While he was depicted as a brave hero who overpowered robbers who attacked him in Chapter 3 of "Godansho" (the Oe Conversations, with anecdotes and gossip), Chapter 23-15 of "Konjaku Monogatari" (The Tale of Times Now Past), and Chapter 11 of "Uji Shui Monogatari" (a collection of the Tales from Uji), he was depicted as being a bit weak in Chapters 78 and 80 of "Makura no soshi" (the Pillow Book).
『江談抄』3、『今昔物語』23の15、『宇治拾遺物語』11では盗賊に襲われてかえって取り押さえた話が伝えられ武勇に優れた人物とされる一方、『枕草子』78・80ではやや気弱な人物として描かれている。