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Hephaestus, god of technology, was hard at
work on his most ingenious invention yet.

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He was creating a new defense 
system for King Minos,

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who wanted fewer intruders on his 
island kingdom of Crete.

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But mortal guards and ordinary 
weapons wouldn’t suffice,

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so the visionary god devised an 
indomitable new defender.

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In the fires of his forge,

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Hephaestus cast his invention in 
the shape of a giant man.

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Made of gleaming bronze; endowed with 
superhuman strength,

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and powered by ichor, 
the life fluid of the gods,

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this automaton was unlike anything 
Hephaestus had forged before.

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The god named his creation Talos: 
the first robot.

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Three times a day, the bronze guardian 
marched around the island's perimeter

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searching for interlopers.

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When he identified ships 
approaching the coast,

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he hurled massive boulders 
into their path.

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If any survivors made it ashore,

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he would heat his metal body red-hot 
and crush victims to his chest.

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Talos was intended to fulfill his duties 
day after day, with no variation.

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But despite his robotic behavior,

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he possessed an internal life his victims 
could scarcely imagine.

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And soon,

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the behemoth would encounter a ship 
of invaders that would test his mettle.

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The bedraggled crew of Jason, Medea, 
and the Argonauts

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were returning from their hard-won quest 
to retrieve the Golden Fleece.

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Their adventure had taken 
many dark turns,

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and the weary sailors were desperate 
to rest in a safe harbor.

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They’d heard tales of Crete’s invulnerable
bronze colossus,

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and made for a sheltered cove.

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But before they could even drop anchor, 
Talos spotted them.

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While the Argonauts cowered at the 
approach of the awesome automaton,

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the sorceress Medea spotted a glinting 
bolt on the robot’s ankle—

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and devised a clever gambit.

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Medea offered Talos a bargain:

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she claimed that she could 
make Talos immortal

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in exchange for removing the bolt.

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Medea's promise resonated deep 
within his core.

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Unaware of his own mechanical nature,

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and human enough to long for 
eternal life, Talos agreed.

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While Medea muttered incantations, 
Jason removed the bolt.

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As Medea suspected, the bolt was a 
weak point in Hephaestus’ design.

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The ichor flowed out like molten lead, 
draining Talos of his power source.

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The robot collapsed with 
a thunderous crash,

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and the Argonauts were free 
to travel home.

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This story, first recorded in 
roughly 700 BCE,

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raises some familiar anxieties 
about artificial intelligence—

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and even provides an ancient 
blueprint for science fiction.

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But according to historians, ancient 
robots were more than just myths.

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By the 4th century BCE,

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Greek engineers began making 
actual automatons

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including robotic servants and 
flying models of birds.

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None of these creations were 
as famous as Talos,

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who appeared on Greek coins, vase 
paintings, public frescoes,

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and in theatrical performances.

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Even 2,500 years ago,

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Greeks had already begun to investigate 
the uncertain line

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between human and machine.

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And like many modern myths about 
artificial intelligence,

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Talos’ tale is as much about his robotic 
heart as it is about his robotic brain.

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Illustrating the demise of Talos on a 
vase of the fifth century BCE,

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one painter captured the dying 
automaton’s despair

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with a tear rolling down his bronze cheek.