Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 2.djvu/243

 Nobutora. Takauji caused his nephew to be poisoned. There is no lack of these occurrences. It is not to be doubted that the necessity of constantly subduing emotions which human nature has endowed with paramount force, created a special moral perspective for the bushi, and dwarfed his estimate of sentiments that exercise dominant sway over normally constituted minds. Throughout his whole career he had to hold himself ready to calmly face catastrophes in comparison with which all tender emotions seemed insignificant, and there is no difficulty in conceiving that the stoicism he was expected to show in the presence of deadly peril obtruded itself into relations of life where its display was incongruous and unbecoming.

Ruthlessness frequently evinced towards vanquished foes was another example of the callousness educated in the bushi by the scenes of bloodshed among which he lived. When, in consequence of falling under suspicion of treason, Hidetsugu, the Taikō's adopted son, was ordered to commit suicide, his wife, his concubine, and his children were all put to death without mercy by order of the Taiko. The Tokugawa chief, Iyeyasu, showed similar inclemency. After he had effected the final conquest of the Osaka party, he put to death all the relatives and surviving supporters of its leader. Certainly in thus acting, the Taikō and Iyeyasu merely followed a custom approved by many generations,