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The tale of Talos may have been an early cautionary tale of technology reaching too far and dominating human's live. Even though a piece of machinery could be made with the best intentions, using it in the real world could bring unintended consequences in the real world.
Talos: The Giant Automaton
Hephaestus toiled on yet another creation commissioned by Zeus - this one would be a gigantic achievement in the literal sense. With care he created the bronze pieces; he poured the molten metal into molds and the skilled smith fixed the pieces together with delicate pins. To carry the ichor (the blood of the gods) throughout its system the inventor created a vein that ran from its neck down to the ankle, where it was fixed in place with a nail.
Zeus was pleased with the sentient statue, and gifted it to Europa, so that she and her children were protected from pirates and raiders whilst they stayed on Crete. Europa would in turn give the automaton to her son, King Minos.
Talos circled the island of Crete three times a day during his patrols. The tireless protector would ambush any foreign ships in the surrounding waters and throw boulders at the vessels. The automaton could also heat up its whole body with fire and then attack an enemy with an incandescent embrace, which charred the victim's body to such a degree that there was only a husk left. Talos also had the duty of ensuring that all the laws were obeyed on the island; three times a year he would visit all of the settlements, carrying massive bronze tablets that proclaimed all of the divine laws to the inhabitants.
After many years had passed Jason and the Argonauts sailed to Crete, but their approach was stopped when giant rocks started to fall from the sky. This was of course Talos' doing. The sorceress Medea materialized and began to charm the bronze giant. She promised that it would attain immortality if it only removed the the nail in its heel. The automaton obeyed, perhaps influenced by Medea's magic, and the ichor flowed out in great torrents. As this vital fluid leaked out, so its life fled its body as well. In this way Talos' tenure of guardianship ceased.
Thank you for reading!
The tale of Talos may have been an early cautionary tale of technology reaching too far and dominating human's live. Even though a piece of machinery could be made with the best intentions, using it in the real world could bring unintended consequences in the real world.
Talos: The Giant Automaton
Hephaestus toiled on yet another creation commissioned by Zeus - this one would be a gigantic achievement in the literal sense. With care he created the bronze pieces; he poured the molten metal into molds and the skilled smith fixed the pieces together with delicate pins. To carry the ichor (the blood of the gods) throughout its system the inventor created a vein that ran from its neck down to the ankle, where it was fixed in place with a nail.
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| The view of the ocean from a Cretan tavern. |
Zeus was pleased with the sentient statue, and gifted it to Europa, so that she and her children were protected from pirates and raiders whilst they stayed on Crete. Europa would in turn give the automaton to her son, King Minos.
Talos circled the island of Crete three times a day during his patrols. The tireless protector would ambush any foreign ships in the surrounding waters and throw boulders at the vessels. The automaton could also heat up its whole body with fire and then attack an enemy with an incandescent embrace, which charred the victim's body to such a degree that there was only a husk left. Talos also had the duty of ensuring that all the laws were obeyed on the island; three times a year he would visit all of the settlements, carrying massive bronze tablets that proclaimed all of the divine laws to the inhabitants.
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| The movie poster for Jason and the Argonauts (1963) featuring Talos. |
After many years had passed Jason and the Argonauts sailed to Crete, but their approach was stopped when giant rocks started to fall from the sky. This was of course Talos' doing. The sorceress Medea materialized and began to charm the bronze giant. She promised that it would attain immortality if it only removed the the nail in its heel. The automaton obeyed, perhaps influenced by Medea's magic, and the ichor flowed out in great torrents. As this vital fluid leaked out, so its life fled its body as well. In this way Talos' tenure of guardianship ceased.
Thank you for reading!
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