Otus and Daedalus

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Otus and Daedalus
2
Examination of major plots

• Daedalus
• Daedalus was an architect who built the Labyrinth
• He told Ariadne how Theseus could escape from it
  and the minotaur within
• When King Minos learned of Theseuses escape, he
  went to Daedalus and imprisoned him and his son
  for revealing the escape
• Daedalus made two pairs of wings for him and his
  son (Icarus)
• They flew out of the labyrinth together
• When flying, Icarus went to high and melted his
  wings.
• He fell into the sea and died
• Daedalus went on to Sicily and was welcomed by
  the King.
• King MInos became angry and devised a plan to
  find Daedalus
• He offered a great reward to anyone who could
  pass a thread through a shell with intricate
  curves and twists.
• Daedalus told the Sicilian king That he could o
  it.
• He bored a hole in one end and pt an ant with a
  string tied around it inside.
• King MInos came to Sicily looking for Daeadalus.
• The king of Sicily refused to surrender Daedalus
  .
• King MInos was slain in the ensuing Battle.

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Examination of major plots

• Otus and Ephialites
• Otus and Ephialites were two giants with mad
  ambition.
• They were still young when they started to do
  ambitious things.
• First they imprisoned Ares
• Hermes was sent to set him free
• The giants threatened to pile Mt. Pilion on Mt.
  Ossu and scale the heights of heaven.
• This made Zeus mad and he decided to strike them
  with a thunderbolt.
• Their father Posiedon begged Zeus not to strike
  them and Zeus agreed not to.
• Next the twin giants wanted to carry off Hera and
  Artemis.
• They found Artemis first and chased her across
  the sea to the island of Naxos
• On the island she disappeared and a milk white
  hind appeared in her place.
• The giants separated to search for it and in the
  end shot each other trying to kill the hind.

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Major characters

• Otus and Ephialites- Twin giant brothers with mad
  ambition
• Zeus- God of the sky
• Artemis- Goddess of the hunt and object of desire

• Daedalus- architect who built the labyrinth.
• King MInos- Owner of the labyrinth devised the
  plot to find Daedalus.

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Minor Characters

• Poseidon- The Father of the twins and protector
• Ares- captured by the twins
• Hermes- saved Ares

• King of Sicily- Protected Daedalus from Minos
• Icarus- Daedalus son Flew too close to the sun

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Thematic Elements

• Lust and Arrogance destroy you
• Selfishness
• Too much knowledge is a bad thing
• Youth is too headstrong

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Context of the story

• Otus and Ephialites 1st or 2nd century A.D.
• Daedalus- In this time, King Minos ruled the
  island of Crete
• The story of Daedalus happens after Theseus has
  escaped the labyrinth