Motif
Fatal disregard of a guiding middle path
fatal_disregard_of_a_guiding_middle_path
A motif of the Pride, Hubris, and Downfall family, within the sub-family Rejected Counsel and Ignored Warnings. Every row below is a tagged passage; each rests on a quote in its source text.
1 occurrences
1 traditions
roman
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The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV BOOK XV. / BOOK THE EIGHTH. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION.; lines 814-896 confidence: high
Daedalus tests the wings, gives Icarus wings, and tells him to keep the middle course so water will not clog the wings and the sun's fire will not scorch them.
Daedalus gives explicit instructions to fly between water and sun, but Icarus leaves his guide and flies higher, causing the melting of his wings and fall.
read in the book →