Round from his parted forelock manly hung.”

Even his angels are conspicuous for their beautiful hair—for instance

“Of charming sunny rays a golden tiar

Circled his head, nor less his locks behind

Illustrious on his shoulders, fledge with wings,

Lay waving round”——

The vivid descriptions of Homer, full of local colouring, afford many instances of the picturesque effect produced by duly noting so apparently a trivial matter, as the colour or crispness of the hair. Shakspere makes frequent allusions to its beauty: at the touch of his master hand a gleam of light seems to play about the silken tresses:

“Here in her hairs

The painter plays the spider, and hath woven

A golden mesh to entrap the hearts of men!”