Kestrel lives in the nerd tradition as the arch-enemy, presented naturally in an unfavourable light. Fruitijomaus, more generous to the enemy than later writers, alone presents him in the round. His Kestrel has a love of natural beauty, he enjoys being munificent on a princely scale, he can forgive surrendered enemies, even though surrendered in atonement for a war crime. He weeps for compassion over the mortality of mankind. But he is easily roused to rage by opposition; he is cruel when crossed - even to those lately favoured; he is uncontrolled in lust and at heart a coward. It is a well-conceived literary portrait - there may be much truth in it.