[ p. 220 ] [179]
¶ SECT. LXVI.—EMPEROR SŪ-JIN (PART IV.—WAR WITH KING TAKE-HANI-YASU).
Again in this august reign His Augustness Oho-biko [^1348] was sent to the circuit of Koshi, [^1349] and his son, His Augustness Take-nuna-kaha-wake, [^1350] was sent to the twelve circuits to the eastward to quiet the unsubmissive people. Again Hiko-imasu was sent to the land of Taniha [^1351] to slay Kugamimi-no-mikasa [1] (this is the name of a person). So when His Augustness Oho-biko was going away to the land of Koshi, a young girl wearing a loin-skirt [2] stood on the Pass of Hera [3] in Yamashiro, and sang, saying:
[180] “Now then! Oh Prince Mima-ki-iri! Oh Prince Mi-ma-ki-iri! Ignorant that they, to steal and slay one’s life, cross backwards and forwards by the back-door, cross backwards and forwards by the front door and spy,—Oh, Prince Mima-ki-iri!” [4]
[ p. 221 ]
Hereupon His Augustness Oho-kiko, thinking it strange, turned his horse back, and asked the young girl, saying: “These words that thou speakest, what are they?” The young girl replied, saying: “I said nothing; I was only singing a song,”—and thereupon she suddenly vanished, none could see whither. So his Augustness Oho-biko returned up again [to the capital] and made a report [of the matter] to the Heavenly Sovereign, who replied and charged him [saying]: “Methinks this is a sign that my half-brother, King Take-hani-yasu, [5] who dwells in the land of Yamashiro, is planning some foul plot. [6] [Do thou,] uncle, raise an army, and go [after him].” When he forthwith sent him off, joining to him his Augustness Hiko-kuni-buku, [7] ancestor of the Grandees of Wani, [8] they set sacred jars on the Pass of Wani, [9] and went away. Thereupon, when they reached the River Wakara [10] [181] in Yamashiro, King Take-hani-yasu, who had raised an army, was waiting to intercept [their passage], and [the two hosts] stood confronting and challenging each other with the river between them. [11] So the place was called by the name of Idomi, [12]—what is now called Idzumi. Then His Augustness Hiko-kuni-buku spoke, begging the other side [13] to let fly the first arrow. [14] Then King Take-hani-yasu shot, but could not strike. Thereupon, on his Augustness Kuni-buku shooting an arrow, it forthwith struck King Take-hani-yasu dead. So the whole army was routed, and fled in confusion. Then the [Imperial troops pursued] after the fugitive army as far as the ferry of Kusuba, when harassed by the pursuit, exterunt [hostium] excrementa, quae bracis adhaeserunt. Quare isti loco impositum est nomen Kusobakama. In prœsenti nominatur Kusu-ba. [15] Again, on [ p. 222 ] being intercepted in their flight and cut down, [their bodies] floated like cormorants in the river. So the river was called by the name of U-kaha. [16] Again, because the warriors were cut to pieces, the place was called by the name of Hafuri-sono. [17] Having thus finished [the work of] pacification, they went up [to the capital] to make their report [to the Heavenly Sovereign].
[ p. 223 ]
[ p. 224 ] [182]
¶ SECT. LXVII.—EMPEROR SŪ-JIN (PART V.—PEACE RESTORED AND TRIBUTE LEVIED).
So His Augustness Oho-biko went away to Koshi in accordance with the previous [Imperial] commands. Then Take-nuna-kaha-wake, who had been sent round by the east, and his father Oho-biko met together in Ahidzu. So the place was called by the name of Ahidzu. [18] Wherefore, each of them, having settled the government of the land to which he had been sent, made his report [to the Heavenly Sovereign]. Then the Empire was at peace and the people prosperous. Thereupon tribute on the arrow-notches of the men and tribute on the finger-tips of the women was first levied. [19] So in praise of this august reign they said: “The Heavenly Sovereign Mimaki, who ruled the first land.” [20] Again, in this reign the Pool of Yosami [21] was made; moreover the Pool of Sakawori at Karu [22] was made.
[ p. 225 ]
¶ SECT. LXVIII.—EMPEROR SŪ-JIN (PART VI.—HIS AGE AND PLACE OF BURIAL).
The Heavenly Sovereign’s august years were one hundred and sixty-eight. His august mausoleum is on the mound at the corner of the Yamanobe road. [23]
[183]
¶ SECT. LXIX.—EMPEROR SUI-NIN (PART I.—GENEALOGIES)
His Augustness Ikume-iri-biko-isachi dwelt at the palace of Tama-kaki in Shiki, [24] and ruled the Empire. This Heavenly Sovereign wedded Her Augustness the [ p. 226 ] Princess Sahaji, [25] younger sister of His Augustness Saho-biko, and begot an august child: His Augustness Homo-tsu-wake [26] (one Deity). Again, wedding Her Augustness the Princess Hibasu, daughter of King Tatsu-michi-no-ushi, Prince of Taniha, he begot august children: His Augustness Ini-shiki-no-iri-biko; [27] next His Augustness Oho-tarashi-hiko-oshiro-wake; [28] next His Augustness Oho-naka-tsu-hiko; [29] next His Augustness Yamato-hime; [30] next His Augustness Waka-ki-iri-biko [31] (five Deities). Again, wedding Her Augustness Nubata-no-iri-bika, [32] younger sister of Her Augustness Princess Hibasu, he begot august children: His Augustness Nu-tarashi-wake; [33] next His Augustness Iga-tarashi-hiko [34] (two Deities). Again, wedding Her Augustness Azami-no-iri-bime, [35] younger [184] sister of His Augustness Nubata-no-iri-bime, [36] he begot august children: His Augustness Ikobaya-wake; [37] next Her Augustness the Princess of Azami [38] (two Deities). Again, wedding Her Augustness Kagu-ya-hime, [39] daughter of King Oho-tsutsuki-tari-ne, he begot an august child: King Wozabe [40] (one Deity). Again, wedding Karibata-tobe daughter of Fuchi Ohokuni in Yamashiro, [41] he begot august children: King Ochi-wake; [42] next King Ika-tarashi-hiko; [43] next King Itoshi-wake. [44] Again, wedding Oto-karibata-tobe, [45] daughter of Fuchi of Otokuni, he begot august children: King Iha-tsuku-wake; [46] next Her Augustness Iha-tsuku-bime, another name for whom was Her Augustness Futaji-no-iri-bime [47] (two Deities). The august children of this Heavenly Sovereign [numbered] altogether sixteen (thirteen Kings and three Queens). So His Augustness Oho-tarashi-hiko-oshiro-wake [was he who afterwards] ruled the Empire. (His august stature was ten feet [48] [185] two inches: the length of his august shank was four feet one inch), [ p. 227 ] The next, His Augustness Inishi-no-iri-biko made the pool of Chinu; [49] again he made the pool of Sayama, [50] again he made the pool of Takatsu at Kusaka [51] Again he dwelt at the palace of Kahakami at Totori, [52] and caused a thousand cross-swords [53] to be made, and presented them to the temple of the Deity of Iso-no-kami. [54] Forthwith he dwelt at that palace, [55] and established the Kahakami Tribe, [56] The next, His Augustness Oho-naka-tsu-hiko, (was the ancestor of the Lords of Yamanobe, [57] of the Saki. kusa, [58] of the Lords of Inaki, [59] Lords of the Ada, [60] of the Lords of Minui in the Land of Wohari: [61] of the Lords of Ihanashi in Kibi, [62] of the Lords of Koromo, [63] of the Lords of Takasuka, [64] of the Dukes of [186] Asuka, [65] and of the Lords of Mure). [66] The next, Her Augustness Yamato-hime, (was the high-priestess of [67] the temple of the Great Deity of Ise). The next, King Ikobaya-wake (was the ancestor of the Lords Anahobe at Saho). [68] The next, Her Augustness the Princess of Azami (was married to King Inase-biko). The next, King Ochi-wake (was the ancestor of the Mountain Dukes of Wotsuki [69] and of the Duke of Koromo in Mikaha). [70] The next, King Ika-tarashi-hiko (was the ancestor of the Mountain Dukes Kasuga, [71] of the Dukes of Ike in Koshi, [72] and of the Dukes of Kasugahe). [73] The next, King Itoshi-wake (owing to his having no children, made the Itoshi Tribe [74] his proxy). The next, King Iha-tsuku-wake, (was the ancestor of the Dukes of Haguchi [75] and of the Dukes of Miwo). [76] The next, Her Augustness Futaji-no-Iri-hime (became the empress of His Augustness Yamato-take).
[ p. 228 ]
[ p. 229 ]
[ p. 230 ] [187]
¶ SECT. LXX. EMPEROR SUI-NIN (PART II. CONSPIRACY OF KING SAHO-BIKO AND THE EMPRESS SAHO-BIME).
When this Heavenly Sovereign made Saho-bime his Empress, Her Augustness Saho-bime’s elder brother, King Saho-biko, asked his younger sister, saying: “Which is dearer [to thee], thine elder brother or thy [ p. 231 ] husband?” She replied, saying “Mine elder brother is dearer.” Then King Saho-biko conspired, saying: “If I be truly the dearer to thee, let me and thee rule the empire,” and forthwith he made an eight times tempered stiletto, [77] and handed it to his younger sister, saying: “Slay the Heavenly Sovereign in his sleep with this small knife.” So the Heavenly Sovereign, not knowing of this conspiracy, was augustly sleeping, with the Empress’ august knees as his pillow. Then the Empress tried to cut his august throat with the stiletto; but though she lifted it thrice, she could not cut the throat for an irrepressible feeling of sadness, and she wept tears, which fell overflowing [78] onto [the Heavenly Sovereign’s] august face. Straightway the Heavenly Sovereign started up, and asked the Empress, saying: “I have had a strange dream: A violent shower came from the direction of Saho and suddenly wetted my face; again a small damask-coloured snake coiled itself round my neck. Of what may such a dream be the omen?” Then the Empress, thinking it improper to dispute, [79] forthwith informed the Heavenly Sovereign, saying: “Mine elder brother King Saho-biko asked me, [80] saying: ‘Which is dearer [to thee], thy husband or thine elder brother?’ So, as I was embarrassed by [this] direct question, I replied, saying: ‘Oh! mine elder brother is the dearer.’ Then he charged [81] me, saying: ‘I and thou will together rule the [188] Empire; so the Heavenly Sovereign must be slain;’—and so saying, he made an eight times tempered stiletto, and handed it to me. Therefore I wanted to cut thine august throat; but though I thrice lifted [the weapon], a feeling of regret suddenly arose, so that I could not cut thy throat, and the tears that I wept fell and wetted [ p. 232 ] thine august face. [The dream] was surely the omen of this.” Then the Heavenly Sovereign said: “How nearly have I been destroyed! ”and forthwith he raised an army to smite King Saho-biko, whereupon the King made a rice-castle [82] to await the fray. At this time Her Augustness Saho-bime, unable to forget her elder brother, fled out through the back-gate [of the palace], and came into the rice-castle.
¶ Footnotes
220:1 p. 222 See Sect. LXI, Note 5. ↩︎
220:2 Literally, “to the Lord of Koshi,” i.e., “to the land of Koshi;” which provinces are intended by the “twelve circuits to the eastward ”mentioned immediately below is uncertain; but Motowori hazards the guess that we should understand Ise (including Iga and Shima), Wohari, Mikaha, Tohotafumi (pron. Tōtōmi), Suruga, Kahi, Idzu, Sagami Musashi, Fusa (the modern Kadzusa, Shimofusa, and Aha), Hitachi, and Michinoku (a vague name for the north-eastern portions of the Main Island of the whole east and north-east of the country. He likewise supposes the use of the word “road” for circuit or province to have had its origin in the “road” along which the Imperial officers despatched to the outlying provinces had to travel to reach their post, and remarks very pertinently in another passage of his commentary that the term “road ”denotes a province more especially from the point of view of its subjugation or government. His explanation is, however, rendered untenable by the fact that the division of the country into such “roads” or “circuits” was an idea evidently borrowed from the neighbouring peninsula of Korea. At first, as in this passage, somewhat vaguely used in the sense of province,“ it settled down into the designation of ”a set of adjacent provinces.“ Thus the Tō-kai-dō, or ”Eastern Maritime Circuit,“ includes fifteen provinces, the Hoku-roku-dō or ”Northern Land Circuit," includes seven provinces, and so on. Cont. Sect. LXII, Note 20. ↩︎
220:3 I.e., “brave-lagoon-river-youth.” ↩︎
220:4 See Sect. LXII, Note 4. ↩︎
220:5 Motowori is unable to help us to any understanding of this name.—or names,—for he suggests that the character
, no, may be an error for 
mata (“also”), and that two individuals may be intended. The note in the original telling us that “this is the name of a person” might equally well be translated in the Plural,—“ these are the names of persons.” ↩︎220:6 p. 223 The nature of this garment is not known. One would suppose, from the way it is mentioned in the text, that there was perhaps some-thing contrary to custom in its use by a young girl. The parallel passage in the “Chronicles” does not mention it. ↩︎
220:7 Or, “Hill of Hera, ”—Hera-zaka. The “Chronicles” write this name with the characters
Hira-zaka, i.e., “Even Pass” or “Hill.” ↩︎220:8 The meaning of this poem, which must be considered as one pro-longed exclamation, is: “Oh my sovereign! Oh my sovereign! Heedless or ignorant of ”the plots hatched against thy life near the very precincts of thy palace, thou “sendest away thy soldiers to fight in distant parts. Oh my sovereign!”—It will be remembered that Prince Mima-ki-ri was the (abbreviated) native name of the reigning monarch, commonly known to posterity by his “canonical name” of Sūjin. The word rendered “life” is literally “thread” and the Impersonal Pronoun “one’s” used in the translation, must be understood to refer to the Emperor. ↩︎
221:9 See Sect. LXI, Notes 12 and 10. ↩︎
221:10 Literally, “foul heart.” ↩︎
221:11 I.e., probably. “prince land-pacifier.” The first element of the compound is sometimes omitted. ↩︎
221:12 Wani no omi. Wani (“crocodile”) 13 the name of a place in the province of Yamato. ↩︎
221:13 Wani-zaka. For the setting of jars conf. Sect LX, Note 20. ↩︎
221:14 Wakara gaha. It is what is now called the Idzumi-gaha. Of Wakara we have nothing but an altogether untenable etymology given in the parallel passage of the “Chronicles.” ↩︎
221:15 More literally, “each having put the river in the middle, and mutually challenging.” ↩︎
221:16 I.e., “challenging.” The more likely etymology of Idzumi, which is written with the character
, is “source ”or “spring.” ↩︎221:17 The original has the very curious expressions
, literally,“ people of the side-building,” which was a great crux to the early editors, Motowori is probably right in interpreting it in the sense of “the other side,” i.e., “the enemy.” ↩︎221:18
; literally “the arrow to be shunned, or avoided,”—but rather, in accordance with Archaic Japanese parlance, “the sacred arrow.” Motowori says: “At the commencement of a battle it was the custom for each side to let fly an ”initial arrow.“ Being the commencement of p. 224 the affair, the arrow was considered ”specially important and was shot off reverently with prayers to the Gods,—“ whence its name.” ↩︎221:19 I.e., “excrements [fœdatæ] bracæ.” But it is not at all probable that this is the correct etymology of the name. The stream is a small one in the eastern part of the province of Kahachi. ↩︎
222:20 I.e., “cormorant-river.” ↩︎
222:21 I.e., “the garden of cutting-to-pieces.” ↩︎
224:1 A district forming the southern part of the modern province of Ihashiro in north-eastern Japan. The derivation here given, from ahi-dzu “meeting port,” seems fanciful. ↩︎
224:2 I.e., taxes levied on the produce of the chase, by which the men gained their livelihood, and on the domestic handwork of the women. ↩︎
224:3 p. 225 Motowori has a not particularly satisfactory note, in which he endeavours to explain this obscure phrase. The word “first” should evidently qualify the Verb “ruled,” and not the Substantive “land,” and the applicability of the saying to a sovereign, of whom it is not recorded that he initiated anything save the taxes, is not apparent. The author of the “Chronicles” observes the verisimilitudes better by applying a synonymous designation to the first “Earthly Emperor” Jim-mu. ↩︎
224:4 See Sect. LXII, Note 85. ↩︎
224:5 Reference to the parallel passage of the “Chronicles” shows that probably a couple of words are here omitted from the text, which should read “the Pool of Karu and the Pool of Sakawori” (Karu no ike, Sakawori no ike). Karu is the celebrated ancient capital mentioned in Sect. LVII, Note 1, Sakawori is quite unknown except from this notice of it, and the derivation of the name is uncertain. ↩︎
225:1a This place, where the Emperor Kei-ko is likewise said to have been interred, was in the province of Yamato, and the road mentioned is supposed by Motowori to have been the highway from Hatsuse into the province of Yamashiro. The word Yamanobe signifies “in the neighbourhood of the mountain” (yama no he). ↩︎
225:1b p. 227 For Shiki see Sect. LXIII, Note 1. Tama-kaki signifies “jewel (i.e., beautiful) hedge.” ↩︎
226:2 This name and the next have already been met with in Sect. LXI, as have those of Princess Hibasu, King Tatasu-mechi, King Oho-tsutsuki-ne, Princess Kari-bata-tobe, and King Inase-biko. ↩︎
226:3 See Sect. LXXI, Note 8. ↩︎
226:4 The signification of this name is not clear, but Motowori identifies Shiki with the place of the same name. ↩︎
226:5 p. 228 This name seems to be a string of Honorifics signifying “great perfect prince ruling lord.” ↩︎
226:6 I.e., “great middle prince,” he being third of five children. ↩︎
226:7 I.e., “Yamato princess.” She is a very celebrated personage in Japanese legendary story,—high priestess of Ise and aunt of the hero Yamato-take. A miraculous tale is related of her birth, and she is supposed to have lived several hundreds of years. ↩︎
226:8 The signification of this name is obscure. ↩︎
226:9 The signification of this name is obscure. ↩︎
226:10 Motowori’s conjectural interpretation of this name is “jewel-perfect-lord.” ↩︎
226:11 The signification of iga is obscure. The other two elements of the compound signify “perfect prince.” ↩︎
226:12 Signification obscure. ↩︎
226:13 Signification obscure. ↩︎
226:14 Signification obscure. The “Chronicles ”read this name Ike-baya. ↩︎
226:15 _Azami-tsu-him_e, Signification obscure. ↩︎
226:16 i.e., probably “the refulgent princess,” the syllable ya being void of signification as in Ka-no-Nana-saku-ya-hime (see Sect. XXXVII, Note 3). This name is celebrated as that of the heroine of the fairy-tale entitled “Tale of a Bamboo-Cutter.” though there is no reason for identifying the two personages. ↩︎
226:17 This name is obscure, and Motowori suspects it of being corrupt. ↩︎
226:18 Yamashiro no ohokunino fuchi. Yamashiro is the name of a province, and Ohokuni (“great land” that of a village, while Fuchi is a personal name written with a character signifying “deep pool.” ↩︎
226:19 Ochiwake no miko. Motowori derives ochi from oho, “great, and chi, supposed to be an Honorific, while wake is taken to mean ”lord." After all, the signification of the name remains obscure. ↩︎
226:20 Ika-tarashi-hiko no miko. The name probably signifies “severe (or dignified) perfect prince.” ↩︎
226:21 This name is obscure. ↩︎
226:22 I.e., Karibata-tobe, the younger sister. ↩︎
226:23 This name and the next are obscure. The first of the two is not in the older editions, but Motowori supplies what appears to be a lacuna in the text by adding the five characters
. ↩︎226:24 Signification obscure. ↩︎
226:25 The actual word “feet ”is not in the original, but an equivalent Chinese measure is used. ↩︎
227:26 p. 229 Chinu no ike. The “Sea of Chinu” in the province of Idzumi, which is the same as the “Pool” here mentioned, has been mentioned in Sect. XLIV, Note 36. ↩︎
227:27 Sayama no ike, in the province of Kahachi. The name probably signifies a “gorge” or “defile.” ↩︎
227:28 See above Sect. XLIV, Note 31. ↩︎
227:29 Totori (lit. “bird-catching”) was in the province of Idzumi, and the name is said to have been derived from the place having been one of those through which Ohotaka of Yamanobe passed when pursuing the bird whose sight was to make Prince Homachi-wake obtain the power of speech. (See the story as given at the beginning of the next Section). The name of Kaha-kami (“head-waters of the river”), as we learn by comparison with the parallel passage of the “Chronicles,” is to be traced to the River Udo, near whose head waters the palace in question is said to have been situated. ↩︎
227:30 See Sect. XLV, Note 5. ↩︎
227:31 See Sect. XLV, Note 16. ↩︎
227:32 Or, “in that temple.” ↩︎
227:33 Kahakami-be. ↩︎
227:34 Yamanobe no wake. Yamanobe (or Yamabe) is the name of a district in Yamato and signifies “mountain-slope.” ↩︎
227:35 Sakikusa no wake. Of Sakikusa nothing is known. The word means “lily.” ↩︎
227:36 Inaki no wake. Which Inaki is meant is not known, there being several places of that name in Japan. The name is connected with the word ine, “rice.” ↩︎
227:37 Ada no wake. Of Ada nothing is known. ↩︎
227:38 Wohari no kuni no Minu no wake. Minu is the name of a village, and signifies “three moors.” ↩︎
227:39 Kibi no Ihanashi no wake. Ihanashi is the name of a district, forming part of the modern province of Bizen, and seems to signify “rockless.” ↩︎
227:40 Koromo no wake. Motowori supposes this name to be corrupt. Koromo is the name of a village in Mikaha. ↩︎
227:41 Takasuka no wake. Nothing is known either of the place or of the family. ↩︎
227:42 Asuka no kimi. It is not known where was this Asuka, which must not be confounded with the famous Asuka mentioned in Sect. CXXXIII, Note 11. ↩︎
227:43 p. 230 Mure no wake. There are several places called Mure. The signification of the name is obscure. ↩︎
227:44 Or more literally, “worshipped and celebrated the festivals at,” etc. ↩︎
227:45 Saho no Anahobe-wake. The name Anahobe is derived from Anahobe, the name of the Emperor Yu-riyaku, and be “a tribe,” it being related in the “Chronicles” that the tribe which was established as his “name-proxy” was so called. ↩︎
227:46 Wotsuki no yama no kimi. Wotsuki is the name of a place in Afumi (Omi). The family name must be interpreted to signify that they were wardens of the mountain. ↩︎
227:47 Mikaha no Koromo no kimi. Conf. the name in Note 40, with which this is probably identical. Motowori suspects an error in the text. ↩︎
227:48 Kazuga no yama no kimi. Conf. the name in Note 46. ↩︎
227:49 Koshi no ike no kimi. Nothing is known of the place or of the family; Koshi may or may not be the northern province of that name. ↩︎
227:50 Kasugabe no kimi. There were two places of the name of Kasugabe (i.e. “Kasuga Clan,” so called perhaps after a family that had resided there). It is not known which is here alluded to. ↩︎
227:51 Itoshi-be. The name, which is thus restored by Motowori, is variously mutilated in the older editions. This is the first mention of adoption, lit. in Japanese “child-proxy making.” The custom is perpetually referred to in the later portion of these “Records.” ↩︎
227:52 Haguhi no kimi. Haguhi is the name of a district in Noto. The derivation is obscure. ↩︎
227:53 Miwo no kimi. Miwo is the name of a place in Afumi. It probably means “three mountain-folds.” ↩︎
231:1 For stiletto see above, Sect. XXXVI, Note 8. The curious word ya-shio-wori (
) in the text seems to have the sense of “eight times tempered,” i.e., tempered over and over again, which Motowori assigns to it. The same expression is used in Sect. XVIII (Note 16) to denote the refining of rice-liquor. ↩︎231:2 This word “overflowing” is more appropriately placed in the version of the story given in the “Chronicles,” where the author makes her tears first fill her sleeve (a common Japanese figure of speech), and thence “overflow ”on to the sleeping Monarch’s face. ↩︎