All language subtitles for The.Storyteller.Greek.Myths.1990.S01E01-Daedalus.and.Icarus

Daedalus,

the master who designed
this labyrinth,

whose mind produced
these dizzy passages.

Daedalus the genius,

who invented ships
which could sail
under the sea,

fireworks which would
knock down a wall,

lenses that set together,

could see as far as the stars,

fantastic machines.

He fell so far.

He fell so far from grace,
he finished a broken man.

Making the same little
Clay figure, over and over.

A child with wings.

A child with wings?
Who is that?

The one thing daedalus made
he had no control of.

The one thing
he ever truly loved.

Icarus.

His son.

[Sniffing]

[Dog]
Oops.

Sorry.

Daedalus, the greatest
craftsman in Greece.
There was no one like him.

He was born in Athens.

Like us.

And he learnt
the art of making from
the goddess Athena herself.

But his greatest dream
was to fly,

to soar through the clouds
like a bird.

Is that why
his son had wings?

Did they both
grow wings?

No, no, they didn't.

Poor icarus had nothing
so graceful as wings.

Even his hands
were awkward and clumsy.

[Daedalus]
Look.

[Daedalus whistling]

Son, look.

Wonderful.

Uh, uh, gently.

Oh, you must handle
things gently.

I'm no good. You think
I'm no good.

I don't think that at all.

You do, you think I'm clumsy.
I know you do.

I do not.

I think your brains
must have run from your head.

[Laughing]
Take them back again.
That's better.

[Icarus]
Stop it!

[Dog sniffing]

He's clumsy, this icarus.

He was clumsy.

But you know,
he's only a boy.

Did he get better,
more careful?

Perhaps he would've done,
I don't know.

Something happened.

Something happened
which changed everything.

Another boy
came into their lives.

A golden boy,
kissed by the gods.

A nephew to daedalus.

An apprentice.

What happened?

It's broken. I broke it.

It doesn't matter.

No, look.

If we lift the wing here,
and pull this...

[Clicking]

Look, you can...

It will be all right,
I think.

[Clicking]

There.

[Whistling]

[Chuckling]

The gods play with us.

Into talos, his sister's boy,

went all the joy of creation.

The keen eye,
and the quick wit,

as if the 2 children
had been born
to the wrong parent,

for talos was the kind of son
daedalus had dreamed of.

Uncle, what's this?

A jawbone of a snake.
Why?

What would happen
if you cast this in metal?

What?

[Storyteller]
Daedalus watched the boy work,
his brilliance, his curiosity,

the ideas pouring from him.

Daedalus watched all this,

and it was like a knife
twisting in his heart.

[Talos]
Look, uncle, look.

He's clever, isn't he?
He really is.

[Storyteller]
And everyday,
icarus seemed slower,

more clumsy, more dull
against the bright star
of his cousin.

Sometimes, in the evenings,

daedalus would climb up
onto the roof,

the boys clambering after him.

And then they would look out
over Athens

and watch the birds.

And they looked hardest
at the vultures,

watched them glide, circle,

or just hang in the air.

[Bird screeching]

[Talos]
I think what happens is,

the wind goes over
both sides of the wings.

And the back of the wings
go up,

and the air
pushes the bird up.

Can we go now?
I'm hungry.

No, stay a little longer.

Every time we look at a bird,
or anything in nature,
we're learning something.

Yes, but, I'm a bit bored.

Oh, go on then, go down
and have your supper.

You, too, nephew.

No, I'd rather stay.

I'll stay if you want.

N-No, don't worry.

I'll stay, I'll stay
if you really want.

[Daedalus]
Just go!

Look, it's landed.

When I look down from the sky,
things are small.

I see fields of corn
like raffia bands.

People shrink
to the size of dogs.

I see you hate your nephew.

No.

Huh?nothing.

[Vulture]
Well, of course,

he's everything you hoped for
in your son, and didn't get.

You hate him.

I'd love to fly,
wouldn't you?

Yes.

[Talos]
I dream about it.

Do you think it would be
possible for us to fly?

I think you could make
wings like a bird's.

Yes. I'd like to try.

Is that like flying?

[Talos]
Uncle, no, please.

Don't worry,
I won't let you fall.

In fact, is there something
my very, very clever nephew
is frightened of?

[Gasps]

Ah, hold on.

[Both screaming]

Please, please, help me.

Talus fell,

twisting and turning
like a starfish.

He fell so slowly
through the air,

it seemed to daedalus
he was falling forever.

That he was never
going to land,
that he was flying.

Then the ground reminded him.

It came to meet talos,
and jolted him asleep.

What have I done?

He killed him.

He killed that little boy.

He didn't mean to.

He did.

He didn't know
what he was doing.

It was pain, it was pain.

It was his heart breaking.

He looked down
on the boy's body,

if he could've thrown
himself off in his place,

if he could've wound back
those few seconds of madness,

but he couldn't.

He couldn't.

[Sighing]

[Daedalus]
Son, son, wake up.

Wake up, we have to leave.
Quickly.

What's happening?

I can't explain.
I'll explain later.

Where is talos?
Is he coming?

[Sniffing]
No.

Are you crying?

Hurry.

[Storyteller]
And he picked him up and ran
like a murderer from the city.

Father and son
traveled through Greece.

Daedalus sold drawings, toys,

hired himself out
to petty kings and tyrants.

Squandered his genius
on trifles.

And dreaded the nights,
dreaded sleep.

His dreams full of
falling, falling.

They never settled,
always moving on,

always looking
over their shoulder,

until one day, they set sail
for the island of crete.

[People chattering]

[Storyteller]
And there, in exile,

the once great craftsman
made children's toys

and sold them
in the marketplace
of knossos.

[People chattering]

Off they went,

the little soldiers
marching through the crowds

and into the hands
of a real soldier,

who carried them
like precious jewels
to his master,

minos, king of crete.

Daedalus?

All of Greece knows that name.
Welcome.

What brings the great inventor
to crete, and in rags?

Difficult times, lord.

Certain disputes.
Travel.

This is my son.

I wanted him to see
more than the olive groves
of Athens.

Yes, yes,
but difficult times?

Oh, that's right.

I remember something about
a talented boy who fell.
Is this right?

He fell from the roof? Tragic.

I make no secret
of my dislike for your city.

Accidents at Athens--
it was an accident?

Are not my--
but I love this. Clever.

If I wanted something made,
something very, very clever,

might I interrupt your travels
and bring you here?

Suitably rewarded, of course.

Say no if...

I would not say no.

Really? That's--
oh, I do love these.

I'd like--
could they fight each other?

[Clicking]

2 armies.

Cretans and athenians.
Wonderful.

No. My problem is that
I have a,

a,

a creature.

And I want to build it a cage.

A cage would not
tax me at all.

It's a very special creature.

It requires
a very special cage.

[Minos]
It's a curse
on my family.

But I cannot kill it.
That is not to be.

[Minotaur growling]

And its hunger
is for human flesh.

There must be no way
out of its cage.

Use that clever brain
to design something.

And people say
daedalus did use his brain,

for the maze he built
to imprison the monster,
the minotaur,

was designed
like the brain itself.

And 1,000 years later,
it still stands here.

So was minos pleased?

Minos was cruel.
Minos had 2 secrets.

Who the minotaur was,
and how to get out
of the labyrinth.

Now daedalus knew
both of them.

When the monster was taken
into its new prison,

daedalus and icarus
were locked in with it.

Down there somewhere.
In the heart of the labyrinth.

Father, hurry, please.
Hurry!

3 to the left.

30, 31...

2, 3...

35.

Father, please,
it's catching us!

[Bellowing]

Shh, the labyrinth
is full of signs,
tricks and illusions.

It can be read like a book.

Do you know the only person
able to read that book?

Me.

[Growling]

[Storyteller]
And with the monster
almost upon them,

daedalus struck the wall
with the palm of his hand.

A door opened and they ran,

ran for their lives.

Daedalus and icarus,
they had escaped
from the labyrinth,

and the murderous charge
of the minotaur.

But now what?

The ports of crete
were heavily guarded.

If they were seen,
they would certainly
be killed.

They were marooned
on this cruel island.

[Growling]

[Waves lapping]

[Thudding]

Look.

I can leave whenever I like.

I stretch my wings.

Don't you think they're
well-designed?

Could we fly
like talos said?

Talos is dead.

How did he fall, father?

You killed him.

No, no!

Father.

It was a game.
We were playing a flying--

you killed him.

[Storyteller]
And in his rage,

daedalus flung his blanket
over the bird.

Father!

They struggled and fought,

until there was
a terrible crack
in the great bird's neck.

It snapped.

[Yells]

[Gasping]

Uh, now your brothers
will come for you.

And we'll have
feathers enough,
and wings enough.

Father.

Wings of our own.
Do you hear me, son?

Wings of our own!

We will fly!

Love him, daedalus,

love him to death.

[Storyteller]
The next morning,

daedalus trapped more birds
and stole their feathers,

found a swarm of bees
and stole their hive.

He stuck the feathers
to spines of wood
with beeswax,

molding each feather-tip
perfectly together,

carefully copying the wings.

More feathers, father.

Oh, le-le-leave it.
Leave them.

I'm sorry, I was only
trying to help.

Yes, but, uh,
it's too important.

If it weren't so important--

if I weren't so clumsy.
If I was talos...

[Creaking]

Now, my son,

please, please,
listen to me carefully.

You always think
I'm not listening,

but I am, I really am.

Fly behind me,

and keep close.

Don't fly too high,
or too low.

If you fly too low,

the sea spray will
weigh down the feathers.

If you fly too high,

the sun will melt the wax.

What did I say?

If I fly too high,
the sun will melt the wax.

You're squeezing me.

We're not saying
goodbye, are we?

[Storyteller]
Daedalus clung to his son
on the hill.

Then he kissed icarus,

and it seemed as if some
great bird was feeding
its chick, mouth to mouth,

as birds do.

Or that daedalus
was willing his knowledge
into his clumsy son.

Then they turned
and ran to the cliff edge

and up, out and away.

Away from the lands
controlled by minos.

Flying!

I'm flying, I'm flying.

[Daedalus]
Stay close.

Not too low. Not too high.

Stay close.

[Storyteller]
But icarus did not stay close.

As the earth shrank
beneath him, he beat on,

up, past clouds,
past listening,

past promises.

Icarus flew on alone,

higher, and higher,
and higher.

Towards the sun.

And bead by golden bead,

the wax started to melt.

Father, please, help!

Icarus!

Father, please, help!

[Storyteller]
Too late.

Icarus fell.

Fell, down and down,
into the sea
that bears his name.

Icarus!

He died?

He died.

That's terrible.

Why did he fly too high?

He promised
he wouldn't fly too high.

I think when talos dropped
from the sad heights
above Athens,

icarus was already falling.

As if a single thread
held them all together.

Talus fell, icarus fell,

daedalus fell.

[Waves crashing]

I curse my skill.

I curse minos.

Tyrant!

I curse you,
you killed my boy.

I curse the very birds
of the air who tempt us.

I curse the sea's
cruel kisses.

My son.

[Sobbing]

My son.

And daedalus buried
his dead child in the sand.

Buried hope, and laughter,
and joy.

Laid the clumsy fingers
in the ground,

placed an obol
in the foolish mouth,

kissed the cold forehead.

And then daedalus flew,

his tears falling
from the sky like rain,

away from crete,
away from danger,
away from grief,

north west to sicily,
and to king cocalus.

Cocalus was pleased
to welcome such a craftsman.

And daedalus
set to work again.

But as well as building
ships and machines,

this time he started
to make models.

Tiny figures of a winged boy.

He blamed himself, didn't he?

Daedalus, he blamed himself
for everything.

Yes.

[Storyteller]
He would catch himself
at his work table,

in the middle
of something quite ordinary,

gluing a joint, sharpening
a tool, with tears falling.

Only children could reach him.

The kind king had 2 daughters.

And when they came to visit
his workshop,

people said
it was the only time
the great artist smiled.

I'm so tired.
I'm going to sit down.

I have had such a nice meal,
I'm going to burp.

[Burping]

Now I'm going to have
a sleep.

You're so clever.

Am I?

That's funny.

A flying boy.

Yes, it is funny, isn't it?

I had a little boy.

But he died.

And it was my fault.

Not so very clever,
after all, eh?

[Daedalus sighing]

Not just my fault.
There was a cruel king, too.

A vile tyrant.

[Storyteller grunts]

There was unfinished business
between daedalus and minos.

Daedalus blamed minos
for the death of his son.

Minos wanted
daedalus dead, too.

He knew too many secrets.

Minos would not rest
until he found him.

He brooded on ways to tempt
daedalus from his hiding.

He took this shell

from kingdom to kingdom.

ª[booming]

Put your ear to that.

No, it might be dirty.

Put your ear to it.

[Minos]
I am minos, lord of crete,

emperor of knossos,

ruler of all the seas
between Greece and Egypt.

This is a triton shell.

100s and 1,000s
of tiny passages.

This is a fine thread

from the dress of my queen,
queen pasiphae.

If anyone can pass the thread
through the shell,

this treasure is theirs.

[Daedalus]
Nature makes
such clever things.

Hey, where are you going?

When I was in crete,

I designed a prison
for king minos, like a maze.

This shell is like a maze.

That's honey.That's right.

Ants like sweet things.

What are you doing?

Well, if he doesn't have
his thread,

he'll never be able to find
his way back.

Now, in you go.

Breakfast.

The reward is yours,
king cocalus.

Clever.

[Minos]
There is only one man
in Greece who could do this.

The man who designed
the labyrinth of knossos,

who killed his nephew.

The wandering genius,
daedalus.

The man who can fly.

Where is he?

There are 12 ships
in the harbor,

armed and ready to fight,

weapons fashioned
by your engineer.

Give him up to me.

Is king minos
taking you away?

Yes.

We don't want him to.

What will he do to you?

[Daedalus]
I am king minos.

I silence mouths that speak.

I blind eyes that see.

I execute enemies.

Oh, no, was he killed?
Did minos have him killed?

He planned to.

He took a bath
before the feast,

smug at his skill
in luring daedalus
from hiding,

planning the execution.

But as minos lay there,
the steam surrounding him,

in a bath
daedalus had designed,

daedalus made his own plans.

And he was
the master of plans.

I bet this involves
a really clever machine.

No.

No machines.

Just water.

Water heated in a caldron,
over a fire.

[Storyteller]
Daedalus had designed
the bath house.

He knew every pipe
and channel, every sluice
and drain.

When the water
in the caldron was boiling,

he emptied it into the pipes.

[Minos screaming]

He boiled him?

Water took his son from him.

Water killed the king.

But there's no peace
in vengeance,
no rest in revenge.

[Storyteller]
Daedalus survived.

But sometimes
he wished he hadn't.

Sometimes, as he sat
in his workshop,
day upon day,

staring at nothing,

he wished he'd gone back
to crete and a quick death,

not the slow dying inside.

Daedalus.

The man who could make
anything,

except a way
to turn back time,

a way to change the past,

a way to turn
solid stone into flesh.

[Rumbling]

[Dog barking]

[Storyteller]
Look.

Look.