him that he was no god and just a Earthling. That not even Zeus could control his fiery horses. But Phaeton insisted to do so.

14. Summary Cont.
Helios continued to warn his son. He warned his son of the dangers be he did not listen. Helios started to beg his son not to wish for this but he would not stop wishing for his. Helios being a man of his word he granted his son’s wish. He let him fly the sun chariot. As Phaeton took control of the reins his father was giving him instructions. But he never got to hear them because as soon as the doors opened the horses had started to move. Phaeton had lost control of them quite quickly.

15. Summary Cont.
The horses flew too far from the earth. As the sun got further and further the temperature on earth fell. It got colder and colder and soon the people started to believe that this was the end. But as soon as it got super far away it started to grow closer and closer, it became so close that it started to scorch the earth. As Phaeton was madly pulling on the reins he got further and further away from the Earth. He had burned much of the planet. Even the gods on Mt. Olympus became worried.

16. Summary Cont.
Zeus took a thunderbolt and zapped Phaeton; killing him. Phaeton didn’t know what hit him, he felt no pain. The horses no longer felt Phaeton pulling on the reins and calmed down. They found their path and the sun set. After this incident Helios has never let anyone control his chariot to this day.

17. Characterization of Phaeton
There are many things to consider about Phaeton. He a child who grew up without his father; he only had his mother, who raised him, throughout his childhood. Due to living within his household without a father or any father-like figure, Phaeton's actions would be considered more irresponsible than children who have grown up with both a mother and a father. Many children grown up without having a role model that would provide guidance and moral advice from. Phaeton never knew his father during the time but he had grown up without a good role model in his life.

18. When he is told about his father being Helios, the God of the Sun, Phaeton immediately wanted to join a bond between himself and his father. To many children, they consider their father to be "a god"; their father's actions may not be ideal during their lives. Fathers, who may not be considered a moral person or a hero in any circumstance, is still seen as an important part of the child's life. Any child would need their father within their life and would fight in order to rationalize their father's actions; actions that may be considered good or bad. Phaeton fights with the kids within his school in order to make them believe his father is a god; both figuratively and literally.

19. Phaeton can be considered persistent; his constant determination to reach his father allows him to prevail his obstacles. Throughout his journey, he traveled along many terrains for a long period of time. He traveled across Greece, across Persia, and across India, trying to reach his father's palace. Phaeton kept going in order to reach the person he never grew up with. As soon as his father offered his son anything he wants in the world, Phaeton wants to ride his father’s chariot across the sky. This demonstrates that Phaeton feels overconfident; both his father being a god and his determination to reach the palace gave Phaeton too much pride.

20. His overconfidence causes him to ignore his father’s advice and attempt to work in a god’s job. The theme that Phaeton displays is called hubris. Hubris is when one person’s overconfidence and unwelming pride can lead to their own downfall.

21. Scientific Phenomenons
Helios, who is the God of the Sun, is in control of the movement of the Sun. Every day Helios rides his chariot across the sky. With his horses, Pyrois, Aeos, Aethon, and Phlegon, Helios would drive the Sun from the east to the west. This task is considered to be difficult for any other mortal being or even a god. Only Helios would have such expertise to control the Sun with his chariot.
Scientific Phenomenon : Sunrise - Sunset

22. Main Ideas/Themes
Similar to the myth of Daedalus and Icarus, the myth of Phaeton is considered to be a didactic. The intentions of the myth is to primarily teach a lesson.
Within Greek mythology, a highly used theme is the theme of hubris, which is when an individual’s overconfidence and overweening pride causes consequences that can be fatal towards himself or herself.
Throughout the myth, Phaeton is a child who grew up without his father; he only lived with his father. This would cause Phaeton to grow up differently than children who had both of their parents.
Phaeton protects the identity of who his father is; although he never met his father, he still feels a connection that may be light but that is still there.
As a parent, there is no substitute for being present in a child’s life and influencing their development. A child is one thing, but being there and showing them by example has no substitute.