Familiar Letters

All kings and nobles come together to attack Troy. They besiege it and surround it. Who, then, could hold the city against such great force?" If one were to ask in this manner, the poet will answer: "There was a certain son of King Priam, the eldest by birth. He was the leader and commander with incredible courage holding Troy against such a great band of Greeks. And for that reason, when I was describing these things in the poem, I named this very admirable and excellent man Hector, from tenendo holding. I drew him forth no less by inventing [the name] according to the matter." Therefore, whenever I write about Hector, I am thinking of him who held the city. It does not matter much whether he is called Hector or "he who held the city." These things said by the poet, therefore, will be most clear, which you seek. But you will say, "Not only did Hector hold Troy against such great attempts by the enemies. How could he do that? But many others fought hand-to-hand with him, Trojans, Lycians, and Dardanians." Indeed, he was alone, if you believe Homer. For in a certain place in his poem, when he had made mention of Hector, as if he were providing the reason for this, he added: "For he alone guarded the city and the walls of long circuit." And in another place he says: "Troy stood by Hector alone." And yet, do not think Homer lied in this, because he said "alone." For the commander in the army, as it pleases Aristotle, who...