Talos
Talos was a giant man made of bronze who guarded Crete by running around the island three times daily, hurling boulders at approaching ships.
The Myth of Talos
Talos was forged by Hephaestus as a bronze automaton — one of the first robots in literature — and given to King Minos of Crete (or to Europa by Zeus) as a guardian. Three times daily, Talos patrolled Crete's coast, hurling boulders at approaching ships and crushing intruders by heating his bronze body red-hot and embracing them. He had a single vein running from neck to ankle, sealed by a bronze nail at the base. When Jason and the Argonauts arrived with Medea, the sorceress destroyed Talos: in some versions she drove him mad, in others she used her knowledge of Hecate's arts to remove the nail. Ichor — the blood of the gods — drained from his body and Crete's tireless guardian crashed to earth.
Parents
Made by Hephaestus
Symbols
Fun Fact
Talos is the first robot in Western literature — a programmable bronze guardian predating the word "robot" by 2,500 years.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Talos
🐉 creatureBronze giant automaton of Crete
A giant bronze automaton built by Hephaestus to guard the island of Crete. Talos circled the island three times daily, hurling boulders at approaching ships.
Keledones
🐉 creatureautomata
Golden singing maidens crafted by Hephaestus whose voices could entrance any listener
Khalkotauroi
🐉 creatureautomaton, Colchis
The fire-breathing bronze bulls of King Aeëtes that Jason was required to yoke as a condition for winning the Golden Fleece.
Hephaestus's Automatons
💭 conceptcraft, technology
The self-moving mechanical servants created by Hephaestus, including golden handmaidens, bronze guard dogs, and self-propelled tripods — the earliest robots in Western literature.
Hephaestus
⚡ godGod of the forge and craftsmanship
The lame god of metalwork and fire who crafted the weapons of the gods and the most wondrous automatons in mythology.
Telkhines
🐉 creaturedaimones
Ancient sorcerer-smiths of Rhodes who forged Poseidon's trident and were destroyed for their malice
Colchian Bulls
🐉 creatureautomata,fire
Fire-breathing bronze bulls belonging to Aeëtes, king of Colchis, which Jason was required to yoke as the first task in his quest for the Golden Fleece.
Cyclops
🐉 creatureOne-eyed giant
Race of one-eyed giants. The original three Cyclopes forged Zeus's thunderbolts; later Cyclopes were savage shepherds, the most famous being Polyphemus.
Medusa
🐉 creatureSnake-haired Gorgon whose gaze turned men to stone
A winged Gorgon with serpents for hair whose gaze could turn any living creature to stone. Once beautiful, she was cursed by Athena and later beheaded by Perseus.
Alcyoneus
🐉 creaturegiants
The mightiest of the Gigantes, immortal within his homeland, who stole the cattle of Helios
Ladon
🐉 creatureguardian, treasure
The hundred-headed serpent-dragon that guarded the golden apples in the Garden of the Hesperides, slain or tricked by Heracles during his eleventh labour.
Perseus
🗡 heroHero who slew Medusa
The son of Zeus and Danae who beheaded Medusa, rescued Andromeda, and founded the Perseid dynasty of Mycenae.