Uses of the Aeneid in O Uraguay (1769), by Basílio da Gama, as indices of uariatio between the epic and the tragic.

This article analyzes the 1769 epic poem *O Uraguay* by Luso-Brazilian poet Basílio da Gama, focusing on how the poem blends epic and tragic genres in its character construction. Drawing on classical and early modern rhetorical and poetic authorities, the study shows that while the poem maintains an epic unity centered on the Portuguese general Gomes Freire de Andrade as the perfect hero, it incorporates tragic elements to portray native characters like Cepé and Cacambo as imperfect heroes. This generic variation aligns with eighteenth-century Iberian and colonial literary practices rooted in rhetoric rather than Romantic individualism, reflecting the political context of Portuguese colonialism and opposition to the Jesuits. The article argues that Gama's use of classical models, especially Vergil's *Aeneid*, serves both poetic and political purposes, reinforcing Andrade's heroic status as a representative of the Portuguese crown while situating native figures within a tragic framework that limits their heroic perfection.