Vol. VIII.]
Vol. I. Sect. XVI.
55
Heaven, and taking the iron[1] from the Heavenly Metal-Mountains,[2] calling in the smith Ama-tsu-ma-ra,[3] charging Her Augustness I-shi-ko-ri-do-me[4] to make a mirror, and charging His Augustness Jewel-Ancestor[5] to make an augustly complete [string] of curved jewels eight feet [long],—of five hundred jewels,[6]—and summoning His Augustness Heavenly-
- ↑ The text has the character 鐡, “iron,” which Hirata reads ma-gane, lit. “true metal,” the common Japanese term being kuro-gane, lit. “black metal.” Motowori prefers to read simply kane, “metal” in general. The main text of the parallel passage in the “Chronicles” omits to mention the metal of which the mirror was made; but “One account” has the character 金, “metal” in general, often in Chinese, but rarely if ever in old Japanese, with the specific sense of “gold.” The “Chronicles of Old Matters” alone, which are of very doubtful authenticity, say that the mirror was made of copper. (Copper was not discovered in Japan till the eighth century of the Christian era, a few years before the discovery of gold.) The best and most obvious course is to adhere to the character in the text, which is, as above stated, “iron.”
- ↑ I.e., the mines. The original expression is Ame no kana-yama.
- ↑ Ama tsu signifies “of Heaven,” but the rest of this name is not to be explained. Motowori adopts from the “Chronicles” the reading, Ama-tsu-ma-ura, where the character used for ma signifies “true,” and that for ura signifies “sea-shore.” (It should be remarked that the forging of a spear by this personage is referred by the author of the “Chronicles,” not to the “Divine Age” but to the reign of the Emperor Sui-zei.) Motowori also proposes to supplement after the name the words “to make a spear.” Hirata identifies this god with Ama-no-ma-hito-tsu-no-mikoto, His Augustness Heavenly-One-Eye, who is however not mentioned in these “Records.” Obvius hujus nominis sensus foret “Cœlestis Penis,” sed nullius commentatoris anctoritate commendatur.
- ↑ This name is written in the “Chronicles” with characters signifying Stone-Coagulating-Old-Woman, which however seem to be as merely phonetic as those in the present text (伊斯許理度賣). Motowori proposes the interpretation of “Again-Forging-Old-Woman” (鑄重老女, I-shikiri-tome) which is supported by a tradition preserved in the “Gleanings of Ancient Story,” where it is related that the mirror, not having given satisfaction at first, was forged a second time. There is a long note on the subject of this name in Hirata’s “Exposition of the Ancient Histories,” Vol. IX. p. 56, where that author propounds the novel opinion that I-shi-ko-ri-do-me was not a goddess at all, but a god.
- ↑ Tama-noya-no-mikoto. The “Chronicles” write this name with characters signifying “Jewel-House,” but such a reading seems less good.
- ↑ See Sect. XIII. Note 5.
