A mythical figure who flew too close to the sun was Icarus.
The legend of Icarus is best known from a story by the ancient Greek poet Homer. It appears in his epic poem The Odyssey.
Icarus is a character in Greek mythology. He was the son of Daedalus, a skilled craftsman who built the Labyrinth for King Minos of Crete.
In Ovid’s version, Daedalus, an Athenian inventor and artist, built two pairs of wings for himself and his son Icarus on which they could fly away from Crete, where King Minos had confined them to prevent them from escaping with their ill-gotten treasure. Daedalus warned his son not to fly too high lest he melt his feathers with the sun’s heat or fall into the sea because he was not yet able to swim well enough; but Icarus ignored his father’s advice.
They flew over the sea until they reached Sicily, where Icarus flew too close to the sun, melting his wings and causing him to fall into the sea and drown.
In ancient times, it was used as a metaphorical warning against hubris (excessive pride). Since then, it has been used as a symbol for human limitations, ambition and achievement.
