Greek · No. 078

Golden Maiden of Hephaestus

Real myth

Golden Maiden of Hephaestus
Made of gold, she thinks, speaks, and helps the smith to walk.
Rarity
Common
Category
Monster
ATK
1000
DEF
1200
Level
3
Type
Machine
Element
Light
Constellations
Sun · Hammer

The myth

In the Iliad, when Thetis visits Hephaestus's workshop on Olympus, the lame smith god comes out leaning on handmaids made of gold. Homer describes them as living young women: they have minds, voices and strength, and have learned crafts from the immortal gods (Iliad 18.417–421). They are among the first artificial beings in literature, alongside other works of Hephaestus such as the walking tripods and the bronze giant Talos. They have no individual names in ancient texts; the card gives a face to these golden helpers of the divine forge.

Why it has this power

A Common level-3 card with 1000 ATK and 1200 DEF: made to support, not to fight, so defense exceeds attack. A Light Machine for the gleam of gold, she bears the Sun and Hammer constellations of light and the forge. She is a material of the Rite of Hephaestus's Forge, which creates Talos, the Bronze Colossus.

Did you know

Historians of technology often cite Hephaestus's golden handmaids as the first idea of a robot in Western literature.

Connections

  • In Nikos the Young Hoplite's deck
  • In Elena, Huntress of Artemis's deck
  • In Kassandra, Daughter of the Oracle's deck
  • In Damon, Trireme Captain's deck
  • In Aristeia, Champion of Olympus's deck

Where to get it

  • Daily Offering: 0% per pack (Common 64% per card)
  • Welcome Pack: 0.97% per pack (Common 70% per card)
  • Traveler's Pack: 0.88% per pack · 5.2% in the themed pack (Common 64% per card)
  • Bronze Reliquary: 0.86% per pack · 5.1% in the themed pack (Common 62% per card)
  • Silver Reliquary: 0.67% per pack · 4% in the themed pack (Common 49% per card)
  • Golden Reliquary: 0.46% per pack · 2.7% in the themed pack (Common 33% per card)
  • Daily Showcase: Shows up on about 0.69% of days · 150 gold
  • Craft with card dust: 40 dust
  • Crossing of Myths: Can be offered as a reward during a crossing (the card stays in the crossing deck).

Sources

  1. HEPHAESTUS MYTHS 4 WORKS - Greek Mythology — Aaron J. Atsma, Theoi Project
  2. Iliad, Book 18 — Homer (trans. A. T. Murray), Theoi Classical Texts Library
  3. Hephaistos (World History Encyclopedia) — Mark Cartwright