[Kuruharan]

Spiritual prowess is the measure of greatness.

Amen!

Hurin's immediate bravery in encountering Morgoth and being unswayed by will of the Mightest Vala is remarkable, and such resistence incredible, but his choices were few, and it was probably quite draining, but he didn't quite keep it up for thirty-some years. Rather he sat there and lapped up what Morgoth chose to show him.

Well, he had little choice about accepting what Morgoth showed him because he had no other point of reference for the events he viewed. Hurin maintained his resistance against Morgoth, which under the circumstances is all that can be expected.

and making Sauron see what Aragorn wanted him to see.

We don't know that. Aragorn made the palantir show him what he wanted to see. I seriously doubt that Aragorn forced Sauron to view anything. What could Aragorn show Sauron that would intimidate or impress Sauron anyway?

I don't see how these instances really bear comparison. As Legolas cited in the quote, there is a vast difference between having a (brief) spiritual encounter and being in the immediate physical presence of the original incarnation of evil and being under its immediate curse for years and years.

May we assume that puts him ahead of all other Mortals, or just those living at the End of the Third Age.

You got it!

As Legolas pointed out earlier, Tolkien was a firm believer in the gradual diminishing of the power and splendor of the world. This was an integral part of the history of Middle earth. Even the Valar were affected by this inevitable trend. In view of this, any great hero from the First Age is greater than those of later ages by default.

I have another anyway: the Quenta Simarillion's central storyline is the fight to regain the Silmarils.

Perhaps that gives Hurin another leg up. Those who were involved in the (greedy and unblessed) quest for the Silmarils seems to become besmirched in some way.

Hurin was captured because he was fighting out of duty to his lord. He was there because of his loyalty. He was resisting telling Morgoth the location of Gondolin. A matter that had nothing to do with the Silmarils. I think that because he was not trying to gain a Silmaril might actually be another point in his favor.

Another idea....Luthien was the greatest of the Children. She became mortal. Wouldn't she then be the greatest woMan?

Yes, after a fashion. We'll qualify the question to say the greatest of those who were born human.

Anyway, I still don't believe that there is anything to compare with Hurin's accomplishment. Staring down the Original Evil and managing to hold out for a couple of decades is a feat without peer. (Even among Elves.)

It is true that few other humans had the opportunity to exercise their endurance in a mano y mano contest of wills against Morgoth, but we must go with what we have.

Hurin's the Man!