Teachers Guide to Icarus and Daedalus

7/27/2019 Teachers Guide to Icarus and Daedalus

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Teacher's Guide

MYTHS AND LEGENDS OF

ANCIENT GREECE

Suggested Instructional Procedures

Script


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506).

CONTENTS

Copyright (c) 1996


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young man gathers the greatest heroes and heroines ofthe ancient world and along with this group, theArgonauts, sails to the distant land of Colchis, wherethe evil ruler Aeetes tells Jason and his companionsthey must plant dragon teeth in the field of Ares toprove they are worthy of the fleece. Aeetes's daughter,Medea, falls in love with Jason, and instructs him what todo when the teeth grow into warriors. With further helpfrom Medea, and the musician Orpheus, Jason findshis way to the fleece (guarded by a fire-breathingdragon), retrieves it, and then returns to lolchis, wherehe reclaims the crown once held by his father.

While it may be best in somshow all the stories in one screeninthat they be shown one at a time. A

other myths, the stories in the vsimple; yet, in reality, they arhistorical, religious, philosophicameaning. You may begin your general discussion of mythology.Greek myths and legends have beeof years, and they have survived thoffer much to the reader/viewer/ment, insight into human naturemorality and justice. To increunderstanding of the stories, ment

appear simple, but they are someThey have many layers of meaningpeeled away, another is revealepurposes of discussion, the classlayers: historical, cultural, religiouand psychological. (For younger vstudents who may not be ready in-depth discussion, the philosophicaspects of the stories may, of comentioned only briefly.)

Tell the class that they wientitled "Myths and Legends of Awould be useful, have the class locor globe, then discuss briefly ancien

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drama, literature, and the development of democracy.Then, on the chalkboard, write the following:"Analysis of the stories -- plot, theme, culture, history,philosophy and religion, psychology." Define eachterm and tell the students you will want them to analyzethe story according to the criteria mentioned. You mayalso analyze each story as a class activity.

As your class analyzes each story, you maywant to highlight the following factors:

Our story begins thousands of years aGreece, on the island of Crete.

It was there that one could find a hugecovered several acres.

The structure was designed and built bancient world's most noted engineer, ascientist.

Once, he had lived in Athens, in Greecago had been forced to flee across the he was accused of killing his nephew, T

The King of Crete, Minos, welcomed Darchitect was, thought the ruler, the ondesigning a maze complex enough to istepson, the monstrous Minotaur.

Once the labyrinth was built, the beast

center, where he paced day after day, wannual feeding of fourteen humans.

Now, on one particular year, those to bto come from Athens, and one of themPrince Theseus.

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He was, however, determined that he and his companionswould not die deep in the recesses of the labyrinth.

Now, as it happened, Theseus was the cousin ofDaedalus.

Days later, when Minos greeted the young prince and his

comrades, he instructed them to prepare for their deaths.

Unknown to him, however, his daughter, Ariadne, hadother ideas. For as soon as her gaze fell upon Theseus,she fell in love with him.

Vowing to save the prince, she immediately went toDaedalus, whom she knew was the only person in all ofCrete who could help her.

At first, the architect scowled and refused her request for

assistance because it was Theseus's father who had forcedhim to flee Athens many years ago.

But when Ariadne persisted, Daedalus finally relentedand told her that the Minotaur could be killed with one ofhis own horns ~ and no other way.

He then gave a silken cord to the princess.

"If you roll the cord at the door of the maze," he said, "itwill unravel, all the way to the center, where the monster

lives.

"Then, the thread can be followed back after the Minotauris slain. But beware! If the cord is not used, Theseus willbe lost forever in the labyrinth." .

Late that very night, Ariadne and Theslabyrinth, and just as Daedalus had saidunravel, stringing a route to the Minota

Theseus followed it, until, at last, he cawith the monster.

And just as Daedalus had said, the Minwith one of its very own horns lodge

The prince escaped with Ariadne that nto Athens.

It did not take King Minos long to figuhappened.

And so he ordered Daedalus and his soimprisoned in the labyrinth for the rest

Yet, the king wanted the engineer to cohim, so Daedalus was allowed to have maze.

One day, the engineer looked up and salazily riding the warm air currents, abosparked his imagination and a plan begmind for his, and his son's, escape.

Within an hour, he and Icarus set to woand arrows.

He then shot a large number of eagles, injured, dropped into the labyrinth belo

With their feathers, Daedalus made twwings, the feathers glued together with

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strong wax, which hardened as it cooled.

Several nights later, the two prepared for their escape andthen flew out of the maze ~ into the skies of gloriousfreedom.

As morning arrived, Icarus became increasinglyenthralled at his power of flight, and so began to flyhigher and higher.

Daedalus, knowing that the sun's heat would melt thewax, desperately called out to his son to fly downward.

But his pleas went unheeded. Up and up Icarus went, upinto the eye of the sun like a moth drawn to a candle.

Soon, one feather, then another, and still another, and yetanother, fell from his wings until Icarus himself droppedfrom the sky into the waters below, never to be seen again.

As for Daedalus, he eventually set down in his homeland,Greece. But he was not welcome there and so spent therest of his years wandering westward. It is said that hedied in poverty. Nobody knows where.

But our story does have a happy ending. Theseus becameking of Athens and Ariadne eventually married the godDionysus.

And the world, at least for a time, was at peace.

****Countless ages ago, when the earth was still young andfresh, there were no adults only children who dancedand played all day.

There was no need for work in those tiprovided enough food for everyone, inbushes, on the vines, and in the good e

The gods also provided companions towished for one.

And that is how our story begins, on thcame into the life of Epimetheus; he wcompanion, and she was to be his.

Shortly after Pandora arrived, the younthe inside of his small cottage. AlmostPandora's attention was drawn to somethat sat near the center of the room.

She was curious about it, and its conten

When she asked Epimetheus where it hwhat was inside, he responded that he contents of the box, nor could he reveahad made a sacred promise never to teland to never open it.

As the days passed, Pandora's curiosityintense.

One afternoon, while alone in the cothat the gold and silver cord that fast

appeared to have no beginning and no

"Hmmm," she said. "How curious! Peout where the ends are by unravelling there can be no harm in that!"

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Suddenly, the cord glowed and began untying itself!The box now could be easily opened.

Then, just as suddenly, the box began to shake, andvoices could be heard from within, pleading, "Let us out!Let us out! LET US OUT!"

Now, at that very moment, Epimetheus was out withthe other children, but was not playing. For the firsttime in his life, he was gloomy.

So he decided to return to his cottage to see if Pandoracould cheer him up.

He arrived just as his companion was about to lift thelid.

But Epimetheus did not stop her, for if truth be known, hewas just as curious as she.

The creatures were the troubles of the world evilpassions, pain, disease, sorrows, anger, intolerance, andall the rest.

And out they flew to spread to the four corners of theearth.

And as they did, everyone changed and everythingchanged.

And yet, not all that came from the box that day was anearthly trouble. One last creature remained.

Her wings, which appeared to be made of rainbows, liftedher out of the box, until she hovered near Pandora andEpimetheus.

"My name is Hope," she said, "and I was you need me. It is true that you reletroubles today, but as long as you have

promise to make things better."

Pandora and Epimetheus did trust her.

And so things did get better. Yes, the and still remain to this day. But Hotoday's troubles can turn into tomorrow

****

Long ago, a centaur named Chiron livin Thessaly. He was wise and belovedshared his wisdom with all who came of the gods.

One of those who sat Chiron's feet waKing Aeson of lolchis, who had beenevil warrior, Pelias, many years before

When Jason learned all that Chiron haout to reclaim the throne of his family

He had not travelled far when he cameswollen stream.

Although Jason could see the danger ofalse step and he would be swept undewas determined press on.

Just was he was about to step into thhe felt a nearby presence. It was an ug

"Young man, I, too, must get to the ottoo weak to cross by myself. Would y

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your back?"

Jason thought of the added danger. But, to him, it did notmatter. Carefully stepping on the stones, he bravelyventured across the rushing waters, the old woman on hisshoulders.

Somewhat later, on the opposite shore, the young man lay

collapsed on the ground, barely able to catch his breath.

After several moments, he recovered enough to notice thathe had lost one of his sandals in the stream.

"I was responsible for losing it, not you!" said anunfamiliar voice.

To his astonishment, Jason saw the old hag changing intoa beautiful woman. It was Hera, wife of the great godZeus. She told Jason that because he had carried her

across the stream, the gods would now smile upon him inhis quest.

And then, she disappeared into thin air!

For many months, Jason continued his journey, until, atlast, he found himself before the loathsome Pelias.

The evil ruler immediately spied Jason's bare foot, as didhis oracle, the fortune teller who had prophesied that theking would one day fall to a youth wearing but onesandal.

"And who are you?"

"I am Jason, son of Aeson. I have come to claim my

rightful crown!"

"I yield my crown only to the person wis not easy to devise a test to determine

"If a person would bring back the goldColchis, surely that would prove him wdon't you think?"

The evil king agreed. He did not knowcame to Jason ~ nor, in fact, did Jasonboth did know that the golden fleece wnorthern edge of the known world, in f

Both also knew that it was guarded bybreathing dragon that burned anyone wnear the fleece.

And so Pelias eagerly sent the young m

Jason gathered the greatest of the Gree

heroines for the journey.

The adventurers, called the Argonautsof perils and battled many grotesque crjourney.

But at last, they reached their destinauncivilized land ruled by Aeetes, a cwizard, incapable of speaking the truth

"You may have the fleece, but Zeus ha

personally that those who covet this pthese dragon teeth in the fields of Ares

Now, as it happened, the King's daugnearby as he spoke these words, and sh

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terrible magic of the dragon's teeth.

As it also happened, Medea fell in love with Jason assoon as she saw him. And so, she told the youngadventurer how to escape the horrible events that wouldoccur if he followed her father's instructions.

"As soon as the teeth are planted," she said, "they willgrow into a regiment of warriors. The soldiers will thenadvance upon you and your companions. They will slayall of you unless throw the bronze helmet that held thedragon's teeth into their midst. If you do so, each warriorwill turn upon another with such ferocity that, withinmoments, they will be found lifeless on the ground."

And so it was.

When Jason returned to Aeetes, the evil king publiclystated that the young adventurer could now lay claimthe fleece.

But in secret, he instructed his soldiers to slay Jason andthe rest of the Argonauts as they slept on their ship.

Fortunately, Medea overheard the plan, quickly rushed toJason, and told him to bring the golden-haired musician,Orpheus, to a nearby forest as soon as darkness settledover Colchis.

That having been done, the three, with Medea leading the

way, rode for several hours, deeper and deeper into thewoods until, at last, they found themselves confronted bythe dragon.

Just as Jason was about to draw his sword to do battle,

Medea told him that, instead, Orpheus

lyre.

And he did. And as he played, the musworked its magic upon the horrid beasfast asleep.

Jason's chance had come!

Within a short time, he was on his way

Pelias, having made his promise in pubother than to surrender his crown.

In truth, there was no choice at all. ForZeus and his wife Hera had ordained thin order that the golden fleece would brightful place, to the city of lolchis.

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Teachers Guide to Icarus and Daedalus

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