Chapter Malt ... Meal to Man of Brass of M by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

moonshine;” Chaucer says “he stole the bush” (Test. of cresseid). Another tradition says that the man is Cain, with his dog and thorn-bush; the thorn-bush being emblimantical of the thorns and briars of the fall, and the dog being the “foul fiend.” Some poets make out the “man” to be Endymion, taken to the moon by Diana.
   Man in the moon. The nameless person at one time employed in elections to negotiate bribes. Thus the rumour was set flying among the electors that “the Man in the Moon had arrived.”
   I know no more about it than the man in the moon. I know nothing at all about the matter.

Man of Belial Any wicked man. Shimei so called David (2 Sam. xvi. 7). The ungodly are called “children of Belial,” or “sons of Belial.” The word Belial means worthlessness.

Man of Blood David is so called (2 Sam. xvi. 7).
   The Puritans applied the term to Charles because he made war against his Parliament. Any man of violence.

Man of Blood and Iron (The). Otto von Bismarck (Prince Bismarck), called “man of blood” from his great war policy, and “iron” from his indomitable will. Many years Chancellor of Prussia and Germany. (Born September 1st, 1815.)

Man of Brass (The). Talos, the work of Hephæstos (Vulcan). He traversed Crete to prevent strangers from setting foot on the island, and threw rocks at the Argonauts to prevent their landing. Talos used to make himself red-hot, and hug intruders to death.

“That portentous Man of Brass
Hephæstos made in days of yore,
Who stalked about the Cretan shore ...
And threw stones at the Argonauts
Longfellow: The Wayside Inn.