Page:Nihongi by Aston volume 2.djvu/83

76 Silla in the 15th year of the reign, and therefore this report to the Emperor]. When the Emperor heard this he was indignant, and sent an envoy to meet him at the port with a message of condolence. Hereupon Kose no Omi inquired of Prince Hyé:—"Dost thou wish to remain here or to proceed to thine own country?" Hyé answered and said:—"Trusting in the influence of the Emperor, it is my hope to revenge myself on the enemies of the King my father. I pray him to bestow his compassion on me and grant me a numerous armed force so that I may wipe out my disgrace, and repay my enemies. Whether I go or whether I remain, how should I dare to do otherwise than simply obey his commands?" Presently Soga no Omi condoled with him, saying:—"King Syöng had a wonderful mastery of the Law of Heaven, and the principles of Earth: his fame was spread abroad through the four quarters and the eight points of the compass. We hoped that he would long maintain peace, and rule over the frontier States west of the sea, and that for a thousand, nay for ten thousand years he would render allegiance to our Emperor. But to our surprise, in a morning, he passed upwards and was lost in the infinite. Like flowing water, he returns not again, but remains at rest in the dark dwelling. Oh! what a cruel grief, what a heartrending sorrow! Who is there possessed of feeling who does not lament his death? For what special fault, moreover, has this calamity come? But now what art shall be used to give tranquillity to your country?"

Hyé answered and said:—"Thy servant is by nature foolish, and knows not great counsels, much less the causes of good or ill fortune, or of the ruin or preservation of a State."

The Minister Soga said:—"Formerly, in the reign of the Emperor Oho-hatsuse, thy country was hard pressed by Koryö, and was in an extremely critical position, like that of a pile of eggs. Thereupon the Emperor commanded the minister of the Shintō religion reverently to take counsel of the Gods. Accordingly the priests, by divine inspiration, answered and said:—'If after humble prayer to the Deity, the founder of the