In Greek mythology, Icarus was a typical kid, the kid who is full of spit and vinegar, an indelicate way of saying full of himself, invincible, and cocky.
Exiled to Crete with Daedalus, his father, the skilled artist Daedalus fashioned a set of wings for himself and his son so that they could fly away home. Daedalus firmly cautioned Icarus not to fly too high or get too close to the sun because the handy dandy wings he had created had a manufacturer’s defect: They were made of wax and would melt.
Sure enough, young Icarus felt exhilarated with his ability to fly and soared higher and higher, and closer and closer to the blazing sun, ignoring Daedalus’ warning until, you guessed it, his wax wings began to melt. He began to flap his arms frantically to no avail and ultimately plunged to his death in what is now aptly called the Icarian Sea.
Those ancient Greeks were an imaginative people; some were also very wise people. The story of Icarus was meant to be an admonition to all to be careful of getting carried away with yourself, to be mindful of humility and of your humanity, and to watch out for waxen wings.
The Bible includes a comparable caution. Proverbs 16: 18 warns that, “Pride goeth before a fall,” also translated as, “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty sprit before a fall.” In contemporary English we might just say, “Watch your butt if your head gets too big.”
Should the Secret Service or FBI read this, I would certainly not want it interpreted as a threat against anyone, anymore than the Icarus tale or the Biblical words were meant as a threat against any individual. They were simply intended as words to live by, as is this.
Obviously, however, I do have someone in mind who fits the Icarus profile. We now have a candidate