Though he was a great commander, excelling at both the paths of military arts and literary arts, some would overstress his educated character; he refuted these characterizations in a distinguished Waka poem, 'A man who ridicules someone as a Renga poet is not as brave as taking a bow and arrows.'
文武の名将ではあるが、教養人の面のみを論う人もいたが本人は、「歌連歌ぬるきものぞと言うものの梓弓矢も取りたるもなし」と見事な和歌で反論している。