their hero a friend as a lover. _Achilles_ has his _Patroclus_, and
_Æneas_ his _Achates_.

26. In the first of these instances we may observe, for the reputation
of the subject I am treating of, that _Greece_ was almost ruined by the
hero's love, but was preserved by his friendship.

27. The character of _Achates_ suggests to us an observation we may
often make on the intimacies of great men, who frequently choose their
companions rather for the qualities of the heart, than those of the
head: and prefer fidelity, in an easy, inoffensive, complying temper, to
those endowments which make a much greater figure among mankind.

28. I do not remember that _Achates_, who is represented as the first
favourite, either gives his advice, or strikes a blow through the whole
_Æneid_.

A friendship, which makes the least noise, is very often most useful;
for which reason I should prefer a prudent friend to a zealous one.

29. _Atticus_, one of the best men of ancient _Rome_, was a very
remarkable instance of what I am here speaking.--This extraordinary
person, amidst the civil wars of his country, when he saw the designs of
all parties equally tended to the subvention of liberty, by constantly
preserving the esteem and affection of both the competitors, found means
to serve his friends on either side: and while he sent money to young
_Marius_, whose father was declared an enemy of the commonwealth, he was
himself one of _Sylla's_ chief favourites, and always near that general.

30. During the war between _Cæsar_ and _Pompey_, he still maintained the