A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

2. A man of brass, the work of Hephaestus. This wonderful being was given to Minos by Zeus or Hephaestus, and watched the island of Crete by walking round the island thrice every day. Whenever he saw strangers approaching, he made himself red-hot in fire, and then embraced the strangers when they landed. He had in his body only one vein, which ran from the head to the ankles, and was closed at the top with a nail. When he attempted to keep the Argonauts from Crete by throwing stones at them, Medeia by her magic powers threw him into a state of madness, or, according to others, under the pretence of making him immortal, she took the nail out of his vein and thus caused him to bleed to death. Others again related that Poeas killed him by wounding him with an arrow in the ankle. (Apollod. 1.9.26 ; Apollon. 4.1638, &c.; Plat. Min. p. 320.)