The Story of Daedalus and Icarus



8:283 In tedious exile now too long detain'd,
8:284 Daedalus languish'd for his native land:
8:285 The sea foreclos'd his flight; yet thus he said:
8:286 Tho' Earth and water in subjection laid,
8:287 O cruel Minos, thy dominion be,
8:288 We'll go thro' air; for sure the air is free.
8:289 Then to new arts his cunning thought applies,
8:290 And to improve the work of Nature tries.
8:291 A row of quils in gradual order plac'd,
8:292 Rise by degrees in length from first to last;
8:293 As on a cliff th' ascending thicket grows,
8:294 Or, different reeds the rural pipe compose.
8:295 Along the middle runs a twine of flax,
8:296 The bottom stems are joyn'd by pliant wax.
8:297 Thus, well compact, a hollow bending brings
8:298 The fine composure into real wings.

8:299 His boy, young Icarus, that near him stood,
8:300 Unthinking of his fate, with smiles pursu'd
8:301 The floating feathers, which the moving air
8:302 Bore loosely from the ground, and wasted here and there.
8:303 Or with the wax impertinently play'd,
8:304 And with his childish tricks the great design delay'd.

8:305 The final master-stroke at last impos'd,
8:306 And now, the neat machine compleatly clos'd;
8:307 Fitting his pinions on, a flight he tries,
8:308 And hung self-ballanc'd in the beaten skies.
8:309 Then thus instructs his child: My boy, take care
8:310 To wing your course along the middle air;
8:311 If low, the surges wet your flagging plumes;
8:312 If high, the sun the melting wax consumes:
8:313 Steer between both: nor to the northern skies,
8:314 Nor south Orion turn your giddy eyes;
8:315 But follow me: let me before you lay
8:316 Rules for the flight, and mark the pathless way.
8:317 Then teaching, with a fond concern, his son,
8:318 He took the untry'd wings, and fix'd 'em on;
8:319 But fix'd with trembling hands; and as he speaks,
8:320 The tears roul gently down his aged cheeks.
8:321 Then kiss'd, and in his arms embrac'd him fast,
8:322 But knew not this embrace must be the last.
8:323 And mounting upward, as he wings his flight,
8:324 Back on his charge he turns his aking sight;
8:325 As parent birds, when first their callow care
8:326 Leave the high nest to tempt the liquid air.
8:327 Then chears him on, and oft, with fatal art,
8:328 Reminds the stripling to perform his part.

8:329 These, as the angler at the silent brook,
8:330 Or mountain-shepherd leaning on his crook,
8:331 Or gaping plowman, from the vale descries,
8:332 They stare, and view 'em with religious eyes,
8:333 And strait conclude 'em Gods; since none, but they,
8:334 Thro' their own azure skies cou'd find a way.

8:335 Now Delos, Paros on the left are seen,
8:336 And Samos, favour'd by Jove's haughty queen;
8:337 Upon the right, the isle Lebynthos nam'd,
8:338 And fair Calymne for its honey fam'd.
8:339 When now the boy, whose childish thoughts aspire
8:340 To loftier aims, and make him ramble high'r,
8:341 Grown wild, and wanton, more embolden'd flies
8:342 Far from his guide, and soars among the skies.
8:343 The soft'ning wax, that felt a nearer sun,
8:344 Dissolv'd apace, and soon began to run.
8:345 The youth in vain his melting pinions shakes,
8:346 His feathers gone, no longer air he takes:
8:347 Oh! Father, father, as he strove to cry,
8:348 Down to the sea he tumbled from on high,
8:349 And found his Fate; yet still subsists by fame,
8:350 Among those waters that retain his name.

8:351 The father, now no more a father, cries,
8:352 Ho Icarus! where are you? as he flies;
8:353 Where shall I seek my boy? he cries again,
8:354 And saw his feathers scatter'd on the main.
8:355 Then curs'd his art; and fun'ral rites confer'd,
8:356 Naming the country from the youth interr'd.

8:357 A partridge, from a neighb'ring stump, beheld
8:358 The sire his monumental marble build;
8:359 Who, with peculiar call, and flutt'ring wing,
8:360 Chirpt joyful, and malicious seem'd to sing:
8:361 The only bird of all its kind, and late
8:362 Transform'd in pity to a feather'd state:
8:363 From whence, O Daedalus, thy guilt we date.

8:364 His sister's son, when now twelve years were past,
8:365 Was, with his uncle, as a scholar plac'd;
8:366 The unsuspecting mother saw his parts,
8:367 And genius fitted for the finest arts.
8:368 This soon appear'd; for when the spiny bone
8:369 In fishes' backs was by the stripling known,
8:370 A rare invention thence he learnt to draw,
8:371 Fil'd teeth in ir'n, and made the grating saw.
8:372 He was the first, that from a knob of brass
8:373 Made two strait arms with widening stretch to pass;
8:374 That, while one stood upon the center's place,
8:375 The other round it drew a circling space.
8:376 Daedalus envy'd this, and from the top
8:377 Of fair Minerva's temple let him drop;
8:378 Feigning, that, as he lean'd upon the tow'r,
8:379 Careless he stoop'd too much, and tumbled o'er.

8:380 The Goddess, who th' ingenious still befriends,
8:381 On this occasion her asssistance lends;
8:382 His arms with feathers, as he fell, she veils,
8:383 And in the air a new made bird he sails.
8:384 The quickness of his genius, once so fleet,
8:385 Still in his wings remains, and in his feet:
8:386 Still, tho' transform'd, his ancient name he keeps,
8:387 And with low flight the new-shorn stubble sweeps,
8:388 Declines the lofty trees, and thinks it best
8:389 To brood in hedge-rows o'er its humble nest;
8:390 And, in remembrance of the former ill,
8:391 Avoids the heights, and precipices still.

8:392 At length, fatigu'd with long laborious flights,
8:393 On fair Sicilia's plains the artist lights;
8:394 Where Cocalus the king, that gave him aid,
8:395 Was, for his kindness, with esteem repaid.
8:396 Athens no more her doleful tribute sent,
8:397 That hardship gallant Theseus did prevent;
8:398 Their temples hung with garlands, they adore
8:399 Each friendly God, but most Minerva's pow'r:
8:400 To her, to Jove, to all, their altars smoak,
8:401 They each with victims, and perfumes invoke.

8:402 Now talking Fame, thro' every Grecian town,
8:403 Had spread, immortal Theseus, thy renown.
8:404 From him the neighb'ring nations in distress,
8:405 In suppliant terms implore a kind redress.