TheIcarian Sea(Greek:Ικάριο Πέλαγος,Ikario Pelagos) is a subdivision of theMediterranean Seathat lies between theCycladesandAsia Minor.It is described as the part of theAegean Seato the south ofChios,to the east of the EasternCycladesand west ofAnatolia.It contains the islands ofSamos,Cos,Patmos,Leros,Fournoi KorseonandIcaria.
It is the place, in the myth, into whichIcarusmade his fatal fall from the sky when he flew too close to the sun during his flight fromCretewith his fatherDaedalus.It is either directly from this legend that it gets its name, or from the island ofIcaria.According to legend, it wasHeliosthesun godwho named the sea 'Icarian' after the fallen hero.[1]
Classical references
edit- Horacemakes a reference toIcarian wavesin Liber I, Carmen I, line 15 ( "Ad Maecenatem" );[2]the first stanza of his Ode 4.2 also alludes to the Icarian Sea.[3]
- Strabostates that it connects with the Carpathian Sea on the south, and on the West with theCretan Sea.
- The second epic simile of theIliad(II.144-146) ofHomerrelates the Greek force to great waves on the Icarian sea.
- Herodotus mentions Icarian Sea in The Histories VI:95 in reference to Persian troop movements.
References
edit- ^Mastronarde, Donald J. (2017).Preliminary Studies On the Scholia to Euripides(PDF).Berkeley, California: California Classical Studies. p. 150.ISBN9781939926104.
- ^Horatii Carmen 1.1
- ^Horace'sOde 4.2:
Pindarum quisquis studet aemulari,
Iulle, ceratis ope Daedalea
nititur pennis vitreo daturus
nomina ponto.
[Whoever is eager to rivalPindar,Iullus, is flying with wings waxed with Daedalus' aid, about to give his name to a glassy sea.]
External links
edit- "Strabo's Geography: LacusCurtius, Book X Chapter 5".uchicago.edu.Retrieved10 March2012.
- .Collier's New Encyclopedia.1921.