Daedalus, accompanied by his son Icarus, effects his escape from the custody of Minos by the aid of wings compacted with wax—The heat of the sun melts tie pinions of the youth, who mounts too high, and he is precipitated into the sea; while the father arrives in Sicily, where he is kindly received by the king of that country.
In tedious exile now too long detain’d, Daedalus languish’d for his native land; The sea foreclosed his flight, yet thus he said: “Though earth and water in subjection laid, O cruel Minos, thy dominion be, We’ll go through air; for sure the air is free.” Then to new arts his cunning thought applies, And to improve the work of nature tries. A row of quills in gradual order placed, Rise by degrees in length from first to last; As on a cliff the ascending thicket grows, Or different reeds the rural pipe compose. Along the middle runs a twine of flax, The bottom stems are join’d by pliant wax: Thus, well compact, a hollow bending brings The fine composure into real wings.