Hephaestus, god of technology, was hard at work on his most ingenious invention yet. He was creating a new defense  system for King Minos, who wanted fewer intruders on his  island kingdom of Crete. But mortal guards and ordinary  weapons wouldn’t suffice, so the visionary god devised an  indomitable new defender. In the fires of his forge, Hephaestus cast his invention in  the shape of a giant man. Made of gleaming bronze; endowed with  superhuman strength, and powered by ichor,  the life fluid of the gods, this automaton was unlike anything  Hephaestus had forged before. The god named his creation Talos:  the first robot. Three times a day, the bronze guardian  marched around the island's perimeter searching for interlopers. When he identified ships  approaching the coast, he hurled massive boulders  into their path. If any survivors made it ashore, he would heat his metal body red-hot  and crush victims to his chest. Talos was intended to fulfill his duties  day after day, with no variation. But despite his robotic behavior, he possessed an internal life his victims  could scarcely imagine. And soon, the behemoth would encounter a ship  of invaders that would test his mettle. The bedraggled crew of Jason, Medea,  and the Argonauts were returning from their hard-won quest  to retrieve the Golden Fleece. Their adventure had taken  many dark turns, and the weary sailors were desperate  to rest in a safe harbor. They’d heard tales of Crete’s invulnerable bronze colossus, and made for a sheltered cove. But before they could even drop anchor,  Talos spotted them. While the Argonauts cowered at the  approach of the awesome automaton, the sorceress Medea spotted a glinting  bolt on the robot’s ankle— and devised a clever gambit. Medea offered Talos a bargain: she claimed that she could  make Talos immortal in exchange for removing the bolt. Medea's promise resonated deep  within his core. Unaware of his own mechanical nature, and human enough to long for  eternal life, Talos agreed. While Medea muttered incantations,  Jason removed the bolt. As Medea suspected, the bolt was a  weak point in Hephaestus’ design. The ichor flowed out like molten lead,  draining Talos of his power source. The robot collapsed with  a thunderous crash, and the Argonauts were free  to travel home. This story, first recorded in  roughly 700 BCE, raises some familiar anxieties  about artificial intelligence— and even provides an ancient  blueprint for science fiction. But according to historians, ancient  robots were more than just myths. By the 4th century BCE, Greek engineers began making  actual automatons including robotic servants and  flying models of birds. None of these creations were  as famous as Talos, who appeared on Greek coins, vase  paintings, public frescoes, and in theatrical performances. Even 2,500 years ago, Greeks had already begun to investigate  the uncertain line between human and machine. And like many modern myths about  artificial intelligence, Talos’ tale is as much about his robotic  heart as it is about his robotic brain. Illustrating the demise of Talos on a  vase of the fifth century BCE, one painter captured the dying  automaton’s despair with a tear rolling down his bronze cheek.