Talos History

According to the Greek mythology, Talos was a gigantic, human-like robot, made of copper and is considered to be the first robot ever built or created. It was the “soul” guardian of Crete and there are various versions regarding the origins of its story.

The most famous of them all, pictures Talos to have been built by the God Hephaestus, who gifted it to King Minos, to guard the island of Crete. Another version of the story states that, Talos was made by the God Hephaestus, at the request of Zeus, who offered it as a wedding gift to Europe.

It is even said that he travelled around the island three times a day and its duty was, not only to protect Crete from invaders, but also from any kind of injustice. It carried bronze plates on its back, on which were engraved all the laws and it toured the villages of Crete, in order to ensure the right and justice.

Talos had only one vein, which begun from the neck and ended at its heel, where it was sealed with a nail or a hymen. The vein contained “ichor” instead of blood , a divine fluid, said to be the blood of the Gods. The most famous version regarding its death, mentions that, when the Argonauts were passing through Crete, Talos was throwing rocks on “Argo”, so that the ship could not approach the island.

Then the witch Medea, who was traveling along with the Argonauts, enchanted Talos and promised it immortality or made it unable to move. Therefore, they managed to get closer and Medea to pull the nail or pierce the hymen, as a result of which the ichor spilled and Talos greeted its death.