[Next] [Previous] [Up] [Top]

1.0 The Daedalus/Icarus Project

1.3 Origin of the Terminology


In classical mythology, Daedalus was an ingenious inventor, designer of the Labyrinth, and one of the few to escape from it. He was the father of Icarus. Daedalus is a symbol of inventiveness and craftsmanship.

Icarus died tragically while using artificial wings, invented by his father, to escape from the Labyrinth. When Icarus flew too close to the Sun, it melted the wax that held the wings together, and he fell to earth.

The Labyrinth was a vast maze on the island of Crete. Daedalus designed it, and the King of Crete kept the Minotaur in it. Very few people escaped from the Labyrinth. One was Theseus, the killer of the Minotaur. He unwound a ball of string as he passed through, and then retraced his steps by following the string backwards. Daedalus, also imprisoned in the Labyrinth, escaped with his son, Icarus, by making wings and flying over the top of the walls. A labyrinth can be literally a maze or figuratively any highly intricate construction or problem.


Randy H. Katz, ed., rkatz@cs.Berkeley.edu; Last edited: 13 JAN 95
[Next] [Previous] [Up] [Top]

Generated with CERN WebMaker