Page:Nihongi by Aston.djvu/414

Rh Wodate was greatly astonished. He left his seat, and, vexed with himself, made repeated obeisance to them. He undertook to provide for them, and brought his people to prostrate themselves reverently. Then he levied all the inhabitants of that district, and in a few days built a palace, in which the Princes were temporarily lodged. Going up to the capital, he asked that some one should be sent to meet the two Princes. The Emperor Shiraga was rejoiced to hear this, and exclaimed, saying:—"We have no children; we must make them our successors." Along with the Oho-omi and the Ohomuraji, he settled on a plan within the forbidden precinct. So Kumebe no Wodate, the Governor of Harima, was sent with emblems of authority, and accompanied by personal attendants of the Emperor, to go to meet them at Akashi. In Spring, the 1st month of the third year of the Emperor Shiraga, the Emperor, with Prince Ohoke, arrived at the province of Settsu, where Omi and Muraji were sent with emblems of authority and a Royal green-canopied carriage to meet them and bring them into the Palace. In Summer, the 4th month, Prince Ohoke was appointed Prince Imperial, and the Emperor was raised to the rank of Imperial Prince.

In Spring, the 1st month of the 5th year of his reign, the Emperor Shiraga died. In this month the Prince Imperial Ohoke and the Emperor ceded to each other the Dignity, and for a long time did not occupy it. Therefore the Emperor's elder sister, the Imperial Princess Awo of Ihi-toyo, held a Court and carried on the Government in the Palace of Tsunuzashi in Oshinomi, styling herself Oshinomi no Ihitoyo no Awo no Mikoto. A poet of that day made a song, saying:—

Winter, 11th month. Ihitoyo, Awo no Mikoto died. She was buried in the misasagi on the Hill of Haniguchi in Katsuraki.