There are in Homer various kinds of metaphors; some applied from animate things to animate, as, "the driver of the caerulean ship spoke" instead of the sailor, and "he went to Agamemnon the son of Atreus, the shepherd of the people" instead of king. Some are applied from animate to inanimate, as (I. ii. 824):—
Under the extreme foot of Ida,—
that is, the rising ground. Also (I. ix. 141):—
The breast of the field,—
that is, the fertility. Others, on the contrary, from inanimate to animate, as (I. xxiv. 205):—
The iron breast.
From inanimate to animate, as (O. v. 490):—
Preserving the seed of fire,—
instead of the generating origin. Then he has metaphors of verbs as well as substantives (I. xvii. 265):—
As the shores bellow with the smiting salt and gale,—