Page:Nihongi by Aston.djvu/266

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Jingō.
235

mightily incensed, and raised a large army, with which it (IX. 15.) was her intent utterly to destroy Silla. So, with war-ships filling the sea, she proceeded thither. At this time the people of Silla were all afraid, and knew not what to do. Having assembled, they consulted together, and slew the Prince's wife by way of apology for their crime."[1]

Hereupon the three Gods who accompanied the expedition, viz. Uha-tsutsu no wo, Naka-tsutsu no wo, and Soko-tsutsu no wo, admonished the Empress, saying:—"Let our rough spirits be worshipped at the village of Yamada in Anato." Now

  1. The "Tongkam," Vol. III. p. 21, has the following under the date A.D. 249, Summer, 4th month:—"The Was invaded Silla, and killed Uro. Before this the Was had sent Kalyako as Ambassador to Silla. The King made Uro entertain him. Uro said, jesting:—"Sooner or later we shall make your King our salt-slave, and your Queen our cook-wench." When the King of Wa heard this, he sent his General Uto-chiu to invade Silla. The King went out and dwelt at Yuchhon. Uro said:—"To-day's attack is owing to the words of thy servant. I pray thee let me deal with it." So he went eventually to the Wa army, and said:—"My words on a former day were a jest, and nothing more. Who would have thought that war should be waged, and that things should come to this extremity?" The men of Wa took him, and made a pile of firewood, on which they burnt him to death, and then went away. Afterwards an Ambassador came from Wa. Uro's wife begged leave from the King to entertain him on her own score. Accordingly she made the Ambassador drunk, seized him, and burnt him. The Was, enraged at this, besieged Keumsyöng,[*] but had to retire unsuccessful."

    Notwithstanding the difference of date—A.D. 200 and A.D. 249—and other discrepancies, I believe these two narratives relate to the same events. The Prince Urusohorichiu of the Japanese account is the Uro of the Corean history. The word which I have translated Prince is , which might also be rendered King. But there is no King of this name in Corean history, and, as appears from a Corean authority quoted in the "Ishōnihonden," XIV. 11, Syök Uro was the son of King Nahè of Silla. The "Tongkam" relates several other events of his life, among others his appointment as Sö-pul-han (or Sö-pul-ya), whence probably the sohori of the name given him in the Japanese narrative.

    Kalyako is no doubt the same person as the Katsuraki no Sotsu-hiko mentioned below as having been sent on a mission to Silla. Kal is written , which is katsura in Japanese.

    In "Early Japanese History" I have given reasons for thinking that, for this period, Corean history is much more in accordance with facts than that of Japan.


      The Silla capital.