Let’s also pretend that the myth of Daedalus and Icarus, the father and son, who flew using wings made of feathers and wax is true. Let’s pretend that he actually created animate statues and built a labyrinth with a minotaur in its center. Just like Socrates, let’s also pretend to believe in the wonders performed by Daedalus. However, for the sake of argument, he pretended to believe in it. He understood that this story was just… a story. Of course, Socrates (and Plato) was not naïve. Socrates: That if they are not fastened up they play truant and run away but, if fastened, they stay where they are.” Plato, Meno 97d In fact, as Socrates says, Daedalus’ sculptures had to be tied down, because if left unbound, they ran away. In Plato’s Meno, Socrates refers to the old Greek myth that Daedalus, the legendary inventor and sculptor, could create statues so life-like, that they were self-moving. Daedalus and Pasiphae, Lemaire-Poussin, 17th century, AKG-Images The Fall of Icarus, Jacob Peter Gowy, after Rubens, Prado, Madrid
