Daedalus
mythological figure · 11 works · 16 mentions · 21 anchored passages
Daedalian art
in the texts
Orations
Mythical craftsman who built wings for himself and his son Icarus.
And for safety's sake he resembles in nature neither eagles nor cranes nor any other winged kind, but rather one might liken him to the violent and unnatural flight of Icarus, who attempted a device Daedalus could not contrive.
such men were Pheidias and Alcamenes and Polycleitus, and besides Aglaophon and Polygnotus and Zeuxis, and earlier than they Daedalus.
But farewell to Daedalus and the imitative artworks of Daedalus;
Protrepticus
Legendary craftsman whose wooden cow, made for Pasiphae, deceived a wild bull through artistic likeness.
but the cow of Daedalus, made of wood, drew a wild bull to her, and the art, deceiving him, forced the beast to mount a woman in love.
Hecuba
Legendary craftsman invoked by Hecuba as an image for the impossible multiplication of pleading limbs she wishes she had.
would I had a voice in arms, in hands, in hair and feet, placed there by the arts of Daedalus or some god, that all together they might with tears embrace your knees, bringing a thousand pleas to bear on you!
The Histories
Legendary craftsman sought by Minos in Sicania.
Now Minos, it is said, went to Sicania, which is now called Sicily, in search for Daedalus, and perished there by a violent death.
Iliad
Legendary craftsman invoked as the maker of a dancing-floor at Knossos, used as a simile for the shield's imagery.
Furthermore he wrought a green, like that which Daedalus once made in Knossos for lovely Ariadne.
Nemean
Legendary craftsman whose sword is used as the instrument in the plot against Peleus.
With the sword of Daedalus, the son of Pelias sowed the seeds of death for Peleus from an ambush.
Alcibiades 1
Mythic craftsman claimed by Socrates, in irony, as his own ancestor, traced further to Hephaestus and Zeus.
Yes, and mine, noble Alcibiades, to Daedalus, and Daedalus to Hephaestus, son of Zeus!
Euthyphro
Legendary craftsman, claimed as Socrates's ancestor, whose statues were said to move; used as a running figure of speech for arguments that will not stay fixed.
Apparently then, my friend, I am a more clever artist than Daedalus, inasmuch as he made only his own works move, whereas I, as it seems, give motion to the works of others as well as to my own.
Your statements, Euthyphro, are like works of my ancestor Daedalus, and if I were the one who made or advanced them, you might laugh at me and say that on account of my relationship to him my works in words run away and won’t stay where they are put.
Then will you be surprised, since you say this, if your words do not remain fixed but walk about, and will you accuse me of being the Daedalus who makes them walk, when you are yourself much more skilful than Daedalus and make them go round in a circle?
Republic
Legendary craftsman invoked as an exemplar of skillfully made diagrams, used in a simile for the visible heavens
Then, said I, “we must use the blazonry of the heavens as patterns to aid in the study of those realities, just as one would do who chanced upon diagrams drawn with special care and elaboration by Daedalus or some other craftsman or painter.
Letters to Lucilius
Mythological craftsman credited with inventing the saw, used as a foil to true wisdom.
How, I pray you, does it agree, that you should admire both Diogenes and Daedalus?
Memorabilia
Mythic craftsman used as an example of wisdom bringing enslavement and loss.
have you not heard how Daedalus was seized by Minos because of his wisdom, and was forced to be his slave, and was robbed of his country and his liberty, and essaying to escape with his son, lost the boy and could not save himself, but was carried off to the barbarians and again lived as a slave there?