upper waters of the River Nifu, he did worship therewith to all the Gods. It was with this that the custom began of setting sacred jars.[1]
At this time he commanded Michi no Omi no Mikoto, saying:—"We are now in person[2] about to celebrate a public[3] festival to Taka-mi-musubi no Mikoto, and I appoint thee Ruler of the festival, and grant thee the title of Idzu-hime.[4] The earthen jars which are set up shall be called the Idzube or sacred jars, the fire shall be called Idzu no Kagu-tsuchi or sacred-fire-elder, the water shall be called Idzu no Midzu-ha no me or sacred-water-female, the food shall be called Idzu-uka no me or sacred-food-female, the firewood shall be called Idzu no Yama-tsuchi or sacred-mountain-elder, and the grass shall be called Idzu no No-tsuchi or sacred-moor-elder."
(III. 20.) Winter, 10th month, 1st day. The Emperor tasted[5] the food of the Idzube, and arraying his troops set forth upon his march. He first of all attacked the eighty bandits at Mount Kunimi, routed and slew them. It was in this campaign that the Emperor, fully resolved on victory, made these verses, saying:—
Which creep around
The great rock
Of the Sea of Ise
Where blows the divine wind—
Like the Shitadami,
My boys! my boys!
We will creep around,
And smite them utterly,
And smite them utterly.[6]
- ↑ A note says that they were set up in the courtyard.
- ↑ The Mikado deputed most of his priestly functions to the Nakatomi.
- ↑ The ancient commentary gives the Japanese word utsushi, i.e. manifest, visible. This suggests that there was a distinction between esoteric and exoteric in the Shintō rites of this time.
- ↑ Idzu-hime means dread or sacred princess. The "Tsūshō" commentator says that the persons entrusted with this function were usually women, as may be seen in the case of the priestesses of Ise, Kamo, and Kasuga. But as no women were available at this time, Michi-no-Omi was given a feminine title for the occasion.
- ↑ The interlinear Kana has tatematsuri, i.e. offered. The reference is to the feast of Nihiname described above. See p. 86.
- ↑ The shitadami is a small shell of the turbinidæ class. Its introduction
