By Eugenia Manolidou
Greece’s new supercomputer, Daedalus, has begun operating in Lavrio, a town southeast of Athens. Designed to process vast amounts of data and perform calculations requiring enormous computing power, it will support scientific research, healthcare, disaster prevention and response, and the development of Greek-language artificial intelligence models.
This is a remarkable achievement for the country and a welcome opportunity for researchers to pursue questions and seek solutions that could improve our lives. Its name also invites us to look more closely at the ancient craftsman whose ingenuity made him one of the most fascinating figures in Greek mythology.
Daedalus, an Athenian by birth, represented the accomplished craftsman, architect and inventor who combined practical knowledge with the courage to attempt something new. His name belongs to the same word family as the ancient Greek verb δαιδάλλω (daidallō), meaning to fashion or adorn with intricate skill. His craftsmanship combined an understanding of materials, precision in execution and the ability to devise practical solutions to demanding problems.
In Crete, where he worked at the court of King Minos, he constructed the Labyrinth, arranging its passages so intricately that anyone unfamiliar with its layout would struggle to find the way out. Later, when he needed to escape the island, he fashioned the wings on which he and his son Icarus took flight. The story gives imaginative expression to the power of observation and skilled construction, through which human beings extend their physical capabilities by applying what they have learned about the world.
Especially intriguing today is the tradition that his statues could move of their own accord. In Plato’s Meno (97d), Socrates playfully remarks that they had to be tied down, since otherwise they would run away.
Ὅτι καὶ ταῦτα, ἐὰν μὲν μὴ δεδεμένα ᾖ, ἀποδιδράσκει καὶ δραπετεύει, ἐὰν δὲ δεδεμένα, παραμένει. ( Plato, Meno 97d, Socrates speaking of the statues of Daedalus.)
The image forms part of a discussion about the distinction between true opinion and knowledge, while also preserving an ancient fascination with the possibility that a human artefact might acquire the qualities of a living being. That fascination feels familiar as we develop machines capable of performing increasingly complex tasks.
This desire to understand and create offers a connection between the ancient craftsman and the modern supercomputer. Today’s Daedalus will enable researchers to analyse immense quantities of data and investigate problems that demand exceptional computational resources. For the Greek language in particular, it offers possibilities worth exploring through collaboration among computer scientists, linguists, classical scholars and educators. Carefully prepared language resources and rigorous evaluation could serve both research and teaching, giving this new scientific infrastructure a valuable educational purpose.
Such tools are essential to the advancement of knowledge, and their value grows when we use them with imagination, judgement and responsibility. The mythical Daedalus, who gave his son instructions for flight along with the wings themselves, adds a fitting reminder to the name: even our most extraordinary creations remain tools in human hands. Making good use of them requires an understanding of their capabilities and limits, bringing the ingenuity of invention together with the Delphic wisdom of moderation.
Adapted from my article published in Proto Thema on 19 October 2026.