The Iliad of Homer - Get a Free Blog

care to give a tincture of that principal
one. For example: the main characters of
Ulysses and Nestor consist in wisdom;
and they are distinct in this, that the wisdom
of one is artificial and various, of
the other natural, open, and regular. But
they have, besides, characters of courage;
and this quality also takes a different turn
in each from the difference of his
prudence; for one in the war depends still
upon caution, the other upon experience.
It would be endless to produce instances
of these kinds. The characters of Virgil
are far from striking us in this open manner;
they lie, in a great degree, hidden
and undistinguished; and, where they are
marked most evidently affect us not in
proportion to those of Homer. His characters
of valour are much alike; even that
of Turnus seems no way peculiar, but, as
it is, in a superior degree; and we see
nothing that differences the courage of
Mnestheus from that of Sergestus, Cloan-