To fly too close to the sun

Origin

The phrase comes directly from the ancient Greek myth of Icarus and Daedalus. After being imprisoned on the island of Crete, Daedalus crafted wings of feathers and wax for himself and his son, Icarus, to escape. He warned Icarus not to fly too low, lest the sea dampen the wings, nor too high, lest the sun melt the wax. However, Icarus, exhilarated by the freedom of flight, ignored his father's caution and soared higher and higher. The sun's intense heat melted the wax, his feathers detached, and Icarus plummeted into the sea, dying as a consequence of his hubris and disregard for limits.