[ p. 248 ] [201]
¶ SECT. LXXVI.—EMPRESS KEI-KO (PART I,—GENEALOGIES)
The Heavenly Sovereign Oho-tarashi-hiko-oshiro-wake dwelt in the palace of Hishiro at Makimuku, [^1509] and ruled the Empire. This Heavenly Sovereign wedded the Elder Lady of Inabi in Harima, [^1510] daughter of Waka-take, Prince of Kibi [^1511] ancestor of the Grandees of Kibi, [^1512] and begot [ p. 249 ] august children: King Kushi-tsunu-wake; [1] next His Augustness Ohousu; [2] next His Augustness Wo-usu, another name for whom is His Augustness Yamato wo-guna; [3] next His Augustness Yamato-ne-ko; [4] next King Kamu-kushi. [5] Again wedding Her Augustness Princess Yasaka-no-iri, [6] [202] daughter of His Augustness Prince Yasaka-no-iri, he begot august children: His Augustness Prince Waka-rarashi; [7] next His Augustness Prince Iho-ki-no-iri; [8] next His Augustness Oshi-no-wake; [9] next Her Augustness Princess Iho-ki-no-iri. [10] Children by another concubine were: King Toyo-to-wake; [11] next the Lady Nunoshiro. [12] Children by another concubine were: the Lady Nunaki; [13] next Her Augustness Princess Kago-yori; [14] next King Prince Waka-ki-no-iri; [15] next King the Elder Prince of Kibi-no-ye; [16] next Her Augustness Princess Takaki; [17] next Her Augustness Princess Oto. [18] Again wedding Princess Mi-hakashi of Himuku, [19] he begot an august child: King Toyo-kuni-wake. [20] Again wedding the Younger Lady of Inabi, [21] younger sister of the Elder Lady of Inabi, [22] he begot august children: King Ma-waka; next King Hiko-hito-no-oho-ye. [23] Again wedding Princess [203] Ka-guro, [24] daughter of King Princess Sume-iro-oho-naka-tsu-hiko, [25] great-grand-child of His Augustness Yamato-take, [26] he begot an august child: King Oho-ye. [27] The august children of this Heavenly Sovereign Oho-tarashi-hiko numbered in all twenty-one kings and queens [28] of whom there is a register, and fifty-nine kings and queens of whom there is no record,—eighty kings and queens altogether, out of whom His Augustness Waka-tarashi-hiko and also His Augustness Yamato-take, and also His Augustness Prince I-ho-ki-no-iri,—these three Kings,—bore the name of Heirs Apparent. [29] The seventy-seven [ p. 250 ] kings and queens beside these [30] were all granted Rulerships in the various lands, or else [posts as] Lords, Territorial Lords or Departmental Chiefs. [31] So His Augustness Waka-tarashi-hiko [was he who afterward] ruled the Empire. His Augustness Wo-usu subdued the savage deities and likewise the unsubmissive people in the East [204] and West. The next, King Kushi-tsunu-wake (was the ancestor of the chiefs of Mamuta). [32] The next, His Augustness Oho-Usu, (was the ancestor of the Dukes of Mori, [33] of the Dukes of Ohota [34] and of the Dukes of Shimada.) [35] The next, King Kamukushi, (was the ancestor of the Sakabe Abiko in the Land of Ki, [36] and of the Sakabe of Uda). [37] The next, King Toyo-kuni-wake (was the ancestor of the Rulers of the Land of Himuka.) [38]
[ p. 251 ]
[ p. 252 ]
[ p. 253 ]
¶ SECT. LXXVII.—EMPEROR KEI-KŌ (PART II.—THE MAIDENS YE-HIME AND OTO-HIME).
Hereupon the Heavenly Sovereign, to assure himself of what he had heard of the beauty of the two maidens Ye-hime and Oto-hime, [39] daughters of King Kamu-ohone, [40] ancestor of the Rulers of the Land of Minu, [41] sent his august child, His Augustness Oho-usu, to summon them up [to the Capital]. So His Augustness Oho-usu who had been sent, instead of summoning them up, forthwith wedded both the maidens himself, and then sought other women, to whom he falsely gave the maidens’ names, and sent them up [to his father]. Hereupon the Heavenly Sovereign, knowing them to be other women, frequently subjected them to his long glances; [42] but, never wedding them, caused them to sorrow. So the child that His Augustness Oho-usu begot on wedding Ye-hime, [205] was King Oshi-kuro-no-ye-hiko [43] (he was the ancestor of the Lords of Unesu in Minu.) [44] Again, the child that he begot on wedding Oto-hime, was King Oshi-kuro-no-oto-hiko (he was the ancestor of the Dukes of Mugetsu.) [45]
[ p. 254 ]
¶ SECT. LXXVIII.—EMPEROR KEI-KŌ (PART III. VARIOUS DEEDS.)
In this august reign the Labourers’ Tribe [46] was established; again, the port of Aha in the East was established; again, the Great Butlers’ Tribe [47] was established; again, the granaries of Yamato were established; again, the Pool of Sakate was made, and bamboos planted on the bank. [48]
¶ SECT. LXXIX.—EMPEROR KEI-KŌ (PART IV.—YAMATO-TAKE SLAYS HIS ELDER BROTHER).
The Heavenly Sovereign said to His Augustness Wo-usu: “Why does not thine elder brother come forth to the morning and evening great august repasts? [49] Be thou the one to take the trouble to teach him [his duty].” Thus he commanded; but for five days after, still [the prince] came not forth. Then the Heavenly Sovereign deigned to ask His Augustness Wo-usu [saying]: “Why is thine elder brother so long of coming? Hast thou perchance not yet taught him [his duty]?” He replied, [206] saying: “I have been at that trouble.” Again [the Heavenly Sovereign] said “How didst thou take the [ p. 255 ] trouble?” [50] He replied, saying: “In the early morning when he went into the privy, I grasped hold of him and crushed him, and, pulling off his limbs, [51] wrapped them in matting and flung them away.”
¶ SECT. LXXX. EMPEROR KEI-KŌ (PART V.—YAMATO-TAKE SLAYS THE KUMASO BRAVOES).
Thereupon the Heavenly Sovereign, alarmed at the valour and ferocity of his august child’s disposition, commanded him, saying: “In the West there are two Kumaso bravoes, [52]—unsubmissive and disrespectful men. So take [53] them,”—and [with this command] he sent him off. It happened that at this time his august hair was bound at the brow. [54] Then His Augustness Wo-usu was granted by his aunt Her Augustness Yamato-hime [55] her august [upper] garment and august skirt; and, with a sabre hidden in his august bosom, he went forth. [56] So, on reaching the house of the Kumaso bravoes, he saw that near the house there was a three-fold belt of warriors, who had made a cave [57] to dwell in. Hereupon they, noisily discussing a rejoicing for the august cave, [58] were getting food ready. So [Prince Wo-usu sauntered about the neighbourhood, waiting for the day of the [207] rejoicing. Then when the day of the rejoicing came, having combed down after the manner of girls his august hair which was bound up, [59] and having put on his aunt’s august [upper] garment and august skirt, he looked quite [ p. 256 ] like a young girl, and, standing amidst the women, [60] went inside the cave. Then the elder brother and the younger brother, the two Kumaso bravoes, delighted at the sight of the maiden, set her between them, and rejoiced exuberantly. So, when [the feast was] at its height, [His Augustness Wo-usu], drawing the sabre from his bosom, and catching Kumaso [61] by the collar of his garment, thrust the sabre through his chest, whereupon, alarmed at the sight, the younger bravo ran out. But pursuing after and reaching him at the bottom of the steps [62] of the cave, and catching him by the back, [63] [Prince Wo-usu] thrust the sabre through his buttock. Then the Kumaso bravo spoke, saying: “Do not move the sword; I [64] have something to say.” Then [His Augustness Wo-usu], respited him for a moment, holding him down [as he lay] prostrate. Hereupon [the bravo] said: “Who is Thine Augustness?” Then he said: “I am the august child of Oho-tarashi-hiko-oshiro-wake, the Heavenly Sovereign who, dwelling in the palace of Hishiro at Makimuku, rules the Land of the Eight Great Islands; and my name is King Yamato-wo-guna. Hearing that you two [^1577]], the Kumaso bravoes, were unsubmissive and disrespectful, [the Heavenly Sovereign] sent me with the command to take and slay you.” Then the Kumaso bravo said: “That must [208] be true. There are no persons in the West so brave and strong as we two. [65] Yet in the Land of Great Yamato there is a man braver than we two,—there is. [66] Therefore will I offer thee an august name. From this time forward it is right that thou be praised as the August Child Yamato-take.” [67] As soon as he had finished saying this, [the Prince] ripped him up [68] like a ripe [ p. 257 ] melon, [69] and slew him. [70] So thenceforward he was praised by being called by the august name of [71] his Augustness Yamato-take. When he returned up [to the capital] after doing this, he subdued and pacified every one of the Deities of the mountains and of the Deities of the rivers and likewise of the Deities of Anado, [72] and then went up to [the capital].
¶ Footnotes
248:1 p. 250 In the province of Yamato. The etymology of Makimuku is obscure. Hishiro is tentatively derived by Motowori from hi, the Chamaecyparis obtusa (a kind of conifer), and shiro, “an enclosure.” ↩︎
248:2 Harima no inabi no oho-iratsume. Inabi is also known under the alternative form of Inami: etymology uncertain. ↩︎
248:3 Waka-take Kibi tsu biko, Waka-take signifies “young brave.” ↩︎
248:4 Kibi no omi. ↩︎
249:5 Kushi signifies “wondrous,” and wake either “young,” or “lord.” The meaning of tsunu is obscure. ↩︎
249:6 The names of this prince and the next signify respectively “great-foot-pestle” and “little foot-pestle,” the origin of the bestowal of which singular designations is thus related in the parallel passage of the “Chronicles:” “The Imperial child Oho-usu and His Augustness Wo-usu were born together the same day as twins. The Heavenly Sovereign, astonished, informed the foot-pestle. So the two Kings were called Great Foot-pestle and Little Foot-pestle.” What the import of this passage may be is, however, a mystery both to Tanigaha Shisei and to Motowori. ↩︎
249:7 Motowori supposes wo-guna to have been an archaic word for “boy,” “me-guna” signifying “girl.” Yamato wo-guna would thus signify the boy of Japan.“ a not inappropriate designation for this prince, who under his later name of Yamato-take (Japan Brave,” i.e. the brave man of Japan") has remained as the chief legendary type of the martial prowess of his native land. ↩︎
249:8 p. 251 I.e.. Yamato Prince. ↩︎
249:9 Komu-kushi no miko, i.e., “divine wondrous.” ↩︎
249:10 Yamasaka no iri-bime no mikoto. The signification of this name and of the next (Ya-saka no iri-biko no mikoto) is obscure. ↩︎
249:11 Waka-tarashi-hiko no mikoto, i.e., “young and perfect prince.” ↩︎
249:12 I-ho-ki no iri-biko no mikoto. Signification obscure. ↩︎
249:13 Or, Oshi-wake, i.e., perhaps “Great Lord.” ↩︎
249:14 I-ho-ki no iri-bime no mikoto. Signification obscure. ↩︎
249:15 Toyo-to-wake no mikoto, i.e., perhaps “luxuriant swift prince.” ↩︎
249:16 Nunoshiro no iratsumo. Signification obscure. ↩︎
249:17 Nunaki no iratsume. Signification obscure. ↩︎
249:18 Kago yori-hime no mikoto. Yori ime probably means “good princess.” The sense of kago is very doubtful, for it may either be the name of a place, or else identical with the Verb kagayaku “to shine,” or with kago, “a stag.” ↩︎
249:19 Waka-ki no iri-biko no mikoto. The signification of this name is obscure. ↩︎
249:20 Kibi no ye-hike no mikoto. ↩︎
249:21 Takaki-hime no mikoto. The meaning of takaki in this place is not certain. ↩︎
249:22 Oto-hime no mikoto, i.e., “the younger princes.” ↩︎
249:23 Himuka no Mi-hakashi-bime. Mi-hakashi signifies “august sabre.” See Motowori’s Commentary, Vol. XXVI, p. 11, for a gloss on this curious name. ↩︎
249:24 Toyo-kuni-wake no miko, i.e., perhaps “lord of the luxuriant land,” or else “lord of the land of Toyo,” the Emperor Kei-kō having, according to the account in the “Chronicles,” spent some years fighting in South-Western Japan, where the province of Toyo is situated. ↩︎
249:25 Inabi no waki-iratsume. See Note 2 to this Section. ↩︎
249:26 Ma-waka no miko, i.e., “truly young prince.” ↩︎
249:27 Hiko-hito no oho-ye no miko. Hiko signifies “prince,” hito is “person” (or here, according to Motowori, “headman”), and oho ye is “great elder brother.” ↩︎
249:28 Ka-guro-hime, i.e., probably “the black-haired princess.” ↩︎
249:29 Sume-iro-oho-naka-tsu-biko-no-mikoto. The signification of this name is not clear. Motowori identifies sume with the like-sounding Verb signifying “to be supreme.” Oha-naka-tsu-hiko may signify “great middle prince,” referring to the comparative ages of this prince and his brethren. ↩︎
249:30 p. 252 There is here an evident error in the genealogy, as it would make the emperor marry his own great-great-grand daughter! A guess of the editor of 1687 that for Yamato-take we should read Waka-take (a son of the Emperor Kō-rei) is approved by Motowori, and may be adopted as probably correct,—i.e. (what is but little likely) if this portion of the “Records” should eventually be proved to be historically trustworthy. The question is discussed by Motowori in Vol. XXVI, pp. 12-14. of his Commentary. ↩︎
249:31 Oho-ye no miko. This name would, as Motowori remarks, appear to have erroneously crept in here through the influence of the name mentioned in Note 27, the whole account of this union with Princess Ka-guro being corrupt. ↩︎
249:32 The Japanese term (
miko) includes both males and females. ↩︎249:33
. ↩︎250:34 As above remarked, the Japanese term includes both males and females, and moreover some of the female children are specially mentioned. The difficulty as to how females could have been appointed to the offices here mentioned is not solved by Motowori, whose note on this passage is evasive. ↩︎
250:35 The four names of offices (also used as “gentile names”) here mentioned are in the original Japanese Kuni no Miyatsuko, Wake, Inaki, and Agata-mushi. (See Introduction, p. xvi.) ↩︎
250:36 Mamuta no murazhi. (See Sect. LIII, Note 1.) ↩︎
250:37 Mori no kimi. Mori seems to be the name of a place (perhaps in Mino); but nothing is known of this family. ↩︎
250:38 Ohota no kimi. Ohota is the name of a place in Mino, and signifies “great rice-field.” ↩︎
250:39 Shimada no kimi. Shimada is perhaps the name of a place in Wohari. It signifies “island rice-fields.” ↩︎
250:40 Ki no kuni no sakabe no abiko. For also see Sect. LXXII, Note 85. Sakabe seems to signify “liquor tribe,” this family and the next having been entrusted with the management of the Imperial feasts. ↩︎
250:41 Uda no sakabe, i.e., the “Liquor Tribe of Uda.” (in Yamato). ↩︎
250:42 Himuka no kuni no miyatsuko. ↩︎
253:1 p. 253 I.e., the elder princess and the younger princess. ↩︎
253:2 See Sect. LXII, Note 36. ↩︎
253:3 Minu no kuni no miyatsuko. ↩︎
253:4 I.e., “gazed at them intently.” The Classical word nagamuru, “to gaze,” is properly a compound of naga, “long,” and miru, “to see.” ↩︎
253:5 The meaning of the syllables oshi in this name and the companion one (Oshi-kuro no oto hiko) immediately below is probably “great;” kuro is obscure; ye-hiko signifies “elder prince” and oto-hiko “younger prince.” ↩︎
253:6 Mimi no Unesu no wake. Of Unesu nothing is known. ↩︎
253:7 Mugetsu no kimi. Mugetsu or Muge was in the province of Mini (Mino). ↩︎
254:1a p. 254 Such is the reasonable explanation of the original term tabe (
) given by Motowori. It seems to have become a “gentile-name.” ↩︎254:2 Kashikade no oho-tomo-be. This “gentile name” originally denoted one who was butler, steward, or cook, in the Emperor’s household. The tradition of its origin is preserved in the “Chronicles.” ↩︎
254:3 Motowori supposes that the mention both in his history and in the “Chronicles of Japan” of the planting of bamboos on the banks of this pool or lake should be attributed to the rarity of such a proceeding in ancient times. ↩︎
254:1b Viz., to attend on his Imperial father. ↩︎
255:2a I.e., “How didst thou do it?” ↩︎
255:3a Literally, “branches.” ↩︎
255:1 p. 257 I.e., presumably “bravoes at Kumaso; ”but it is to be remarked that in this and like compounds with takeru (“bravo”) the Japanese language uses no Postposition. For Kumaso see Sect. V, Note 17. ↩︎
255:2b Motowori seems right in interpreting “take” here and elsewhere in the sense of “slay.” But “take ”is in the text. ↩︎
255:3b I.e., caught up from the brow and tied together on the crown of the head. This being the way in which the hair of boys was dressed, the author thus intimates that His Augustness was still a youth. ↩︎
255:4 Who was high-priestess of the temple of the Great Deity of Ise, as mentioned in Sect. LXIX (Note 44). ↩︎
255:5 The characters used for these last two words are those properly restricted to the mention of an Imperial progress, but Yamato-take is constantly spoken of as if he had actually sat on the throne. ↩︎
255:6 The character used is
, which simply means apartment; but see Sect. XLVIII, Note 1. ↩︎255:7 Motowori reads “New cave,” but the word “August” is in the text. At the same time we see that this feast was intended as a house-warming. Conf. the commencement of Sect. CLXIV. ↩︎
255:8 The parallel passage of the “Chronicles” puts the same meaning into plainer words. It says: “undid his hair, and made it appear like a girl’s.” ↩︎
256:9 Or, according to the old reading, “mixing with the concubines.” ↩︎
256:11 The word rendered “steps” is of doubtful interpretation. ↩︎
256:12 Or perhaps “the skin of his back” or “the (beast’s?) skin on his back.” But Motowori is probably right in supposing the character
, “skin” to be an error for 
, “with,” to be construed with the word “sabre.” (In the English idiom this Particle falls away.) ↩︎256:13 Written with the humble character
, “servant.” ↩︎256:14 p. 258 The contemptuous Second Personal Pronoun ore is used here and in the next clause. ↩︎
256:15 There is Motowori’s authority for thus understanding the bravo’s words. Taken still more literally, they would seem to imply that there were no brave and strong men in the West excepting himself and his brother. ↩︎
256:16 The words “there is” are an attempt at rendering the termination keri of the original. See X, Note 1. ↩︎
256:17 I.e., “Yamato-Brave,” q.d., “the Bravest in Yamato.” It is by this name that the hero is commonly spoken of. Remember that “august child ”signifies prince. ↩︎
256:18
, “broke,” in the text is, as the commentators observe, an evident error for 
, “ripped.” ↩︎