The death of Talos is one of several episodes in ancient Greek art depicting the mythological expedition of the Argonauts. Talos was a bronze guard, a giant, for King Minos of Crete. Talos would patrol the entire perimeter of the island, wathing out for intruders. In the scene on the vase, Talos attempts to keep the Argonauts from coming ashore. Here Talos has fallen prey to Medea's plot to kill him through her lethal potions. Medea is on the far left near the horse’s raised knee, nearly out of view in this frontal photograph. We see Talos falling into the arms of one of the Dioskouroi, the twin sons of Helen who were named Polydeukes and Kastor. To the Right of the the right-hand horse is Poseidon with his trident, and Amphitrite next to him. The other female on the far right is unknown.

“After they [the Argonauts] left Anaphe they were prevented from landing at Krete by Talos. This creature some say was once of the bronze generation and was actually a bronze man; others hold that he was given to Minos by Hephaistos and was a bull. He had one blood vessel that extended from his neck down to his ankles, the lower end of which was held in place by a bronze stud. This Talos would run round the island rapidly three times a day as a security patrol, and in that capacity, when he saw the Argo sailing toward the shore, he threw stones at it. He died from the deceits of Medeia, who some say drove him mad with drugs; others allege that she promised to make him immortal and then removed the stud, so that his ichor all flowed out and he expired. Still others say that an arrow from Poeas in the ankle finished him.” –Apollodorus 1.140

The reverse side of the vase shows Demeter offering wheat to Triptolemos. Triptolemos, the son of Celeos and a prince of Eleusis, was chosen for a special task. The goddess of earth, agriculture and grain, Demeter, standing on the left side of the scene, gave grain to Triptolemos and sent him on a chariot to teach farming to the world. His chariot was pulled by the flying horses of Poseidon. The chariot and representative wings, are on the right.