Page:Nihongi by Aston volume 2.djvu/189

182 Hereupon the slave Minari and several tens of toneri came forth and fought in their defence. Hashi no Saba no Muraji was hit by an arrow and died, and the troops were afraid, and retreated. They said to one another:—"The saying 'one man as good as a thousand' is applicable to Minari." Yamashiro no Ohoye accordingly took the bones of a horse and flung them into his sleeping-chamber, and eventually, taking with him his consort, and accompanied by the younger members of his family, seized an opportunity to escape, and concealed himself on Mount Ikoma. Miwa no Fumuya no Kimi, a toneri named Tame no Muraji, and his daughter Uda no Morowoshi, and Ise no Abe no Katafu followed him.

Kose no Tokudai no Omi and the others, having burnt the Palace of Ikaruga, found bones among the ashes, and wrongly imagined that the Prince was dead. So they raised the siege and withdrew. Therewith Prince Yamashiro no Ohoye and his companions tarried on the mountain for four or five days. They had nothing to eat or drink. Miwa no Fumuya no Kimi advanced, and advised him, saying:—"Let us, I pray thee, go over to the Miyake of Fukakusa, and thence on horseback towards the Eastern provinces. Let us make Mibu our headquarters, and having raised troops, come back and fight. Our success is not doubtful." Prince Yamashiro no Ohoye and his companions answered and said:—"If we did as thou sayest, we should certainly succeed. In my heart, however, I desire for ten years not to impose a burden on the people. For the sake of one person only, why should I distress the ten thousand subjects? Moreover, I do not wish it to be said by after generations that for my sake anyone has mourned the loss of a father or mother. Is it only when one has conquered in battle that he is to be called a hero? Is he not also a hero who has made firm his country at the expense of his own life?" There was a man who from afar perceived the Princes of Kamutsumiya on the mountains, and went back and told this to Iruka, Soga no Omi. When Iruka heard this he was much afraid, and immediately set in movement an armed force. Then he informed Kuni-oshi, Takamuku no Omi, where the Prince was, and said:—"Thou must at once proceed to the mountain and arrest the Prince." Kuni-oshi answered and said:—"Thy