# Hesper — The Columbiad character guide

> Hesper in The Columbiad by Joel Barlow.

**Role:** major

**First appearance:** 0003-the-columbiad

## Snapshot

Guardian Genius of the western continent, who leaves his flaming throne to wrench a pine from the earth and break the frost-tyrant's grip on a frozen river.

## Who they are

Hesper watches from his far heaven as Frost congeals the Delaware and the trapped fleet stands moveless in crystal, then descends in a flamy car to contest the elemental war for Hesperia's right. He fights not with words but with a rooted pine, stroke after stroke pulverizing the ice until the baffled tyrant quits the field and the river swells and thaws. As Columbus's guide up the mount of vision, he turns a broken old man's despair into a prophecy of nations.

## Relationships

### [Christopher Columbus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/characters/christopher_columbus)

_psychological_

Hesper, a personification of the West, represents Columbus's obsessive quest and visionary drive toward the unknown.

### [Manco Capac](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/characters/manco_capac)

_social_

Hesper and Manco Capac are linked as symbolic figures of the Western hemisphere and its indigenous heritage.

### [Atlas](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/characters/atlas)

_family_

Atlas is the father of Hesper in classical mythology, representing the titan who holds up the heavens and his daughter the West.

## In the story

### [The Columbiad](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/chapters/the-columbiad)

Mythological figure who appears to Columbus, guiding his vision.

### [Book I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/chapters/book-i)

The guardian Genius of the western continent appears to Columbus, offering comfort and a vision of the future.

### [Book II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/chapters/book-ii)

Guides Columbus, explains the causes of human variation, and recounts the founding of the Incan empire by Capac and Oella.

### [Book IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/chapters/book-iv)

Foretells the destruction of Peru and comforts Columbus with a vision of future ages.

### [Book V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/chapters/book-v)

Guides Columbus's vision, expanding the view of the American continent and its future.

### [Book VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/chapters/book-vi)

Guides Columbus and intervenes to save the American host.

### [Book VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/chapters/book-viii)

Guardian genius who reverses time to show Columbus the progress of arts in America.

### [Book IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/chapters/book-ix)

Explains the progressive nature of the universe and modern society; points to key inventions and the American federal system as models for global peace.

### [Book X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/chapters/book-x)

Hesper guides Columbus, explaining the progressive plan of humanity and the eventual unification of languages and peace.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/chapters/endnotes)

Described as a Titan son of Uranus/Japetus, a beautiful young astronomer who became the evening star, giving his name to western lands (Hesperia).

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/characters/hesper
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_columbiad_se/characters