ICARUS The only son born to the Greek inventor Daedalus, Icarus disappointed his talented, gifted father by virtue of his innate clumsiness, and slowness of mind. In attempting to escape from King Minos of Crete, Daedalus fashioned wings for himself and his son, and counselling the boy to stick close to him, and fly not too high nor too low, the pair ascended into the heavens. However, Icarus soon forgot his father's warnings, overcome by the heady sensation of flight, and soared up towards the sun, whose heat melted the beeswax holding his wings together, and Icarus plunged into the sea, where he was drowned.