3 fascinating tales from Greek mythology which is not known to many

Stories that have been passed from generation to generation are a form of artistic verbal tradition which are relevant even today. Although cast as myths, their relevance is derived from the moral value and the universal relatability that they possess. Ancient Greek mythology is filled with such fascinating tales involving historical and mythical characters, creatures, gods and goddesses. Read on to learn about some of the most popular Greek myths. 

Icarus’ tragic death 
In Greek mythology, Daedalus was considered to be one of the most skilled craftsmen to have ever walked on earth. In fact, he was the creator of the Labyrinth- a massive, complicated maze which was located under King Minos of Crete’s court. A Minotaur, a creature which was half-man and half-bull was hidden in this Labyrinth. In order to safeguard its secrecy, King Minos imprisoned Daedalus and his son, Icarus in a tower. The father designed an escape plan for the two, for which he fashioned two sets of wings with feathers and wax. Daedalus taught his son to fly and warned him to not fly too close to the sun since that would cause the wax, nor too close to the sea as it would destroy the feathers. However, seeking the thrill of flying higher and higher, Icarus ignored his father’s warnings and flew too close to the sun. The sun’s scorching heat melted the wax and he plummeted straight into the sea and drowned. The Greek sea in which he drowned is known as the Icarian sea.  

Narcissus and his obsession with his own beauty 
Narcissus was the son of Cephissus, the river god and Liriope, a nymph. Ever since he was a child, his beauty made him stand out from the rest. His mother was told by Tiresias, a blind Theban seer, that Narcissus would enjoy a long, healthy and happy life provided he did not see himself through his own reflection or recognise himself. However, as he grew older, the handsome Narcissus always rejected romantic approaches from others and instead, fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. He spent all his time admiring himself, and eventually, as Tiresias had warned, he fell into the water and drowned. This Greek myth lays the foundation of the psychological term ‘narcissism’ which means a severe fixation with oneself.  

King Midas’ golden touch that turned against him 
King Midas was the ruler of the Ancient Greek city of Pessinus. His story was one of foolishness and greed, that cost him the life of his beloved daughter. On one occasion, the king help god Dionysus companion, Silenus the satyr (half-man, half-goat.) To express his gratitude, Dionysus granted him one wish. He chose to possess the ability to turn everything he touched to gold. This wish proved to be a fatal one, as he turned his own daughter into gold when he embraced her. Moreover, the wealthy king ironically faced starvation as all the food that he touched was turned to gold as well.