THE SHE KING; OR, THE BOOK OF ANCIENT POETRY

808 THE BOOK OF POETET. [PAET III. BK II. iv.] THE BOOK OP POETET. 309
8 The feasting o'er, from bow,
Lacquered and strong and bright,
Four well-poised shafts each sends,
That in the target light.
The guests are ranged as they
The mark have nearest hit.
' They shoot again; the shafts
Are fairly lodged in it.
Their bearing then is judged;
Each takes his final place,
As mild propriety
Has round him thrown its grace.
4 The long-descended king
Presides, and ends the feast.
With spirits sweet and strong
From vase he cheers each guest.
And for the old he prays,
While all with rapture glow,
That they the wrinkled back
And whitening hair may show;
Striving with mutual help
In virtue's onward ways,
And brightest happiness
Thus crown their latest days.
III.
The Ke tsuy ; narrative. RESPONSIVE TO THE LAST ;—THE UNCLES
AND BROTHERS OP THE KING EXPRESS THEIR SENSE OP HIS KIND
NESS, AND THEIR WISHES FOR HIS HAPPINESS, MOSTLY IN THE WORDS
IN WHICH THE PEESONATORS OP THE DEAD HAD CONVEYED THE
SATISFACTION OF HIS ANCESTORS WITH THE SACRIFICE OFFERED TO
THEM AND PROMISED TO HIM THEIR BLESSING.
1 You gave us of the brimming cup,
And crowned us with your grace.
Great king, for ever may you live
With brightening happiness!
2 You gave us of the brimming cup,
And dainty viands spread.
May you, great king, for ever live !
Your splendour never fade !
3 Yea, perfect may your wisdom be.
Achieving its high aim !
" First ends in last; last springs from first; J
Revealed, that message came.
4 What said the message from your sires ?
" Vessels and gifts are clean;
And all your friends, assisting you,
Behave with reverent mien.
5 " Most reverently you did your part,
And reverent by your side
Your son appeared. On you henceforth
Shall ceaseless blessings bide.
6 '' What shall the ceaseless blessing be ?
That in your palace high
For myriad years you dwell in peace,
Rich in posterity.
7 " What of the sons shall from you flow ?
Through you, thus blessed of Heaven,
Those myriad years of royal sway
Shall to your sons be given.
8 " And whence shall come that lustrous race ?
From your heroic wife.
From her shall come the line of sons
To live again your life."
IV.
The Hoo e; allusive. AN ODE, APPROPRIATE TO THE FEAST GIVEN
TO THE PERSONATORS OF THE DEPARTED, ON THE DAY AFTER THE
SACRIFICE IN THE ANCESTRAL TEMPLE.
There was a supplementary repetition of the sacrifices on the day after
the more solemn service; and at the close, all the representatives or per-
sonators of the Spirits on the preceding day were feasted, as they had not
been at the feast with which its proceedings had been wound up. The
materials of the feast, Choo says, were the remains of the sacrifice of the
previous day, warmed up again.
The birds are spoken of as on the King, in consequence of the nearness
of that river to the capital.