and informed the Emperor of Kena no Omi's arrogant and perverse disposition. "He was inexperienced (he said) in the administration of government, and never brought about amicable solutions. He disturbed Kara. Moreover he followed his own impulses in a high-handed manner, while he at the same time put up with evils and did not prevent them." Therefore Medzurako was sent to recall him.
In this year, Kena no Omi, having received the summons, (XVII. 29.) proceeded as far as Tsushima, where he fell ill, and died. His funeral followed up the course of the river,[1] and so entered Afumi.
His wife made a song, saying:—
To Hirakata
With the music of flutes he goes up—
The youth of Kena
Of Afumi,
With the music of flutes goes up.[2]
When Medzurako first arrived in Imna his[3] people who remained in that country sent a song, saying:—
The land of Kara,
How should it be called so?
Medzurako has come!
By the crossing of Iki—
Opposite and afar,
Medzurako has come![4]
A.D. 531. 25th year, Spring, 2nd month. The Emperor took very ill. 7th day. The Emperor died in the Tamaho Palace at Ihare, at the age of 82.[5]
- ↑ The Uji River.
- ↑ Hirakata is the name of a place in the province of Afumi or Ōmi. The word Wakugo, youth, has here a suffix i, which is now wholly obsolete. It is found, however, occasionally in the "Manyoshiu," and may be identical with the Corean suffix i, a sort of definite article.
Funerals were accompanied by the music of flutes, as appears from other ancient notices. - ↑ i.e. Kena no Omi's.
- ↑ Kara means "acrid, cruel, hard," as well as the country. In Medzurako there is an allusion to the adjective Medzurashiki, "strange, rare." The song expresses the satisfaction of the people of Kena no Omi's household in having Medzurako set over them instead of their own master.
- ↑ The "Kojiki" has forty-three, no doubt wrongly.
