"Mountain and river, grass and tree, grow more barren;
for ten miles winds smell of blood in the fresh battlefield.
Conquering horses do not advance nor do men talk;
outside Jinzhou Castle, I stand in the setting sun.
Emperor's army, a million, conquered the powerful foe;
field battles and fort assaults made mountains of corpses.
Ashamed - how can I face there fathers, grandfathers?
We triumph today?"
Nogi Maresuke
Taira no Tadanori (1144-1184)
"Sazanami ya Shiga no miyako wa arenishi o
mukashi nagara no yama-zakura kana"
"In Shiga capital; rippling waves have turned wild
but mountain cherries remain as of old."
"Sazanami ya Shiga no miyako wa arenishi o
mukashi nagara no yama-zakura kana"
"In Shiga capital; rippling waves have turned wild
but mountain cherries remain as of old."
"I could not return, I presume,
So I will keep my name
Among those who are dead with bows."
So I will keep my name
Among those who are dead with bows."
