The Inventions of Daedalus (ft. Icarus) - Greek Mythology Explained
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
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Read Pseudo-Apollodorus' Library: www.theoi.com/...
Read Diodorus Siculus' Library of History: www.theoi.com/...
Thanks to Jonathan Doberski for help with my research, and Publius Covidus Naso for their translation of the exerpt from Stephanus' Ethnica.
#GreekMythology
Some commenters have rightly pointed out that the distinction between "maze" and "labyrinth" would not have existed in Ancient Greek. And even in modern English it's perfectly common to use the terms interchangeably. I hate pedentry as much as the next guy, so I don't want anyone to go around thinking they're clever for correcting people over which term they use.
But I made the distinction to point out that ancient artists almost exclusively depicted the Daedalus' Labyrinth as a proper single-pathed "labyrinth". (I found like _one_ picture of a coin depicting a branching maze, and that's the only exception I'm aware of).
I assume what happened is that the Labyrinth was originally imagined as a maze with branching paths ( _possibly_ basing it off of the Knossos palace in Crete), but artists favored the single-path model for its aesthetic value, and that in turn influenced how many storytellers envisioned it. And I _guess_ the idea was that the winding path would disorient you to the point of forgetting which way you were going? But I honestly have a hard time imagining how that would happen.
what if daedalus was called freakalus and sucked toes
holy shit
@@JakeDoubleyoo dear god
@@faust507 smash
Can you do a story of Odysseus?
I find the interpretation of Theseus having dog-shit memory immensely funny.
Also makes sense since he forgot to change his sails to white
I like to imagine it started after his battle with the Minotaur because the Minotaur got several good hits in causing some brain damage.😂
@@Rock-Child One story tells us that after Theseus left abandoned her on Naxos. A bitter Adriadne either cursed Theseus to forgot to change the sails or got Dionysus to do it.
@@barbiquearea They’re multiple interpretations of every myth, so I still find Jake Doubleyoos version to be canon.
@GhostBear3067 why is your profile pic the Brazilian flag with a bear in the middle?
I love how Diodorus Siculus, the sceptical Historian that he is, went ; “Okay, a half-bull half-man abomination stuck in a one-way trail of walls. Realistic enough. But FLIGHT!? Gods, good thing I'm working on this stupid account.”
Diodorus also acknowledges that the Minotaur is far fetched. Plutarch actually provides a rationalized version in Parallel Lives. In this version there was a Minoan general named Taurus (bull) to whom the Athenian tributes were given as slaves, and he abused them. He pissed off Minos by sleeping with his wife, so Minos allowed Theseus to compete against him in a sporting event, where Taurus was defeated and disgraced.
@@JakeDoubleyoo In my head, the general owned a really athletic bull, which he used for sports.
Diodorus actually had a habit of saying that all these monsters were either regular animals or just a men with a animal name.
@@JakeDoubleyoocould've also originated from a mutation that makes horns grow on people (I can't remember the name but it's a real thing) and then became the minotaur as the story got passed on in the years
@@ythegamerita”cutaneous horns” super fascinating, essentially they’re usually* non cancerous tumors lol (*edit: as mentioned below, this is actually inaccurate it is just less likely to be malignant)
Daedalus: _Makes a fancy statue to honor Heracles_
Heracles: You dare challenge me?!
this man'a prowess in voicing people screaming in complete agony and fear is amazing
He should be a VA for characters suffering
MY JORDANS!!!
I love the way you accuratelly depict the clothes of people in myths, corresponding to the era they are supposed to take place.
And then there's Heracles, wearing a thong made out of lion lmao
Ancient Greek statues were actually painted and not plain white as they appear now. It makes the Heracles mistaking a statue for a man a lot more sensible.
Didn't Plato or somesuch write a whole text on how statues were supposed to be painted? Gods needed to have red eyes, that much I remember
I mean they were not WELL painted, they kinda looked like dolls, so heracles basically acted like a dog seeing a kinda similar plush dog and deciding violece is the only way
Its a little concerning that when heracles sees something he thinks is another man his first reaction is to throw a rock at him
@@SentientMicrowave-dd7zqI’m guessing it’s not just because it was another man, but a man that looked identical to him.
Okay, dumb muscle Theseus is my new favorite depiction of him. What? Did he get on the boat headed toward Crete because he thought it was a vacation cruise? 😂
Diodorus: I can excuse half bull half man but i draw the line at flying
Diodorus also acknowledges that the Miniaur is far fetched. Plutarch's rationalized version is that there was a Minoan general named Taurus (bull) to whom the Athenian tributes were given as slaves, and he abused them. He pissed off Minos by sleeping with his wife, so Minos allowed Theseus to compete against him in a sporting event, where Taurus was defeated and disgraced.
@@JakeDoubleyoo oh sweet more lore
I love your Greek videos! I quote “because how cool it is to usurp your father” to no avail laughter… to no avail
I think the "trap" of the Labyrinth is creating a convoluted path so long that if you some how got turned and thought you were leaving it but actually going into instead, you'd have no hope of ever finding out.
In that case a ball of string would be necessary for escape.
yep. unless you brought supplies, you might just die of thirst before you could escape lmao
@@spicysalad3013 also I imagine the labyrinth is dark and no recognisable marking. Person can get disoriented and not know which direction is out
When I first learned the story of Icarus in school, I thought to myself, "Oh my God, what a fool! I would never have done that!" But now, from the height of my well-over-twenties years, I'm thinking, "Oh my God, that's totally me - that's totally me."
*watching the section about Talos*
"Huh okay, I don't think I've ever heard about him having a nephew. Wonder why."
*continues on with how Talos was a great inventor, better than Daedalus himself*
"Ah, that will do it. He's going to get murdered in a minute, isn't he?"
MMMMM MORE GREEK MYTHOLOGY
MmMmMmMmMmMm
Flandre Scarlet?
MMMMM (continue the trend with five m all caps)
MMMMM
... Why did I read this in a Mat pat voice
the art has improved so much,,, the characters are like,, longer(?) + just more realistic (nothing wrong w cartoonish--just an observation) with much more detail and constant movement
the characters obviously have different sprites than that last video with them, and they're really pleasing to the eye!! really good work, jake!! i love seeing your art improve with your storytelling
I have a theory: Due to Prometheus being chained up in Tartarus for stealing fire and giving it to humanity, he wasn't able to exercise his divine powers that are foresight. In consequence, nearly everybody in Greek myth was unable to exercise any form of thought or remembrance of events prior. Thus, Theseus was completely dumbfounded in making his way through the labyrinth without the aid of string, as well as forgetting the whole sail fiasco that killed his father, all the while Icarus completely forgets his father's advice.
However, when Heracles later frees Prometheus in his labour in finding the golden apples, Prometheus is able to freely make others actually remember things from the past. Stopping this thing from happening in the future.
Prometheus wasn't imprisoned in Tartarus, like other Titans. He was chained to the rock in Caucasus.
Prometheus was not in Tartarus, neither he had the effect of causing people having foresight. He himself was smart, this dont mean he is needed for causing people to be smart.
I know your commentary can likely be a joke but unfortunaly some people can actually take it as a real explanation.
@@sonofcronos7831 My joke can be taken as a real explanation? Great, now I'm just as bad as Ovid...
Sorry for the whole wrong location, I always thought it was the area was just up for debate.
I've not studied the Classics enough (I'm at a knowledge comparable to pub trivia), so I'm not giving a new profound statement and just a joke idea to explain the chronic stupidity in some of these stories.
this is funny as hell, idc if it's inaccurate
Daedalus: Remember kids, if you find someone of potentially equal skill…kill em off.
Stalin: And I took that literally.
Hercules: And I took that literally
"What was that? I didn't hear, I was too busy surviving"
-Zhukov
Labyrinth comes from the Greek "labyrinthos", and is of uncertain origin. It is believed to refer to the large and complicated palace complex located at Knossos. Maze, on the other hand, originated around 1300 and is derived from amaze. It means to bewilder and confuse. The idea that a labyrinth has a single winding path while a maze has numerous branching paths is a modern distinction.
And the reason why the Greeks used to depict the minotaur labyrinth as a labyrinth in the modern sense of the word (as in, a single path with many curves and turns) is probably because they liked order and symmetry, so a labyrinth looked nicer to them compared to a chaotic maze with many confusing and asymmetric paths.
@@iguficonquisterannoilmondo3973 I wonder if there’s a practical aspect to it as well; if it’s just one path it’s easier to depict many times over, but if it has many paths you have to do the legwork of reimagining the layout every time.
@@russergee49 Yeah, that's also a reasonable explanation.
This video quotes Pseudo-Apollodorus as writing that the labyrinth: "with its tangled windings perplexed the outward way". That seems to be the type with multiple blind alternative paths. The origin of the word labyrinth as meaning caverns seems plausible. We know that Zeus and his mother Rhea were said to be associated with two sets of caverns in Crete, under Mount Dikte and Mound Ida. The bull was one of the symbols of Zeus. He is said to have transformed into a bull to abduct Europa from Phoenicia to Crete. After that coupling, Europa married a King of Crete with the same name as the Minotaur (Asterion or Asterius) and gave birth to King Minos. The story seems strangely repetitive, as though it became doubled at some point to explain a ritual significance that had become forgotten in later centuries.
makes sense, only English makes a distinction between Maze and Labyrinth, most languages only have a single word to refer to both things.
4:23 I would think, since it's really big, you could get lost by getting confused about which way you're going, maybe start getting fatigue and hallucinations maybe
Wake up, new Jake Doubleyoo video just dropped! (been waiting for this for so long, as doing this mythological tale in class, i'm so glad you made it!)
this channel is very quickly becoming one of my favorites
The animation has really improved in this one. Good job!
Always been one of my favorite Greek stories. Well, aside from that incident with Zeus losing his muscle sinew
Anyone else just rewatch the Greece and Norse mythology videos over and over again?
Loved this episode! so glad you did this story, as I knew next to nothing about it
Has anyone noticed Jake putting a lot more detail in his character designs? Really looks like though a lot harder on these than in his past videos (not that those were even bad)
I noticed him drawing nipples on everyone, which...
2:15 "Counter-hypothesis!"
Fun fact, if it was possible to make wings like the ones Icarus and Daedalus wore then you would just have to stay far from the sea. The higher up you go, the colder it gets and it would harden the wax used for the wings. Also, I like the version in Jim Henson's the Storyteller where Daedalus BOILS MINOS ALIVE IN HIS BATH.
This is my comfort channel
Theseus being a himbo is officially my new favourite head cannon
Stupid Aside: I loved that, in the show Kevin Sorbo version of 'Hercules", Daedalus was a recurring character, and presented as a heartbroken father who felt he was responsible for his son's death, and was seeking some kind of redemption for his 'sin'.
Absolutely thankful for all the hard work you put into not only giving us something so informative, but very entertaining and funny. Keep up the fantastic work, it's truly appreciated
Love watching the animation quality getting better and better
It's amazing to see how much better it got from the first few videos. And even the old videos looked more than fine btw!
3:46 OH NO, the birth of Mythologysins has come upon us
I was today years old when I learned the difference between maze and labyrinth. Thanks, Jake!
Because of that, I like to interpret/imagine that the Minotaur's Labyrinth is a combination of a maze and a typical labyrinth, where the path still circles to the middle, but there are multiple paths that lead to multiple dead ends and loops, and by extension, making it very easy for victims to get lost.
That distinction was only made in the late 20th century, before that a maze and labyrinth were the same thing.
The updated designs in this video are awesome, you inspired me to try and draw them :D
6:11 Daedalus: "I failed as a parent"
I love the new greek god designssss. I hope to see them in colored. Thanks Jake for this vid
Thank you jake for making this on my birthday
I think that the different between Maze and Labyrinth is an English thing. Maze is probably a word of Germanic origins. In both ancient Greek and Latin is always “labyrinthos”, no matter if is a single convoluted path without an exit or a series of dead ends with only one true exit.
Every video you upload, the art and animation gets better in the videos.
Oh my god jake toom less than a month to upload i think im in heaven.
Another video so quickly, nice.
can't wait this is going to be a good one!
This video (pun intended) is about to be heat
@@MilesLoden-cy5pj ha... ha... haaaaa
I love the style of art you do
Excellent presentation. Your work should be used in schools.
Your artstyle changed so much i almost didn't recognize you at first lol luv ur vid btw
Jakes are skills with the little doodles are slowly becoming nore advanced
I dig the new art style! Looks awesome🎉
I love the redesign's you did with the God's also I love what you did with Heracles' face or nose looks nice awesome man keep it up. 👍🏿👏🏿
Thank you for finding the source of his death. I could never find out what happened to him. When I researched mythology I didn't have the internet to help me. As it was very primative 25 years ago.
In modern and ancient Greek there is no distinction between a maze and a labyrinth the same word is used
Let's gooooooo Jake uploaded
Nice glasses! Finally, your avatar fits your actual real life self!
I got to love Greek mythology
yes
This video is about to be heat 🔥🇬🇷🏺🏛️💯
Finally, a Greek myth video!
You’ve gotten a lot better at drawing!
King Minos sure is angry, Daedalus should probably Prepare Thyself
2:46
My ultrakill pilled brian had a few neurons fire
Great video!!! i would love to see some myths about ares and his war with athena in the trojan war. either way i think every vid you make is amazing!!
A one thing about labyrinth. In different languages it's different language. In Poland we call the maze and the labyrinth one world "Labirynt" (yeah almost the same as English) and I think in Greece it could've been the same thing, one world for 2 things
I love how your version of Daedalus looks like a Digata Defenders character
Jake has returned 🎉
These videos replace my breakfast and dinner. I feed off of these now.
No i will not seek help or try to eat more. I can starve.
8:45 I almost felt bad for him, but then I remembered he murdered a child…
His own nephew, no less. Would that technically make Daedelus an evil uncle?
@@videogollumerwow he is worse than I thought….
Loving the head canon of Theseus needing help to walk the opposite way
Daedalus and Thalos unironically sounds like it could be a show
I love that even back then people were searching for the "real" history behind these stories
Why is pseudo apollodorus face censored ? , also dude your art is getting so intricate and detailed I love it !
Because we have no idea who he is! No name, no face, all we have is his writings, so he's not drawn as a specific person, just a generic man with no distinct face
“I need to help this boy.” lol So good.
Please do a video on plutus, the god of wealth
This video going to shine like the sun 🙏
OOOHH BOY THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD, JUST WATCHED TED-EDS VERSION
my class will learn about this so thank you jake❤
I think an explanation for the labyrinth could be that over time other paths may have opened up due to structures collapsing or walls opening up. I mean, there was a Minotaur charging around down there.
4:36 As a fan of the Hades series, it's funny to know that the idea of Theseus being a himbo could also be referenced in myth.
I'm actually really glad that he noted the difference between a labyrinth and a maze because I thought they were the same thing that kinda gagged me.
The string could be reassurance because people can panick in dark labyrinth and constantly be alert for the minotaur
So Minos is also associated with snakes for whatever reason, right? The water snake might be his malice, too.
Historically accurate Minoan king outfit
@JakeDoubleyoo I remember a version of the tale of Daedalus that his nephew was named Perdix. And after her tried murdering his nephew, Athena turned Perdix into a partridge. After the whole Icarus thing, I heard that Perdix came to mock Icarus’ death
That would be Ovid's account in The Metamorphoses.
Yesss more mythology 🧐
It's wild how there 2 separate times in this story where the thread is treated as this new sf invention that only Daedalus knows how it really works
So Minos was killed when they poured boiling water into his bath??? Brutal
HES BACK!
This is where “flying too close to the Sun” phrase came from.
Make a video about Circe pleaseeee
I REQUIRE THIS IMMEDIATELY, I CANT WAIT UNTIL TOMMOROW AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
I'm not sure why, but the line about missing the object permanence patch made me laugh hard.
7:12 these r the updated greek god designs! i never noticed that we had a lil preview of em here. thats epic
While I found several websites that state that labyrinths are unicursal and mazes are multicursal, I could not find anything that shows that this is the actual etymology and standard definition. What I found is that ancient labyrinths could be both unicursal and multicursal. It is also possible that when inside a unicursal labyrinth, it is so winding and confusing that one loses direction.
With how skilled Daedalus and his nephew were in the ways of craftsmanship, does anyone else think there may have been versions of their story where they were descended from Hephestus that were just never written down? I like to imagine they had some connection to him.
Nope. The idea that the mortal children of gods inherit the traits/skills associated with their parents is mostly just a Percy Jackson thing. That being said, Daedalus is related to the Athenian nobility, so Hephaestus is actually his great x 4 grandfather.
Good to know Jake.
FINALLY!! were back to some good old greek mythology, i thought we were never going back to that once he began focusing on hebrew mythology.😊
I love the Daedalus bow; even after a bunch of nerfs it still rips through The Destroyer.
Oh wait, you mean he was an actual character?
I really want a Japanese Mythology video 😭
Alright, about the labyrinth/maze thing: It's interesting, because this distinction is something the English language has, and I have not, in any languages I speak (Italian, Spanish, German), or even in Greek vocabularies, found a name for a "maze" that isn't labyrinth.
Or rather, I found out that in Italian a "maze" can be referred to as a dedalo (woooooooooow what might that translate to in English I wonder???), which is something fun that I never knew in my 22 years as a native speaker, so given that it is not used by anyone it might as well not exist-
Yet I get the frustration, given that the labyrinth never seems depicted as having any dead ends in ancient art soooooooo I do not really know how to explain it? My point is: Only English has a distinction between labyrinth and maze. All other languages I know do not have a second word for "maze".
Any person who might speak any of the aforementioned languages, please correct me if I am wrong or you find out some other information, as I'd like this comment to help Jake in his future endeavours, and not to discourage him to give us these nice little rants, which I actually enjoy.
POV:You just read Percy Jackson
2:43 this part is so silly 😂
About the maze/labyrinth rant:
I really dont know a lot about the ancient greek language, but after a few minutes of Google search, I think that in greek, maze AND labyrinth are translated as "labyrinthos" (λαβύρινθος). I noticed this, since in german (my mother language), it is the same, we only have the word "Labyrinth".
And the most important thing: whenever someone (at least here in germany) says Labyrinth, they mean a maze, so I would thing that it was the same in greece.
So my conclusion: english people just made it sound english enough
Thanks for listening to my Ted Talk, Dankeschön