Key Points

- Giant man of bronze who protects Crete from pirates and invaders

Brief Bio

Different literary sources provide a wide variety of accounts of in relation to Talos' role and genealogy. The most popular variant of the myth of Talos is that found in the Argonautica of Apollonius of Rhodes (fl. first half of 3rd century BCE). In this account, Talos is described as being a descendant of the bronze race who sprang from ash-trees. He is described as being bronze and also invulnerable with the exception of a vein in his ankle which was protected by only a thin layer of skin.

He was given to Europa by Zeus in order to protect Crete, which he does by running around the island three times.The Argonauts encounter him on their return voyage after obtaining the Golden Fleece. As the Argo approached Crete, Talos kept them at bay by hurling great boulders at the ship. Medea then declares that only she will be able to defeat Talos, which she does by performing a feat of magic from the Argo. Summoning the keres (female death-spirits), Medea causes Talos to graze his ankle, leading to the ichor draining from his body, and thus killing him. In describing his death Apollonius employs a metaphor comparing Talos to 'monstrous pine tree' being felled, which could be taken to imply a larger-than-human size.