said:—"Thy younger sister[1] of bird-frequented Hata has gone to be buried at Hasa. [Another version is:—"Sanakita no Komotsu[2] no Mikoto has gone to be buried at Hasa."] Suddenly a messenger arrived in haste, who said:—"The Imperial concubine is dead." The Emperor was greatly shocked, and straightway ordering his carriage,[3] returned.
22nd day. The Emperor arrived from Ahaji.
Winter, 10th month, 11th day. The Imperial concubine was buried. After this the Emperor, vexed with himself that he had not appeased the divine curse, and had so caused the death of the Imperial concubine, again sought to ascertain where the fault lay. Some one said:—"The Kimi of the Cart-keepers[4] went to the Land of Tsukushi, where he held a review of all the (XII. 10.) Cart-keepers' Be, and he took along with them the men allotted to the service of the Deities. This must surely be the offence." The Emperor straightway summoned to him the Kimi of the Cart-keepers and questioned him. The facts having been ascertained, the Emperor enumerated his offences, saying:—"Thou, although only Kimi of the Cart-keepers, hast arbitrarily appropriated the subjects of the Son of Heaven.[5] This is one offence. Thou didst wrongfully take them, comprising them in the Cart-keepers' Be after they had been allotted to the service of the Gods of Heaven and Earth. This is a second offence." So he imposed on him the expiation of evil and the expiation of good,[6] and sent him away to Cape Nagasa, there to perform the rites of expiation. After he had done so, the Emperor commanded him, saying:—"Henceforward thou mayest not have charge of the Cart-keepers' Be of Tsukushi." So he confiscated them all, and allotted them anew, giving them to the three Deities.
A.D. 405. 6th year, Spring, 1st month, 6th day. The Imperial Princess Hatahi of Kusaka was appointed Empress.[7]
- ↑ Kurohime, the Imperial concubine, is meant.
- ↑ Apparently another name for Princess Hata.
- ↑ The word carriage is not to be taken too literally. The kana interlinear gloss has Ohon mŭma ni tatematsurite, which means "mounted his horse."
- ↑ Kuruma-mochi.
- ↑ The Emperor.
- ↑ i.e. a fine of the articles required in the ceremony of purgation or expiation. See above, p. 48.
- ↑ She was the Emperor's half-sister.
