be vacant, and filled up the numbers of the right. Hereupon Tamichi, drawing up his picked cavalry,[1] attacked their left, (XI. 30.) upon which the Silla troops were defeated. Accordingly letting go his men, he bore down on the enemy and slew several hundreds of them. So he took prisoners the people of four villages, with whom he returned to Japan.[2]
A.D. 367. 55th year. The Yemishi rebelled. Tamichi was sent to attack them. He was worsted by the Yemishi, and slain at the Harbour of Ishimi.[3] Now one of his followers obtained Tamichi's armlet and gave it to his wife, who embraced the armlet and strangled herself. When the men of that time heard of this they shed tears. After this the Yemishi again made an incursion and carried off some of the people. Accordingly they dug up Tamichi's tomb, upon which a great serpent started up with glaring eyes, and came out of the tomb. It bit the Yemishi, who were everyone affected by the serpent's poison, so that many of them died, and only one or two escaped. Therefore the men of that time said: "Although dead, Tamichi at last had his revenge. How can it be said that the dead have no knowledge?"
A.D. 370. 58th year, Summer, 5th month. By the road which passes to the south of the grove of firs at Arehaka,[4] there suddenly sprang up two kunugi[5] trees, which joined over the road so that the ends of their branches met.
Winter, 10th month. The Land of Wu and the Land of Koryö together attended the Court with tribute.[6]
A.D. 372. 60th year, Winter, 10th month. The guardians of the
- ↑ I do not regard this as any proof that the Japanese had cavalry at this time. The author is, I think, only using a Chinese phrase which suggested itself to his memory.
- ↑ The "Tongkam" mentions descents by Japanese in 440 in which a number of Coreans were carried off.
- ↑ In Kadzusa. This is the traditional kana for 伊寺. How the last character came to be read Shimi is not clear.
- ↑ Arehaka means ruined tumulus. The well-known temple of Tennōji at Osaka now stands here.
- ↑ Quercus serrata, Hepburn.
- ↑ It is not to be supposed that China or even Koryö ever sent "tribute" to Japan. Presents were no doubt exchanged, which both sides very likely represented to their subjects as "tribute."
