Page:Nihongi by Aston volume 2.djvu/61

54 I received Your Majesty's Commands with humility. Joy and dread mingled in my bosom. Silla, however, was deceiving the Imperial Court, and knew how to set at naught the Imperial Commands. In spring, Silla seized Chhăk-syun, and having expelled my guards of Mount Kunyé, at length kept possession of it. The part bordering on Ara was cultivated by Ara; the part bordering on Mount Kunyé was cultivated by Silla. Each cultivated for themselves, and there was no mutual encroachment. But Yanasa and Mato passed over and cultivated the territory of others. In the sixth month they ran away to Inchimi. Afterwards, when Kose no Omi came [the Pèkché 'Original Record' has, 'After I detained Inchimi, when Kose no Omi came.' All this is not clear], Silla ceased to encroach on and harass the territory of others, and there were no complaints from Ara of being unable to attend to husbandry owing to the harassments of Silla. Thy servant was formerly told that Silla, every spring and autumn, assembled troops in large numbers with the object of invading Ara and Hasan, or as some say, to invade Kara. Lately I received a letter, in consequence of which I sent troops for the protection of Imna. This shows that there has been no negligence. I repeatedly despatched resolute soldiers to their help when occasion demanded, and it was owing to this that the Imna people were able to carry on their agricultural operations in due season, and that Silla did not dare to molest them. Yet it was reported to Your Majesty that Pèkché was so far distant that it was unable to help them in their need, and, therefore, Ikuba no Omi and the others went to Silla, and just obtained leave for them to plough and sow. This is deceiving the Celestial Court above, and multiplying wicked intrigues. The deception is here plain enough. There must be many other cases besides of lying in order to deceive the Celestial Court. So long as Ikuba no Omi resides in Ara I fear it will be impossible to establish the land of Imna. He ought speedily to be removed. This state of things is viewed by thy servant with profound apprehension. Cha-ro-ma-to, although the son of a Corean mother, holds the position of Ohomuraji and takes precedence among the Agents of Japan, entering the ranks of the noble and honourable. And yet he