to crush his bones, and fling them broadcast. Would it not be a filial act to take revenge in this way?" The Prince Imperial Ohoke could hardly answer for sighing and sobbing. He remonstrated with the Emperor, saying:—"It is not well to do so. The Emperor Oho-hatsuse presided over the Empire as the rightful director of the myriad machinery of Government. Court and country looked up to him with joy. He was an Emperor, whereas the late Prince our father, although an Emperor's son, met with obstacles in his career, and never rose to the Imperial Dignity. Looking on the matter in this light, there is the difference of exalted and base. And if thou hadst the heart to demolish the misasagi, who would recognize as Lord and do service to the Soul of Heaven? This is one reason why the tomb should not be destroyed. Moreover, had it not been for the warm affection and special favour bestowed on the Emperor and Ohoke by the Emperor Shiraga, wouldst thou ever have attained to the precious Dignity? But the Emperor Oho-hatsuse was the father of the Emperor Shiraga. Ohoke has heard that it has been said by all the ancient sages, 'Without words there can be no response; without virtue there is no requital.'[1] If there is cause for gratitude, and no return is made, this is profoundly prejudicial to good morals. Your Majesty feasts the Country, and his virtuous conduct is felt far and wide over the Empire. But if he pulls down the misasagi, and shows himself in an opposite light to Court and Country, Ohoke fears that it will become impossible to govern the land and to bring up the people as (XV. 22.) his children. This is a second reason why it should not be destroyed." The Emperor said, "It is well," and countermanded the work.[2]
- ↑ Virtue is in Chinese active, not merely the negation of vice.
- ↑ The "Kojiki" tells a somewhat different story. Vide Ch. K., p. 336. This misasagi (which I have visited) is at the present day a round single mound, encircled by a moat, but there are sufficient remains of the second mound and of the original moat to show that it was once a double-topped misasagi of the ordinary type. See above, p. 136. A large quantity of earth must have been removed in order thus to deprive this tomb of its distinctive character as an Imperial tumulus, and to give it the appearance of the tomb of a mere subject. It appears as if both the "Nihongi" and "Kojiki" regarded the demolition of a misasagi as an impious action, and tried to minimize it.
