Page:Nihongi by Aston volume 2.djvu/190

Rh slave guards the Imperial Palace, and dares not go elsewhere." Iruka was about to go himself when the Imperial Prince Furubito no Ohoye arrived, panting for breath, and asked whither he was going. Iruka informed him of the whole circumstances. Then the Imperial Prince Furubito said:—"The rat lies down in its hole and lives; it leaves its hole and dies." Accordingly Iruka gave up the idea of going, and sent commanders to make search at Ikoma, but they were never able to find him.

Hereupon Prince Yamashiro no Ohoye and his companions returned from the mountain and entered the Temple of Ikaruga. The commanders straightway surrounded the Temple with troops. Then Prince Yamashiro no Ohoye sent Miwa no Fumuya no Kimi with a message to the commanders, saying:—"If I had raised an army, and attacked Iruka, I should certainly have conquered. But for the sake of one person, I was unwilling to destroy the people. Therefore I deliver up myself to Iruka." Finally he and the younger members of his family, with his consorts, strangled themselves at the same time, and died together. At this time five coloured banners and umbrellas shone in the sky, and descending, ahung over the Temple to the sound of various music. Every one looked up with cries of admiration. At length they were pointed out to Iruka, upon which the banners and umbrellas were changed into a black cloud, so that Iruka was unable to see them.

Yemishi, Sega no Oho-omi, hearing that Prince Yamashiro no Ohoye and his people had all been destroyed by Iruka, chid him angrily, saying:—"Ah! Iruka! Thou are foolish exceedingly, and dost arbitrarily practise outrage. Is not thine own life precarious?"

The people of that day explained the application of the above poem as follows:—

By "the cliff" is meant Kamutsumiya: by the "little monkey" is meant Hayashi no Omi [Hayashi no Omi is Iruka]: by "cooking rice" is intended the burning of Kamutsumiya: by "Pass on, having stolen even the very rice, oh thou mountain-goat old man," Prince Yamashiro's head of hair, which was streaked with grey so as to resemble