Talos the robot

The first robot in Greece was the famous Talos. Made by God Hephaestus as a gift to Minos, king of Crete. It was a very big human shaped robot made of copper. He was protecting Crete and was taking care of the good function of the laws. He could run very fast and make three times a day the round of the island. Also, he could throw very big rocks against Crete's enemies, or burn them with his hot breath.

As the myth has it, when the Argonauts returned from Colhis, they managed to destroy Talos, with the power of Medeia's magic. Medeia managed to cause confusion to Talos that injured himself badly at his leg. Blood floated out of his injured leg from his one and only vein as a melted metal!

Another version of the same myth has it that Poias (the father of Filoktitis) shot an arrow at the leg of Talos and a bolt removed, letting 'Ihor'- the blood of Gods- flowing out!

A lot of coins with the figure of Talos on them were found at the city of Phaestos.

So, now you know where the name of a U.S. air missile came from! :-)

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