1
王彌
Wang Mi
2
王彌，東萊人也。 家世二千石。 祖頎，魏玄菟太守，武帝時，至汝南太守。 彌有才幹，博涉書記。 少遊俠京都，隱者董仲道見而謂之曰：「君豺聲豹視，好亂樂禍，若天下騷擾，不作士大夫矣。」 惠帝末，妖賊劉柏根起於東萊之惤縣，彌率家僮從之，柏根以為長史。 柏根死，聚徒海渚，為苟純所敗，亡入長廣山為群賊。 彌多權略，凡有所掠，必豫圖成敗，舉無遺策，弓馬迅捷，膂力過人，青土號為「飛豹」。 後引兵入寇青徐，兗州刺史苟晞逆擊，大破之。 彌退集亡散，眾復大振，晞與之連戰，不能克。 彌進兵寇泰山、魯國、譙、梁、陳、汝南、潁川、襄城諸郡，入許昌，開府庫，取器杖，所在陷沒，多殺守令，有眾數萬，朝廷不能制。
Wang Mi came from Donglai. For generations his family had held governorship-level posts. His grandfather Wang Qi had served Wei as administrator of Xuantu and, under Emperor Wu, rose to administrator of Runan. Mi was capable and widely read in administrative texts and histories. As a young man he swaggered through the capital like a wandering bravo. The recluse Dong Zhongdao took one look and told him, "You have a jackal's voice and a leopard's stare; you relish chaos and feed on disaster. Once the empire boils over, you will never settle into the life of a proper official." Near the end of Emperor Hui's reign, the rebel leader Liu Baigen rose in Jiao County in Donglai. Mi brought his household retainers to join him, and Baigen appointed him chief clerk. After Baigen died, Mi rallied followers on coastal islets until Gou Chun crushed him; he escaped into Mount Changgang and emerged as the leader of a bandit horde. Mi was a master of stratagem: every raid was plotted for how it might end, and he rarely misjudged the odds. He was deadly with bow and horse, stronger than ordinary men, and people along the eastern coast nicknamed him the "Flying Leopard." He later led his army to ravage Qingzhou and Xuzhou, but Gou Xi, the inspector of Yanzhou, intercepted him and won a crushing victory. Mi regrouped the fugitives, and his army swelled once more; Gou Xi fought him again and again but could not break him. He marched through Taishan, Lu, Qiao, Liang, Chen, Runan, Yingchuan, and Xiangcheng, seized Xuchang, looted armories, and armed his men. County seats fell in his path; he executed prefects and magistrates until he commanded tens of thousands, and the court was powerless to stop him.
3
會天下大亂，進逼洛陽，京邑大震，宮城門晝閉。 司徒王衍等率百官距守，彌屯七里澗，王師進擊，大破之。 彌謂其党劉靈曰：「晉兵尚強，歸無所厝。 劉元海昔為質子，我與之周旋京師，深有分契，今稱漢王，將歸之，可乎？」 靈然之。 乃渡河歸元海。 元海聞而大悅，遣其侍中兼御史大夫郊迎，致書於彌曰：「以將軍有不世之功，超時之德，故有此迎耳。 遲望將軍之至，孤今親行將軍之館，輒拂席洗爵，敬待將軍。」 及彌見元海，勸稱尊號，元海謂彌曰：「孤本謂將軍如竇周公耳，今真吾孔明、仲華也。 烈祖有云：'吾之有將軍，如魚之有水。 '」於是署彌司隸校尉，加侍中、特進，彌固辭。 使隨劉曜寇河內，又與石勒攻臨漳。
As the empire slid into chaos, he pressed on Luoyang; the capital trembled, and even in daylight the palace gates stayed shut. Minister Wang Yan mustered the officials to hold the defenses while Mi camped at Qili Ford; the imperial army attacked and dealt him a severe defeat. Mi told his follower Liu Ling, "The Jin forces are still formidable; we have nowhere to go if we turn back. Liu Yuan once served as a hostage in Luoyang, and I knew him well in the capital; we were genuinely close. Now he has taken the title King of Han—what if we throw in our lot with him?" Liu Ling agreed. They crossed the Yellow River and submitted to Liu Yuan. Liu Yuan was delighted. He sent a palace attendant who also held the post of imperial counselor to welcome Mi beyond the walls, with a letter that read: "You have won a fame seldom seen in any age and a moral stature that towers above your time—hence this reception. I am eager for your arrival; I shall walk to your quarters myself, sweep the mat, rinse the cups, and wait upon you with all courtesy." When Mi met Liu Yuan, he urged him to take the imperial title. Liu Yuan told him, "I used to think of you merely as the Duke of Dou; now you are my Zhuge Liang and Deng Yu rolled into one. The founding emperor once said, "With you at my side, I am like a fish returned to water." With that, Liu Yuan named him metropolitan commandant and added the titles of palace attendant and specially advanced incumbent; Mi steadfastly refused them." He sent Mi with Liu Yao to strike Henei and later to join Shi Le in the assault on Linzhang.
4
永嘉初，寇上黨，圍壺關，東海王越遣淮南內史王曠、安豐太守衛乾等討之，及彌戰于高都、長平間，大敗之，死者十六七。 元海進彌征東大將軍，封東萊公。 與劉曜、石勒等攻魏郡、汲郡、頓丘，陷五十餘壁，皆調為軍士。 又與勒攻鄴，安北將軍和郁棄城而走。 懷帝遣北中郎將裴憲次白馬討彌，車騎將軍王堪次東燕討勒，平北將軍曹武次大陽討元海。 武部將軍彭默為劉聰所敗，見害，眾軍皆退。 聰渡黃河，帝遣司隸校尉劉暾、將軍宋抽等距之，皆不能抗。 彌、聰以萬騎至京城，焚二學。 東海王越距戰於西明門，彌等敗走。 彌復以二千騎寇襄城諸縣，河東、平陽、弘農、上党諸流人之在潁川、襄城、汝南、南陽、河南者數萬家，為舊居人所不禮，皆焚燒城邑，殺二千石長吏以應彌。 彌又以二萬人會石勒寇陳郡、潁川，屯陽曜，遣弟璋與石勒共寇徐兗，因破越軍。
Early in the Yongjia era he raided Shangdang and laid siege to Huguan. Sima Yue, prince of Donghai, dispatched Wang Kuang, interior minister of Huainan, Wei Gan, administrator of Anfeng, and others against him. The battle between Gaodu and Changping shattered Mi's army; six or seven men in ten were killed. Liu Yuan promoted him to general who conquers the east and enfeoffed him as duke of Donglai. Alongside Liu Yao and Shi Le he overran Wei and Ji commanderies and Dunqiu, took more than fifty walled strongholds, and drafted every able body into the ranks. He joined Shi Le again in an attack on Ye; He Yu, general who pacifies the north, abandoned the city and ran. Emperor Huai ordered Pei Xian, general of the central army of the north, to encamp at Baima against Wang Mi; Wang Kan, chariot and cavalry general, at Dongyan against Shi Le; and Cao Wu, general who pacifies the north, at Dayang against Liu Yuan. Cao Wu's subordinate Peng Mo was routed by Liu Cong and killed, and every column fell back. Liu Cong crossed the Yellow River; the court sent Liu Tun, metropolitan commandant, Song Chou, and other generals to block him, but none could hold the line. Wang Mi and Liu Cong rode into the capital at the head of ten thousand cavalry and put the two imperial academies to the torch. Sima Yue, prince of Donghai, gave battle at the Ximing Gate and drove Mi's forces off. Mi struck again with two thousand horsemen through the Xiangcheng counties. Tens of thousands of refugee families from Hedong, Pingyang, Hongnong, and Shangdang—settled in Yingchuan, Xiangcheng, Runan, Nanyang, and Henan—had been mistreated by locals; they now torched towns, slew magistrates, and rose in Mi's name. He brought twenty thousand men to join Shi Le in ravaging Chen and Yingchuan and camped at Yangyao. He sent his brother Wang Zhang with Shi Le against Xu and Yan and together they shattered Sima Yue's army.
5
彌後與曜寇襄城，遂逼京師。 時京邑大饑，人相食，百姓流亡，公卿奔河陰。 曜、彌等遂陷宮城，至太極前殿，縱兵大掠。 幽帝於端門，逼辱羊皇后，殺皇太子詮，發掘陵墓，焚燒宮廟，城府蕩盡，百官及男女遇害者三萬餘人，遂遷帝於平陽。
Later, with Liu Yao, he plundered Xiangcheng and closed in on the capital. Famine gripped the capital; men fed on one another; commoners scattered; high officials fled toward Heyin. Liu Yao and Wang Mi broke into the palace, reached the main hall of the Hall of Supreme Polarity, and unleashed their troops for wholesale looting. They penned the emperor at Duan Gate, abused Empress Yang, murdered Crown Prince Sima Quan, opened imperial tombs, and burned palace shrines until the capital was a ruin. More than thirty thousand officials and civilians, men and women, perished before the emperor was marched off to Pingyang.
6
彌之掠也，曜禁之，彌不從。 曜斬其牙門王延以徇，彌怒，與曜阻兵相攻，死者千餘人。 彌長史張嵩諫曰：「明公與國家共興大事，事業甫耳，便相攻討，何面見主上乎！ 平洛之功誠在將軍，然劉曜皇族，宜小下之。 晉二王平吳之鑒，其則不遠，願明將軍以為慮。 縱將軍阻兵不還，其若子弟宗族何！」 彌曰：「善，微子，吾不聞此過也。」 於是詣曜謝，結分如初。 彌曰：「下官聞過，乃是張長史之功。」 曜謂嵩曰：「君為硃建矣，豈況範生乎！」 各賜嵩金百斤。 彌謂曜曰：「洛陽天下之中，山河四險之固，城池宮室無假營造，可徙平陽都之。」 曜不從，焚燒而去。 彌怒曰：「屠各子，豈有帝王之意乎！ 汝柰天下何！」 遂引眾東屯項關。
When Wang Mi's men began to loot, Liu Yao ordered them to stop; Mi refused. Liu Yao executed Mi's gate officer Wang Yan as a warning. Enraged, the two turned their armies on each other, and more than a thousand men died. Mi's chief clerk Zhang Song urged restraint: "You and the throne raised this great cause together; the work has barely begun, yet you are at each other's throats—how will you face your lord? The credit for taking Luoyang is yours, but Liu Yao belongs to the imperial house; you ought to defer to him a little. The lesson of the two Jin princes who conquered Wu is still fresh; I beg you, general, to weigh it carefully. Even if you keep your army in the field and never come home, what becomes of your sons, brothers, and entire clan?" Mi replied, "Well said—without you I would never have seen my mistake." He went to Liu Yao to apologize, and the two men patched up their alliance. Mi added, "If I have learned of my fault, the credit belongs to Chief Clerk Zhang." Liu Yao told Zhang Song, "You are another Zhu Jian—what need to mention Fan Sheng!" Each of them rewarded Zhang Song with a hundred catties of gold. Mi said to Liu Yao, "Luoyang sits at the heart of the empire, ringed by four natural defenses; the walls and palaces are ready-made. You could move the court here from Pingyang." Liu Yao refused, burned the city, and withdrew. Mi fumed, "That Tougu upstart—does he imagine he can rule as a true Son of Heaven? What does he imagine will become of the realm under him!" He led his troops east and encamped at Xiang Pass.
7
初，曜以彌先入洛，不待己，怨之，至是嫌隙遂構。 劉暾說彌還據青州，彌然之，乃以左長史曹嶷為鎮東將軍，給兵五千，多齎寶物還鄉里，招誘亡命，且迎其室。 彌將徐邈、高梁輒率部曲數千人隨嶷去，彌益衰弱。
Liu Yao had long resented Mi for seizing Luoyang ahead of him; now the breach between them was complete. Liu Tun persuaded Mi to go back and secure Qingzhou. Mi agreed, named his left chief clerk Cao Yi general who guards the east, gave him five thousand men and a train of treasure to return home, recruit outlaws, and bring Mi's household out. Generals Xu Miao and Gao Liang promptly marched several thousand of their own followers off with Cao Yi, leaving Mi weaker than ever.
8
初，石勒惡彌驍勇，常密為之備。 彌之破洛陽也，多遺勒美女寶貨以結之。 時勒擒苟晞，以為左司馬，彌謂勒曰：「公獲苟晞而用之，何其神妙！ 使晞為公左，彌為公右，天下不足定也！」 勒愈忌彌，陰圖之。 劉暾又勸彌征曹嶷，藉其眾以誅勒。 於是彌使暾詣青州，令曹嶷引兵會己，而詐要勒共向青州。 暾至東阿，為勒遊騎所獲。 勒見彌與嶷書，大怒，乃殺暾。 彌未之知，勒伏兵襲彌，殺之，並其眾。
For some time Shi Le had feared Mi's ferocity and kept a discreet watch on him. After Mi took Luoyang he showered Shi Le with concubines and treasure to buy his goodwill. Shi Le had just captured Gou Xi and appointed him senior marshal. Mi told him, "To seize Gou Xi and put him to work for you—that is inspired! With Gou Xi on your left and me on your right, the empire would fall into your lap!" Shi Le only grew more suspicious and began plotting Mi's downfall in secret. Liu Tun again urged Mi to march against Cao Yi and use those troops to destroy Shi Le. Mi sent Liu Tun to Qingzhou with orders for Cao Yi to bring an army to rendezvous with him, while he feigned an invitation for Shi Le to join the same expedition. Liu Tun reached Dong'e, where Shi Le's scouting cavalry took him. When Shi Le read Mi's letter to Cao Yi he flew into a rage and executed Liu Tun. Mi never learned of it: Shi Le sprang an ambush, cut him down, and absorbed his army.
9
張昌
Zhang Chang
10
張昌，本義陽蠻也。 少為平氏縣吏，武力過人，每自占卜，言應當富貴。 好論攻戰，儕類咸共笑之。 及李流寇蜀，昌潛遁半年，聚黨數千人，盜得幢麾，詐言台遣其募人討流。 會《壬午詔書》發武勇以赴益土，號曰「壬午兵」。 自天下多難，數術者云當有帝王興于江左，及此調發，人咸不樂西征，昌黨因之誑惑，百姓各不肯去。 而詔書催遣嚴速，所經之界停留五日者，二千石免。 由是郡縣官長皆躬出驅逐，輾轉不遠，屯聚而為劫掠。 是歲江夏大稔，流人就食者數千口。
Zhang Chang was a Yiyang tribesman by birth. In youth he served as a clerk in Pingshi County. He was stronger than most men, cast his own divinations, and insisted he was destined for wealth and rank. He loved to talk of battle and siege, and his companions mocked him for it. When Li Liu invaded Shu, Zhang Chang went underground for six months, pulled together several thousand followers, stole command banners, and pretended the central government had commissioned him to raise troops against Li Liu. Then came the Renwu edict drafting stalwart men for service in Yizhou—the levy known as the "Renwu host." The empire was already in turmoil, and prognosticators were claiming a true emperor would arise south of the Yangtze. When the draft order went out, no one wanted to march west; Zhang Chang's clique spread rumors and confusion, and commoners everywhere refused to leave. The edict demanded brutal speed: any district where conscripts lingered five days would cost its governor his post. Magistrates took to the roads themselves to herd the levies along; people milled about just beyond their homes, banded together, and turned to pillage. That year Jiangxia enjoyed a bumper crop, and thousands of displaced families drifted in seeking food.
11
，昌于安陸縣石岩山屯聚，去郡八十里，諸流人及避戍役者多往從之。 昌乃易姓名為李辰。 太守弓欽遣軍就討，輒為所破。 昌徒眾日多，遂來攻郡。 欽出戰，大敗，乃將家南奔沔口。 鎮南大將軍、新野王歆遣騎督靳滿討昌於隨郡西，大戰，滿敗走，昌得其器杖，據有江夏，即其府庫。 造妖言云：「當有聖人出。」 山都縣吏丘沈遇于江夏，昌名之為聖人，盛車服出迎之，立為天子，置百官。 沈易姓名為劉尼，稱漢後，以昌為相國，昌兄味為車騎將軍，弟放廣武將軍，各領兵。 于石岩中作宮殿，又於岩上織竹為鳥形，衣以五彩，聚肉於其傍，眾鳥群集，詐云鳳皇降，又言珠袍、玉璽、鐵券、金鼓自然而至。 乃下赦書，建元神鳳，郊祀、服色依漢故事。 其有不應其募者，族誅。 又流訛言云：「江淮已南當圖反逆，官軍大起，悉誅討之。」 群小互相扇動，人情惶懼，江沔間一時猋起，豎牙旗，鳴鼓角，以應昌，旬月之間，眾至三萬，皆以絳科頭，撍之以毛。 江夏、義陽士庶莫不從之，惟江夏舊姓江安令王傴、秀才呂蕤不從。 昌以三公位徵之，傴、蕤密將宗室並奔汝南，投豫州刺史劉喬。 鄉人期思令李權、常安令吳鳳、孝廉吳暢糾合善士，得五百餘家，追隨傴等，不豫妖逆。
Zhang Chang made his stand on Stone Cliff Mountain in Anlu County, eighty li from the prefectural seat; refugees and draft evaders flocked to him. He adopted the alias Li Chen. Prefect Gong Qin sent troops against him and was beaten back every time. His following swelled until he marched on the commandery seat. Gong Qin gave battle, suffered a crushing defeat, and fled south with his household toward Hankou. Sima Xin, prince of Xinye and general who guards the south, dispatched cavalry commander Jin Man against Zhang Chang west of Sui. After a major engagement Jin Man broke and ran; Zhang Chang seized his arms, took Jiangxia, and helped himself to the government granaries and arsenals. He circulated prophecies that a sage would soon appear. In Jiangxia he encountered Qiu Shen, a clerk from Shandu County, hailed him as that sage, received him with full pomp, enthroned him as emperor, and installed a full bureaucracy. Qiu Shen restyled himself Liu Ni, claimed Han imperial descent, named Zhang Chang chancellor of state, Zhang Wei chariot and cavalry general, and Zhang Fang general who expands martial might—each commanding troops of his own. They carved palace halls into the cliff face, then wove bamboo birds on the heights, painted them in five colors, and piled meat nearby so flocks would gather; they called it a phoenix's descent and spread word that pearl robes, jade seals, iron tallies, and golden drums had appeared by heaven's gift. They proclaimed an amnesty, took the reign title Divine Phoenix, and patterned suburban rites and court dress on Han practice. Anyone who refused their summons faced extermination of his entire clan. Fresh rumors claimed that south of the Yangtze and Huai a rebellion was brewing, imperial troops were massing, and every household would be put to the sword. Agitators fanned the panic; along the Yangtze and Han people rose in a single rush, raised battle flags, and beat drums in answer to Zhang Chang. Within weeks he had thirty thousand men, all with crimson headbands and feathers stuck in their hair. Gentry and commoners across Jiangxia and Yiyang fell in behind him—except Wang Ju, magistrate of Jiang'an, and the student Lu Rui, old Jiangxia families who held out. Zhang Chang offered them posts among the three dukes; Wang Ju and Lu Rui slipped away with their kin to Runan and placed themselves under Liu Qiao, inspector of Yu Province. Their neighbors—Li Quan, magistrate of Qisi, Wu Feng, magistrate of Chang'an, and the filial and incorrupt nominee Wu Chang—rallied more than five hundred households of respectable families and followed Wang Ju, refusing to join the sorcerous revolt.
12
新野王歆上言：「妖賊張昌、劉尼妄稱神聖，犬羊萬計，絳頭毛面，挑刀走戟，其鋒不可當。 請台敕諸軍，三道救助。」 於是劉喬率諸軍據汝南以禦賊，前將軍趙驤領精卒八千據宛，助平南將軍羊伊距守。 昌遣其將軍黃林為大都督，率二萬人向豫州，前驅李宮欲掠取汝水居人，喬遣將軍李楊逆擊，大破之。 林等東攻弋陽，太守梁桓嬰城固守。 又遣其將馬武破武昌，害太守，昌自領其眾。 西攻宛，破趙驤，害羊伊。 進攻襄陽，害新野王歆。 昌別率石冰東破江、揚二州，偽置守長。 當時五州之境皆畏逼從逆。 又遣其將陳貞、陳蘭、張甫等攻長沙、湘東、零陵諸郡。 昌雖跨帶五州，樹立牧守，皆桀盜小人而無禁制，但以劫掠為務，人情漸離。
Sima Xin, prince of Xinye, reported: "The rebel sorcerers Zhang Chang and Liu Ni pose as heaven's chosen; they swarm like beasts—tens of thousands with crimson headbands and bristling weapons—and their charge cannot be held. I ask the court to order relief along three routes." Liu Qiao then drew up his forces in Runan to block the rebels; Zhao Xiang, front general, took eight thousand elite troops to Wan to help Yang Yi, general who pacifies the south, hold the line. Zhang Chang named Huang Lin supreme commander and sent twenty thousand men into Yu Province. Vanguard Li Gong tried to strip the settlements along the Ru; Liu Qiao ordered Li Yang to intercept him and won a crushing victory. Huang Lin thrust east against Yiyang, but Administrator Liang Huan barred his gates and held firm. He dispatched Ma Wu to take Wuchang and kill its prefect, then placed the garrison under his own command. He struck west at Wan, shattered Zhao Xiang's army, and slew Yang Yi. He pushed on to Xiangyang and killed Sima Xin, the prince of Xinye. Meanwhile he sent Shi Bing east to overrun Jiang and Yang and set up puppet prefects and county magistrates. Across five provinces people submitted to the rebels out of terror. He also sent Chen Zhen, Chen Lan, Zhang Fu, and others against Changsha, Xiangdong, Lingling, and neighboring commanderies. Zhang Chang straddled five provinces and named governors and prefects, but they were nothing more than violent bandits who answered to no law and lived by looting, so the people steadily abandoned him.
13
是歲，詔以甯朔將軍、領南蠻校尉劉弘鎮宛，弘遣司馬陶侃、參軍蒯桓、皮初等率眾討昌於竟陵，劉喬又遣將軍李楊、督護尹奉總兵向江夏。 侃等與昌苦戰累日，大破之，納降萬計，昌乃沈竄於下俊山。 明年秋，乃擒之，傳首京師，同黨並夷三族。
That year the court named Liu Hong—general who calms the north and colonel of the southern tribes—military governor at Wan. Liu Hong dispatched Tao Kan as his marshal, with staff officers Kuai Huan and Pi Chu, to campaign against Zhang Chang at Jingling, while Liu Qiao sent Li Yang and the commandant protector Yin Feng toward Jiangxia with a joint force. Tao Kan's men fought Zhang Chang day after day until they broke his army, accepted tens of thousands of surrenders, and drove him into the fastness of Mount Xiajun. The following autumn he was taken alive; his head went to the capital, and his followers were extirpated to the third degree of kinship.
14
陳敏
Chen Min
15
陳敏，字令通，廬江人也。 少有幹能，以郡廉吏補尚書倉部令史。 及趙王篡逆，三王起義兵，久屯不散，京師倉廩空虛，敏建議曰：「南方米穀皆積數十年，時將欲腐敗，而不漕運以濟中州，非所以救患周急也。」 朝廷從之，以敏為合肥度支，遷廣陵度支。
Chen Min, whose courtesy name was Lingtong, came from Lujiang. He showed administrative talent early and, starting as a trusted clerk in his home commandery, rose to a clerkship in the Board of Revenue's granary bureau. When Sima Lun seized power and the three princes raised loyalist armies, the siege lines around the capital held so long that the granaries ran dry. Chen Min proposed: "Grain in the south has sat in store for decades and is spoiling, yet we ship none north by canal to feed the heartland—that is no way to answer a crisis." The court agreed, named him transport intendant at Hefei, and soon moved him to the same post at Guangling.
16
張昌之亂，遣其將石冰等趣壽春，都督劉准憂惶計無所出。 時敏統大軍在壽春，謂准曰：「此等本不樂遠戍，故逼迫成賊。 烏合之眾，其勢易離。 敏請合率運兵，公分配眾力，破之必矣。」 准乃益敏兵擊之，破吳弘、石冰等，敏遂乘勝逐北，戰數十合。 時冰眾十倍，敏以少擊眾，每戰皆克，遂至揚州。 回討徐州賊封雲，雲將張統斬雲降。 敏以功為廣陵相。 時惠帝幸長安，四方交爭，敏遂有割據江東之志。 其父聞之，怒曰：「滅我門者，必此兒也！」 父亡，去職。 東海王越當西迎大駕，承制起敏為右將軍、假節、前鋒都督，致書於敏曰：
During Zhang Chang's uprising, Chang sent Shi Bing and others racing toward Shouchun, leaving the regional commander Liu Zhun frantic and without a strategy. Chen Min held a large force at Shouchun and told Liu Zhun, "Those men never wanted to be shipped off to distant garrisons; you drove them into rebellion. A mob like that can be broken apart without much trouble. Let me merge the transport corps with yours and divide our strength wisely—we can shatter them." Liu Zhun gave Chen Min reinforcements; they crushed Wu Hong, Shi Bing, and their allies, and Chen Min pressed the pursuit through dozens of skirmishes. Shi Bing outnumbered him ten to one, yet Chen Min beat him in fight after fight and fought his way clear to Yang province. He wheeled about to deal with the Xu bandit Feng Yun; Feng's officer Zhang Tong cut off Feng's head and came over to the government side. For these services he was named administrator of Guangling. With Emperor Hui stranded in Chang'an and the realm tearing itself apart, Chen Min began to dream of ruling the southeast. His father heard and raged, "This son will be the death of our whole line!" When the old man died, Chen Min resigned his post. Sima Yue, prince of Donghai, prepared to ride west to escort the emperor home. Acting with imperial mandate he recalled Chen Min as general of the right, gave him the tally of command, and named him commander of the vanguard, and he sent him this letter:
17
將軍建謀富國，則有大漕之勳。 及遭冰昌之亂，則首率義徒，以寡敵眾。 外無強兵之援，內無運籌之侶，隻身挺立，雄略從橫，擢奇謀于馬首，奪靈計于臨危，金聲振于江外，精光赫于揚楚。 攻堅陷險，三十餘戰，師徒無虧，勍敵自滅。 五州復全，苞茅入貢，豈非將軍之功力哉！
You devised the grain policy that enriched the state—that was the great transport achievement. When Shi Bing and Zhang Chang rose, you were the first to rally loyal militia and pit a small force against a host. You had no crack reinforcements from outside, no co-conspirators within—yet you held the line alone, bold strategy flashing on every side, conjuring stratagems in the saddle and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat until your name rang beyond the Yangtze and your fame lit up Yang and Chu. You stormed strongholds and defiles, fought more than thirty actions without losing your own ranks, and watched the enemy destroy themselves. Five provinces were made whole again and ritual tribute flowed to the throne—surely that rests on your exertions!
18
今羯賊屯結，遊魂河濟，鼠伏雉竄，藏匿陳留，始欲奸盜，終圖不軌。 將軍孫吳之術既明，已試之功先著，孤與將軍情分特隆，想割草土之哀，抑難居之思，舍絰執戈，來恤國難。 天子遠巡，鑾輿未反，引領東眷，有懷山陵。 當憑將軍戮力，王輅有旋。 將軍率將所領，承書風發，米布軍資，惟將軍所運。
Today Jie raiders swarm along the Yellow River and the Ji, skulking like rats, scattering like startled fowl, holed up in Chenliu—petty thieves at first, would-be usurpers at last. You have mastered the military methods of Sun Wu, and your record proves it. You and I are bound by uncommon trust. I urge you to set aside the sorrows of bereavement, master the reluctance to leave home, lay down mourning garb and take up arms, and march to the nation's rescue. The emperor is still far from the capital; the imperial train has not turned home. I look east with aching heart, thinking of the ancestral shrines. We depend on your utmost effort to bring the imperial chariot home. Lead the troops under your command: the moment this letter reaches you, march like the wind. Grain, cloth, and materiel will follow whatever route you open.
19
時越討豫州刺史劉喬，敏引兵會之，與越俱敗于蕭。 敏因中國大亂，遂請東歸，收兵據曆陽。 會吳王常侍甘卓自洛至，教卓假稱皇太弟命，拜敏為揚州刺史，並假江東首望顧榮等四十餘人為將軍、郡守，榮並偽從之。 敏為息娶卓女，遂相為表裏。 揚州刺史劉機、丹陽太守王廣等皆棄官奔走。 敏弟昶知顧榮等有貳心，勸敏殺之，敏不從。 昶將精兵數萬據烏江，弟恢率錢端等南寇江州，刺史應邈奔走，弟斌東略諸郡，遂據有吳越之地。 敏命寮佐以己為都督江東軍事、大司馬、楚公，封十郡，加九錫，列上尚書，稱自江入河，奉迎鑾駕。
When Sima Yue moved against Liu Qiao, inspector of Yu, Chen Min brought his army to the rendezvous; both were beaten at Xiao. With the heartland in chaos, Chen Min asked leave to go east, regrouped his forces, and seized Liyang. Gan Zhuo, an attendant of the prince of Wu, arrived from Luoyang. Chen Min told him to forge orders in the name of the crown prince and appoint Chen Min inspector of Yang—and to hand out bogus commissions as generals and prefects to more than forty Jiangdong notables, Gu Rong among them. They accepted with false obedience. Chen Min married his son to Gan Zhuo's daughter, and the two men became inseparable allies. Liu Ji, the sitting inspector of Yang, Wang Guang, administrator of Danyang, and others threw down their seals and ran. Chen Min's brother Chen Chang saw that Gu Rong and company were playing a double game and begged Chen Min to execute them; Chen Min refused. Chen Chang took tens of thousands of veterans to Wujiang; Chen Hui drove south into Jiangzhou with Qian Duan and routed Inspector Ying Miao; Chen Min's brother Chen Bin swept the eastern commanderies until the brothers held Wu and Yue. He had his aides proclaim him commander of all Jiangdong forces, grand marshal, and duke of Chu with ten commanderies and the full nine imperial honors, filed the roster with the imperial secretariat, and announced a march from the Yangtze to the Yellow River to escort the emperor.
20
東海王軍諮祭酒華譚聞敏自相署置，而顧榮等並江東首望，悉受敏官爵，乃遺榮等書曰：
Hua Tan, chief adviser on Sima Yue's staff, learned that Chen Min had seized titles for himself while Gu Rong and the other leading men of Jiangdong had taken his commissions; he wrote them this letter:
21
石冰之亂，朝廷錄敏微功，故加越次之禮，授以上將之任，庶有韓盧一噬之效。 而本性凶狡，素無識達，貪榮幹運，逆天而動，阻兵作威，盜據吳會，內用凶弟，外委軍吏，上負朝廷寵授之榮，下孤宰輔過禮之惠。 天道伐惡，人神所不祐。 雖阻長江，命危朝露。 忠節令圖，君子高行，屈節附逆，義士所恥。 王蠋匹夫，志不可屈； 於期慕義，隕首燕庭。 況吳會仁人並受國寵，或剖符名郡，或列為近臣，而便辱身奸人之朝，降節逆叛之黨，稽顙屈膝，不亦羞乎！ 昔龔勝絕粒，不食莽朝； 魯連赴海，恥為秦臣。 君子義行，同符千載，遙度雅量，豈獨是安！
When Shi Bing rebelled, the court rewarded Chen Min's modest service with honors beyond his station and gave him a top command, hoping he would strike once like a trained hound and bring the quarry down. Yet he is vicious and cunning by nature, shallow and grasping; lusting after rank he hijacked the supply corps, defied heaven, waved soldiers like a toy, and seized Wu and Kuaiji. He promotes brutal brothers at home and petty officers abroad. He has betrayed the court's trust above and thrown back in your face the patronage of the regents below. Heaven punishes wickedness; neither spirits nor men will shield him. Even behind the Yangtze he is as doomed as dew at sunrise. Loyalty and honor are a gentleman's crown; groveling to a traitor is what every man of principle despises. Wang Zhu was only a commoner, yet his will could not be broken; Fan Yuqi gave his head for a righteous cause in the palace at Yan. You are men of Wu and Kuaiji whom the state has honored—some of you governed great commanderies, some served at the emperor's side—yet you abase yourselves in the court of a thug, bend the knee to traitors, and grovel in the dust. Have you no shame? Gong Sheng starved himself rather than serve Wang Mang; Lu Zhong threatened to drown himself rather than bow to Qin. Such deeds are the measure of a gentleman for a thousand years. Knowing your breadth of mind, I cannot believe you find this tolerable!
22
昔吳之武烈，稱美一代，雖奮奇宛葉，亦受折襄陽。 討逆雄氣，志存中夏，臨江發怒，命訖丹徒。 賴先主承運，雄謀天挺，尚內倚慈母仁明之教，外杖子布廷爭之忠，又有諸葛、顧、步、張、硃、陸、全之族，故能鞭笞百越，稱制南州。 然兵家之興，不出三世，運未盈百，歸命入臣。 今以陳敏倉部令史，七第頑冗，六品下才，欲躡桓王之高蹤，蹈大皇之絕軌，遠度諸賢，猶當未許也。 諸君垂頭，不能建翟義之謀； 而顧生俯眉，已受羈絆之辱。 皇輿東軒，行即紫館，百僚垂纓，雲翔鳳闕，廟勝之謨，潛運帷幄。 然後發荊州武旅，順流東下，徐州銳鋒，南據堂邑； 征東勁卒，耀威曆陽； 飛橋越橫江之津，泛舟涉瓜步之渚； 威震丹陽，擒寇建鄴，而諸賢何顏見中州之士邪！
Sun Jian, Wu's Martial Emperor, was the marvel of his age, yet even he was checked at Xiangyang after his feats at Wan and Ye. Sun Ce burned to conquer the heartland; he raged along the river—and died young at Dantu. Sun Quan inherited the mandate, heaven-touched in strategy, guided at home by a wise mother and abroad by Zhang Zhao's blunt counsel, with the houses of Zhuge, Gu, Bu, Zhang, Zhu, Lu, and Quan at his back—only thus could Wu subdue the southern tribes and rule the south. Yet no warrior dynasty outlasts three generations; before a century was out they bowed as vassals of Jin. Chen Min is a seventh-rank granary clerk, a mediocrity beneath the sixth grade, yet he imagines he can retrace Sun Ce's footsteps and Sun Quan's path. Measured against true worthies, that ambition should not pass. You hang your heads when you should be plotting like Zhai Yi; and Gu Rong has lowered his eyes only to wear the halter of shame. The imperial train is turning east toward the capital; officials throng the phoenix towers; victory is already being charted in the inner councils. Jingzhou's armies will sweep downriver; Xuzhou's spearhead will thrust south to Tangyi; the eastern expedition's veterans will flash steel at Liyang; flying bridges will span the Hengjiang crossing; fleets will beach at Guabu; their shock wave will roll through Danyang and take the rebels at Jianye—how will you face the scholars of the north then?
23
小寇隔津，音符道闊，引領南望，情存舊懷。 忠義之人，何世蔑有！ 夫危而不能安，亡而不能存，將何貴乎！ 永長宿德，情所素重； 彥先垂發，分著金石； 公胄早交，恩紀特隆； 令伯義聲，親好密結。 上欲與諸賢效冀紫宸，建功帝籍。 如其不爾，亦可泛舟河渭，擊楫清歌。 何為辱身小寇之手，以蹈逆亂之禍乎！ 昔為同志，今已殊域； 往為一體，今成異身。 瞻江長歎，非子誰思！ 願圖良策，以存嘉謀也。
A petty rebel holds the crossing while letters grow scarce; I gaze south, thinking of old friendships. Loyal hearts are never lacking in any age! If you cannot save the realm from peril or preserve it from ruin, what good are you? To Yongchang, whose virtue you have always honored; to Yanxian, whose name should be cut in bronze and stone; to Gongzhou, your friend of many years; to Lingbo, whose integrity rings clear—I speak as one close to you all. I had hoped we might serve together within the purple palace and win a place on the rolls of honor. If not, we might still drift on the Yellow and Wei, tapping the oars and singing—free men on the river. Why soil yourselves in the grip of a petty bandit and stumble into treason? Once we were comrades; now a whole realm lies between us; once we were one body, now we stand as strangers. I stare across the Yangtze and sigh—who else should I long for but you? Find a worthy plan, I beg you, and keep faith with your better selves.
24
敏凡才無遠略，一旦據有江東，刑政無章，不為英俊所服，且子弟凶暴，所在為患。 周玘、顧榮之徒常懼禍敗，又得譚書，皆有慚色。 玘、榮遣使密報征東大將軍劉准遣兵臨江，己為內應。 准遣揚州刺史劉機、甯遠將軍衡彥等出曆陽，敏使弟昶及將軍錢廣次烏江以距之，又遣弟閎為曆陽太守，戍牛渚。 錢廣家在長城，玘鄉人也，玘潛使圖昶。 廣遣其屬何康、錢象投募送白事於昶，昶俯頭視書，康揮刀斬之，稱州下已殺敏，敢有動者誅三族，吹角為內應。 廣先勒兵在硃雀橋，陳兵水南、玘、榮又說甘卓，卓遂背敏。 敏率萬餘人將與卓戰，未獲濟，榮以白羽扇麾之，敏眾潰散。 敏單騎東奔至江乘，為義兵所斬，母及妻子皆伏誅，於是會稽諸郡並殺敏諸弟無遺焉。
Chen Min was a mediocrity with no long view. Once he seized Jiangdong his rule was lawless, the gentry despised him, and his kinsmen terrorized every district they touched. Zhou Qi, Gu Rong, and their circle had long feared a reckoning; Hua Tan's letter left them red-faced. They sent word in secret to Liu Zhun, grand general who conquers the east, asking him to bring troops to the river while they acted as fifth columnists. Liu Zhun ordered Liu Ji, inspector of Yang, and Heng Yan, general who keeps the distance, out from Liyang. Chen Min sent Chen Chang and Qian Guang to Wujiang to block them and named another brother, Chen Hong, administrator of Liyang to hold Niuzhu. Qian Guang came from Changcheng, Zhou Qi's home district; Zhou Qi secretly set him to turn against Chen Chang. Qian Guang sent He Kang and Qian Xiang under cover of enlistment with a routine memo for Chen Chang. When Chang lowered his head to read, He Kang struck off his head. They proclaimed that Chen Min was already dead at the provincial capital, threatened death to the third degree on anyone who stirred, and sounded the horn as the agreed signal. Qian Guang had already drawn up his men at the Zhuque Bridge and south of the river. Zhou Qi and Gu Rong won over Gan Zhuo, who then broke with Chen Min. Chen Min marched over ten thousand men against Gan Zhuo but never reached the crossing. Gu Rong stepped forward and waved a white feather fan; Chen Min's army melted away. Chen Min fled alone east to Jiangcheng, where loyalist militia cut him down. His mother, wife, and children were put to death, and the Kuaiji commanderies hunted his brothers to extinction.
25
王如
Wang Ru
26
王如，京兆新豐人也。 初為州武吏，遇亂流移至宛。 時諸流人有詔並遣還鄉里，如以關中荒殘，不願歸。 征南將軍山簡、南中郎將杜蕤各遣兵送之，而促期令發。 如遂潛結諸無賴少年，夜襲二軍，破之。 杜蕤悉眾擊如，戰于涅陽，蕤軍大敗。 山簡不能禦，移屯夏口，如又破襄城。 於是南安龐實、馮翊嚴嶷、長安侯脫等各帥其党攻諸城鎮，多殺令長以應之。 未幾，眾至四五萬，自號大將軍，領司、雍二州牧。
Wang Ru came from Xinfeng in the Jingzhao region. He began as a clerical soldier in the provincial army, then drifted with the refugees to Wan. An edict ordered the displaced households home, but Wang Ru refused—the Guanzhong he had left was a wasteland. Shan Jian, general who conquers the south, and Du Rui, general of the central army of the south, each sent soldiers to herd them along, driving mercilessly toward the departure date. Wang Ru secretly rallied the young ruffians among the refugees, fell on both escort forces by night, and routed them. Du Rui threw his whole command against Wang Ru at Nieyang and suffered a crushing defeat. Shan Jian could not contain him and pulled back to Xiakou; Wang Ru went on to storm Xiangcheng. Pang Shi of Nan'an, Yan Yi of Fengyi, Hou Tuo of Chang'an, and other local chiefs then stormed garrison towns, executing magistrates to rally to Wang Ru's cause. Within months he had forty or fifty thousand men, proclaimed himself grand general, and claimed both Si and Yong provinces.
27
如懼石勒之攻己也，乃厚賄於勒，結為兄弟，勒亦假其強而納之。 時侯脫據宛，與如不協，如說勒曰：「侯脫雖名漢臣，其實漢賊。 如常恐其來襲，兄宜備之。」 勒素怒脫貳己，憚如脣齒，故不攻之。 及聞如言，甚悅，遂夜令三軍蓐食待命，雞鳴而駕，後出者斬，晨壓宛門攻之，旬有二日而克之，勒遂斬脫。 如於是大掠沔漢，進逼襄陽。 征南山簡使將趙同帥師擊之，經年不能克，智力並屈，遂嬰城自守。 王澄帥軍赴京都，如邀擊破之。
Wang Ru feared Shi Le would turn on him, so he sent rich gifts and swore brotherhood; Shi Le, playing to Wang Ru's strength, accepted the alliance. Hou Tuo held Wan and quarreled with Wang Ru. Wang Ru told Shi Le, "Hou Tuo may call himself an officer of the court, but he is nothing but a traitor in Han clothing. I live in dread of his raids—you should be on your guard, elder brother. Shi Le had long resented Hou Tuo's disloyalty, yet held back because Wang Ru was his shield against him. Delighted, Shi Le ordered his armies fed before dawn; at the first cockcrow they were to march—latecomers faced death. They stormed Wan at sunrise and broke through on the twelfth day. Shi Le executed Hou Tuo. Wang Ru then ravaged the Han basin and closed in on Xiangyang. Shan Jian, general who conquers the south, sent Zhao Tong against him; after a year of stalemate Shan Jian was spent and could only turtle behind the walls. When Wang Cheng marched toward the capital, Wang Ru ambushed him and broke his army.
28
如連年種穀皆化為莠，軍中大饑，其黨互相攻劫，官軍進討，各相率來降。 如計無所出，歸於王敦。 敦從弟棱愛如驍武，請敦配己麾下。 敦曰：「此輩虓險難蓄，汝性忌急，不能容養，更成禍端。」 棱固請，與之。 棱置諸左右，甚加寵遇。 如數與敦諸將角射，屢鬥爭為過失，棱果不容而杖之，如甚以為恥。 初，敦有不臣之跡，棱每諫之，敦常怒其異己。 及敦聞如為棱所辱，密使人激怒之，勸令殺棱。 如詣棱，因閑宴，請劍舞為歡，棱從之。 如於是舞刀為戲，漸漸來前。 棱惡而呵之不止，叱左右使牽去，如直前害棱。 敦聞而陽驚，亦捕如誅之。
Year after year his grain fields sprouted only weeds; famine gripped the camp; his followers turned on one another. As imperial columns closed in, bands surrendered piecemeal. At his wits' end, Wang Ru threw himself on Wang Dun's mercy. Wang Dun's cousin Wang Ling admired Wang Ru's fighting prowess and begged to have him under his own banner. Wang Dun replied, "Men like that are wild beasts—you cannot domesticate them. You are quick-tempered and jealous; you will not indulge them, and that means trouble. Wang Ling insisted, and Wang Dun relented. Wang Ling kept Wang Ru at his side and showered him with favor. Wang Ru repeatedly quarreled with Wang Dun's officers at shooting matches until Wang Ling lost patience and had him flogged—a humiliation Wang Ru could not stomach. Wang Dun had already shown signs of treason; Wang Ling often rebuked him, and Wang Dun resented the dissent. Learning that Wang Ling had shamed Wang Ru, Wang Dun secretly stoked his rage and urged him to murder Wang Ling. Wang Ru visited Wang Ling during a relaxed feast and offered a sword dance for entertainment; Wang Ling agreed. He flourished his blade in mock combat and edged closer. Wang Ling barked at him to stop; Wang Ru pressed on until Wang Ling ordered guards to drag him off—then Wang Ru closed the distance and cut him down. Wang Dun put on a show of horror, seized Wang Ru, and put him to death.
29
杜曾
Du Zeng
30
杜曾，新野人，南中郎將蕤之從祖弟也。 少驍勇絕人，能被甲游于水中。 始為新野王歆鎮南參軍，曆華容令，至南蠻司馬。 凡有戰陣，勇冠三軍。 會永嘉之亂，荊州荒梗，故牙門將胡亢聚眾於竟陵，自號楚公，假曾竟陵太守。 亢後與其黨自相猜貳，誅其驍將數十人，曾心不自安，潛謀圖之，乃卑身屈節以事於亢，亢弗之覺，甚信任之。 會荊州賊王沖自號荊州刺史，部眾亦盛，屢遣兵抄亢所統，亢患之，問計于曾，曾勸令擊之，亢以為然。 曾白亢取帳下刀戟付工磨之，因潛引王沖之兵。 亢遣精騎出距沖，城中空虛，曾因斬亢而並其眾，自號南中郎將、領竟陵太守。 曾求南郡太守劉務女不得，盡滅其家。 會湣帝遣第五猗為安南將軍、荊州刺史，曾迎猗於襄陽，為兄子娶猗女，遂分據沔漢。
Du Zeng came from Xinye; he was a kinsman of Du Rui, general of the central army of the south. In his youth he was superhumanly brave—he could swim in full armor. He served on the staff of Sima Xin, prince of Xinye, as an officer for the south, became magistrate of Huarong, and rose to colonel of the southern tribes. In every battle he was the bravest man in the ranks. During the Yongjia upheavals, with Jingzhou in chaos, former gate captain Hu Kang rallied men at Jingling, declared himself duke of Chu, and named Du Zeng administrator of Jingling. Hu Kang later turned on his own generals and executed dozens of them. Du Zeng grew uneasy, feigned submission, and won Hu Kang's full trust while plotting his overthrow. The rebel Wang Chong proclaimed himself inspector of Jing and repeatedly raided Hu Kang's territory. Hu Kang asked Du Zeng for advice; Du Zeng urged an attack, and Hu Kang agreed. Du Zeng told Hu Kang to send the guard's halberds out for sharpening—then used the distraction to slip Wang Chong's men into the city. Hu Kang sent his cavalry out to meet Wang Chong, leaving the town undefended. Du Zeng cut off Hu Kang's head, seized his army, and proclaimed himself general of the central army of the south and administrator of Jingling. When Liu Wu, administrator of Nan commandery, refused him a daughter, Du Zeng slaughtered the entire household. When Emperor Min appointed Fifth Yi general who pacifies the south and inspector of Jing, Du Zeng welcomed him at Xiangyang, married his nephew into Yi's family, and the two split control of the Han River lands.
31
時陶侃新破杜弢，乘勝擊曾，有輕曾之色。 侃司馬魯恬言於侃曰：「古人爭戰，先料其將，今使君諸將無及曾者，未易可逼也。」 侃不從，進軍圍之於石城。 時曾軍多騎，而侃兵無馬，曾密開門，突侃陣，出其後，反擊其背，侃師遂敗，投水死者數百人。 曾將趨順陽，下馬拜侃，告辭而去。 既而致箋于平南將軍荀崧，求討丹水賊以自效，崧納之。 侃遺崧書曰：「杜曾凶狡，所將之卒皆豺狼也，可謂鴟梟食母之物。 此人不死，州土未寧，足下當識吾言。」 崧以宛中兵少，藉曾為外援，不從侃言。 曾復率流亡二千餘人圍襄陽，數日不下而還。
Tao Kan had just crushed Du Tao and, overconfident, underestimated Du Zeng. His marshal Lu Tian warned, "The old masters sized up enemy commanders first. None of your generals is a match for Du Zeng—do not press him lightly. Tao Kan ignored him, advanced, and besieged Du Zeng at Stone City. Du Zeng's men were mostly cavalry; Tao Kan had almost none. Du Zeng slipped the gates open, charged through Tao Kan's line, wheeled, and hammered him from the rear. Tao Kan's army collapsed; hundreds drowned. As he withdrew toward Shunyang, Du Zeng dismounted, bowed to Tao Kan, and rode off. He then wrote to Xun Song, general who pacifies the south, offering to clear the Danshui bandits as proof of loyalty; Xun Song agreed. Tao Kan wrote Xun Song, "Du Zeng is a vicious fox; his troops are jackals—birds of prey that devour their own. While he lives, Jingzhou will never know peace—mark my words. Xun Song, short of men in Wan, treated Du Zeng as an ally and ignored Tao Kan. Du Zeng brought two thousand fugitives back to besiege Xiangyang, lifted the siege after a few days, and withdrew.
32
及王暠為荊州刺史，曾距之，暠使將硃軌、趙誘擊曾，皆為曾所殺。 王敦遣周訪討之，屢戰不能克，訪潛遣人緣山開道，出曾不意以襲之，曾眾潰，其將馬俊、蘇溫等執曾詣訪降。 訪欲生致武昌，而硃軌息昌、趙誘息胤皆乞曾以復冤，於是斬曾，而昌、胤臠其肉而啖之。
When Wang Hao took office as inspector of Jing, Du Zeng resisted; Wang Hao sent Zhu Gui and Zhao You against him, and Du Zeng killed both. Wang Dun dispatched Zhou Fang, who could not win in open battle. Zhou Fang cut a secret mountain track, caught Du Zeng by surprise, and broke his army. Generals Ma Jun and Su Wen bound Du Zeng and surrendered him to Zhou Fang. Zhou Fang meant to send Du Zeng alive to Wuchang, but Zhu Chang and Zhao Yin, sons of his victims, demanded blood justice. Du Zeng was executed; the two young men cut strips from his corpse and devoured them.
33
杜弢
Du Tao
34
杜弢，字景文，蜀郡成都人也。 祖植，有名蜀土，武帝時為符節令。 父眕，略陽護軍。 弢初以才學著稱，州舉秀才。 遭李庠之亂，避地南平，太守應詹愛其才而禮之。 後為醴陵令。 時巴蜀流人汝班、蹇碩等數萬家，布在荊湘間，而為舊百姓之所侵苦，並懷怨恨。 會屬賊李驤殺縣令，屯聚樂鄉，眾數百人，弢與應詹擊驤，破之。 蜀人杜疇、蹇撫等復擾湘州，參軍馮素與汝班不協，言于刺史荀眺曰：「流人皆欲反。」 眺以為然，欲盡誅流人。 班等懼死，聚眾以應疇。 時弢在湘中，賊眾共推弢為主，弢自稱梁益二州牧、平難將軍、湘州刺史，攻破郡縣，眺委城走廣州。 廣州刺史郭訥遣始興太守嚴佐率眾攻弢，弢逆擊破之。 荊州刺史王澄復遣王機擊弢，敗于巴陵。 弢遂縱兵肆暴，偽降于山簡，簡以為廣漢太守。
Du Tao, courtesy name Jingwen, came from Chengdu in Shu commandery. His grandfather Du Zhi was renowned in Shu and served Emperor Wu as director of tallies and credentials. His father Du Zhen was protector of Lüeyang. Du Tao first made his name as a scholar; the province nominated him as a cultivated talent. When Li Xiang rose in revolt, he fled to Nanping, where Prefect Ying Zhan admired his gifts and honored him. He later served as magistrate of Liling. Tens of thousands of Shu refugees—Ru Ban, Jian Shuo, and others—were scattered through Jing and Xiang, bullied by locals, and nursed a bitter grudge. When Li Xiang, a local rebel, murdered the magistrate and entrenched at Lexiang with hundreds of men, Du Tao and Ying Zhan attacked and crushed him. Du Chou and Jian Fu, men from Shu, stirred trouble in Xiangzhou. Staff officer Feng Su, who hated Ru Ban, told Inspector Xun Tiao, "The refugees are plotting revolt. Xun Tiao believed him and prepared to massacre the refugees. Ru Ban and his fellows, fearing execution, rose in support of Du Chou. With Du Tao in the Xiang heartland, the rebels made him their chief. He proclaimed himself governor of Liang and Yi, general who pacifies hardship, and inspector of Xiang, overran the region, and drove Xun Tiao to flight toward Guangzhou. Guo Ne, inspector of Guangzhou, sent Yan Zuo, prefect of Shixing, against Du Tao; Du Tao met him in battle and won. Wang Cheng, inspector of Jingzhou, sent Wang Ji; Du Tao defeated them at Baling. Du Tao then unleashed his troops and feigned submission to Shan Jian, who named him administrator of Guanghan.
35
眺之走也，州人推安成太守郭察領州事，因率眾討弢，反為所敗，察死之。 弢遂南破零陵，東侵武昌，害長沙太守崔敷、宜都太守杜鑒、邵陵太守鄭融等。 元帝命征南將軍王敦、荊州刺史陶侃等討之，前後數十戰，弢將士多物故，於是請降。 帝不許。 弢乃遺應詹書曰：
After Xun Tiao ran, locals put Guo Cha, prefect of Ancheng, in charge; Guo Cha marched against Du Tao, was beaten, and died. He smashed Lingling in the south, struck east into Wuchang, and killed Cui Fu of Changsha, Du Jian of Yidu, Zheng Rong of Shaoling, and others. Emperor Yuan sent Wang Dun, Tao Kan, and others against him. After dozens of engagements Du Tao's army was so worn that he sued for peace. The emperor refused. Du Tao then wrote to Ying Zhan:
36
天步艱難，始自吾州； 州党流移，在於荊土。 其所遇值，蔑之如遺，頓伏死亡者略復過平，備嘗荼毒，足下之所鑒也。 客主難久，嫌隙易構，不謂樂鄉起變出於不意，時與足下思散疑結，求擒其党帥，惟患算不經遠，力不陷堅耳。 及在湘中，懼死求生，遂相結聚，欲守善自衛，天下小定，然後輸誠盟府。 尋山公鎮夏口，即具陳之。 此公鑒開塞之會，察窮通之運，納吾於眾疑之中，非高識玄睹，孰能若此！ 西州人士得沐浴于清流，豈惟滌蕩瑕穢，乃骨肉之施。 此公薨逝，斯事中廢，賢愚痛毒，竊心自悼。 欲遣滕永文、張休豫詣大府備列起事以來本末，但恐貪功殉名之徒將讒間於聖主之聽，戮吾使於市朝以彰叛逆之罪，故未敢遣之。 而王陶卒至，水陸十萬，旌旗曜於山澤，舟艦有盈于三江，威則威矣，然吾眾竊未以為懼。 晉文伐原，以全信為本，故能使諸侯歸之。 陶侃宣赦書而繼之以進討，豈所以崇奉明詔，示軌憲于四海！ 逼向義之夫以為叛逆之虜，踧思善之眾以極不赦之責，非不戰而屈人之算也。 驅略烏合，欲與必死者求一戰，未見爭衡之機權也。 吾之赤心，貫於神明，西州人士，卿粗悉之耳。 甯當令抱枉于時，不證於大府邪！
Heaven's road turned cruel starting in our home commandery; our people were driven onto Jingzhou soil. They were treated like refuse; half our number perished in the dust. You saw that suffering yourself. Hosts and guests cannot live together long without rancor. The Lexiang mutiny caught us unawares; I had hoped, with you, to untangle the plot and seize the ringleaders—if only our plans had been sounder and our arms stronger. Cornered in Xiang, we banded together simply to survive until the realm calmed, then pledge loyalty to the viceroy. When Shan Jian took Xiakou, I laid the whole matter before him. He read the moment, saw our plight, and sheltered me though all doubted him—only a man of vision could do that. We westerners were allowed to rinse clean in a clear stream; it was more than absolution—it was kinship. When he died, that mercy ended; good and simple men alike mourned, and I grieved in secret. I meant to send Teng Yongwen and Zhang Xiuyu to the viceroy with a full chronicle of our uprising, yet feared careerists would poison the court's ear and execute my messengers as traitors in the marketplace, so I held back. Then Wang Dun and Tao Kan arrived—an army of a hundred thousand by land and sea, banners blotting the hills, hulls choking the three rivers. Impressive—but we were not afraid. Duke Wen of Jin took Yuan yet kept his word; that is how he won the allegiance of the lords. Tao Kan read the amnesty, then attacked—how does that honor an imperial pardon or teach the empire the rule of law? He brands the law-abiding as rebels and condemns men who want peace to unforgivable guilt—that is not how you win without a fight. He herds a rabble of desperate men into a single suicidal clash—that is not sound strategy. My loyalty is plain to heaven; the men of the west know it as you do. Would you have me bear false guilt before the world and never clear my name with the viceroy?
37
昔虞卿不榮大國之相，與魏齊同其安危； 司馬遷明言于李陵，雖刑殘而無慨。 足下抗威千里，聲播汶衡，進宜為國思靜難之略，退與舊交措枉直之正，不亦綽然有餘裕乎！ 望卿騰吾箋令，時達盟府，遣大使光臨，使吾得披露肝膽，沒身何恨哉！ 伏想盟府必結紐于紀綱，為一匡於聖世，使吾廁列義徒，負戈前驅，迎皇輿於閶闔，掃長蛇於荒裔，雖死之日，猶生之年也。 若然，先清方夏，卻定中原，吾得一所之糧，使泝流西歸，夷李雄之逋寇，修《禹貢》之舊獻，展微勞以補往愆，復州邦以謝鄰國，亦其志也，惟所裁處耳。
Yu Qing spurned high office in a great kingdom to share Wei Qi's fate; Sima Qian spoke truth for Li Ling and accepted mutilation without regret. Your authority spans a thousand li, your name rings to Taishan and Heng—you should advance with a plan to quiet the turmoil, or step back and settle justice among old friends. Surely that leaves room enough for honor. Forward my letter to the viceroy; send a high envoy so I may lay bare my heart. I would die content. Surely the viceroy will bind the law and set the age right: let me march with the loyalists, spear in the van, escort the throne to the capital, and drive the serpent from the frontier—then death would feel like life. If so, pacify the south, then the heartland—grant me grain, and I will sail west to crush Li Xiong, restore the tribute routes of the "Tribute of Yu," make amends with a little service, and return my province to thank our neighbors—that is my wish; only say the word.
38
吾遠州寒士，與足下出處殊倫，誠不足感神交而濟其傾危。 但顯吾忠誠，則汶岳荷忠順之恕，衡湘無伐叛之虞，隆足下宏納之望，拯吾徒陷溺之艱，焉可金玉其音哉！ 然顒顒十餘萬口，亦勞瘁於警備，思放逸于南畝矣。 衡獄、江、湘列吾左右，若往言有貳，血誠不亮，益梁受殃，不惟鄙門而已。
I am a poor scholar from the far west; our stations differ—I cannot claim a soul-bond strong enough to move you. Yet prove my good faith, and Taishan will show mercy, Xiang will fear no revolt, you gain a reputation for generosity, and we escape ruin—why should I flatter you with pretty phrases? Yet a hundred thousand anxious people stand sleepless on guard, longing only to return to their fields. Mount Heng, the Yangtze, and the Xiang hem me in; if I lie, may Yi and Liang suffer—not my house alone.
39
詹甚哀之，乃啟呈弢書，並上言曰：「弢益州秀才，素有清望，文理既優，幹事兼美。 往因使流寓，居詹郡界，其貞心堅白：詹所委究。 李驤為變樂鄉，劫略良善，弢時出家財，招募忠勇，登壇歃血，義誠慷慨。 會驤攻燒南平，弢遂東下巴漢，與湘中鄉人相遇，推其素望，遂相憑結。 論弢本情，非首作亂階者也。 然破湘川，實弢之罪，亦由兵交其間，遂使滋蔓。 按弢今書，血誠亦至矣。 昔硃鮪自疑於洛陽，光武指河水以明心，鮪感義歸誠，終展力報施，受封侯之寵，由恕過以錄功也。 詹竊謂今者當圮運之會，思弘遠猷，故齊赦射鉤之誅，晉貰斬袪之戮，用能濟冀戴之高勳，隆一匡之美譽，況弢等素無斯愆而稽顙投命邪！ 以為可遣大使宣揚聖旨，雲澤沾之于上，百姓沐浴于下，則上下交泰，江左無風塵之虞矣。」 帝乃使前南海太守王運受弢降，宣詔書大赦，凡諸反逆一皆除之，加弢巴東監軍。
Ying Zhan took pity and forwarded Du Tao's letter with a memorial: "Du Tao, a Shu recommendee, has always been respected; his prose is fine and his administration capable. He lodged in my district as a refugee; his integrity is stainless—I know it well. When Li Xiang terrorized Lexiang, Du Tao spent his own fortune, rallied loyal men, and swore oaths on the altar in fierce earnest. When Li Xiang burned Nanping, Du Tao moved east into Ba and Han, met his Xiang countrymen, and they rallied to him for his old standing. By rights Du Tao was not the one who started the rebellion. Yet ravaging the Xiang basin was his doing, compounded by the fighting that let the revolt spread. His letter bleeds sincerity. When Zhu Wei wavered at Luoyang, Emperor Guangwu swore on the Yellow River; Zhu Wei came over, earned a marquisate, and repaid grace—because the throne forgave fault and rewarded merit. We live in a broken age that calls for great conciliation: Qi spared Guan Zhong, Jin forgave Pi Zheng—thus they won the mandate. Du Tao and his men have committed no such crimes and kneel for mercy—why not accept them? Send a high envoy with the imperial word: let grace fall from above and the people refresh below; ruler and ruled will harmonize and the southeast will be spared another war. The emperor sent Wang Yun, former prefect of Nanhai, to receive Du Tao's surrender, proclaimed a general amnesty for all rebels, and named him army overseer in Badong.
40
弢受命後，諸將殉功者攻擊之不已，弢不勝憤怒，遂殺運而使其將王真領精卒三千為奇兵，出江南，向武陵，斷官軍運路。 陶侃使伏波將軍鄭攀邀擊，大破之，真步走湘城。 於是侃等諸軍齊進，真遂降侃，眾黨散潰。 弢乃逃遁，不知所在。
But generals greedy for glory kept attacking. Du Tao, furious, slew Wang Yun and sent Wang Zhen with three thousand elite troops across the river toward Wuling to sever supply lines. Tao Kan ordered Zheng Pan, general who calms the waves, to intercept; Wang Zhen was shattered and fled on foot to Xiangcheng. Tao Kan closed in; Wang Zhen surrendered, and Du Tao's following melted away. Du Tao vanished; no one knew where he went.
41
王機
Wang Ji
42
王機，字令明，長沙人也。 父毅，廣州刺史，甚得南越之情。 機美姿儀，亻周儻有度量。 陳恢之亂，機年十七，率眾擊破之。 嘗慕王澄為人，澄亦雅知之，以為己亞，遂與友善，內綜心膂，外為牙爪。 尋用為成都內史。 機終日醉酒，不存政事，由是百姓怨之，人情騷動。
Wang Ji, courtesy name Lingming, came from Changsha. His father Wang Yi was inspector of Guangzhou and was beloved in the far south. He was striking in appearance, easygoing, and magnanimous. At seventeen he crushed Chen Hui's revolt. He modeled himself on Wang Cheng, who in turn esteemed him as a younger peer; they became intimate allies, Wang Cheng's confidant and enforcer. He was soon named interior minister of Chengdu. He drank his days away and neglected his duties until the people cursed him and unrest spread.
43
會澄遇害，機懼禍及，又屬杜弢所在發墓，而獨為機守塚，機益自疑。 就王敦求廣州，敦不許。 會廣州人背刺史郭納，迎機為刺史，機遂將奴客門生千餘人入廣州，州部將溫邵率眾迎機。 郭遣參軍葛幽追之，及於廬陵，機叱幽曰：「何以敢來？ 欲取死邪？」 幽不敢逼而歸。 郭訥聞邵之納機也，乃遣兵擊邵，反為所破。 訥又遣機父兄時吏距之，咸倒戈迎機，訥眾皆散，乃握節而避機。 機遂入城就訥求節，訥歎曰：「昔蘇武不失其節，前史以為美談。 此節天朝所假，義不相與，自可遣兵來取之。」 機慚而止。
When Wang Cheng was killed, Wang Ji feared he would be next. Du Tao was looting graves everywhere but spared Wang Ji's family tombs— which only deepened Wang Ji's paranoia. He begged Wang Dun for Guangzhou; Wang Dun refused. When Guangzhou rose against Guo Ne and hailed Wang Ji as inspector, he marched in with a thousand retainers while Wen Shao brought troops to meet him. Guo Ne sent Ge You after him. At Luling Wang Ji roared, "What brings you here? Do you want to die? Ge You dared not advance and withdrew. Guo Ne attacked Wen Shao for siding with Wang Ji and was beaten. Guo Ne sent old officers of the Wang family against him; they defected en masse. Guo Ne fled, tally in hand, to escape Wang Ji. Wang Ji entered the city and demanded the official seal. Guo Ne sighed, "Su Wu never surrendered his staff—the histories praise him. This tally belongs to the court, not to me; if you want it, take it by force. Wang Ji, shamed, desisted.
44
機自以篡州，懼為王敦所討，乃更來交州。 時杜弢餘黨杜弘奔臨賀，送金數千兩與機，求討桂林賊以自效。 機為列上，朝廷許之。 王敦以機難制，又欲因機討梁碩，故以降杜弘之勳轉為交州刺史。 碩聞而遣子侯侯機于郁林，機怒其迎遲，責云：「須至州當相收拷。」 碩子馳使報碩，碩曰：「王郎已壞廣州，何可復來破交州也！」 乃禁州人不許迎之。 府司馬杜贊以碩不迎機，率兵討碩，為碩所敗。 碩恐諸僑人為機，於是悉殺其良者，乃自領交址太守。 機既為碩所距，遂住郁林。 時杜弘大破桂林賊還，遇機於道，機勸弘取交州。 弘素有意，乃執機節曰：「當相與迭持，何可獨捉！」 機遂以節與之。 於是機與弘及溫邵、劉沈等並反。
Fearing Wang Dun would punish him for seizing Guangzhou, he fled toward Jiaozhou. Du Hong, a remnant of Du Tao's force, offered Wang Ji thousands of ounces of gold to campaign against Guilin bandits as a show of loyalty. Wang Ji memorialized the throne, which approved. Wang Dun, unable to control Wang Ji and wanting Liang Shuo eliminated, transferred him to Jiaozhou on the pretext of the Du Hong campaign. Liang Shuo sent his son to greet Wang Ji at Yulin. Wang Ji fumed at the slight and swore to flog him once ashore. The son warned Liang Shuo, who cried, "Wang Ji wrecked Guangzhou—must he ruin Jiaozhou too? He ordered the province not to receive Wang Ji. Du Zan, prefectural marshal, attacked Liang Shuo for blocking Wang Ji and was routed. Liang Shuo feared the northern settlers would help Wang Ji and massacred the leading families, then named himself administrator of Jiaozhi. Blocked by Liang Shuo, Wang Ji stalled at Yulin. Du Hong, returning from victory in Guilin, met Wang Ji, who urged him to seize Jiaozhou. Du Hong seized the tally, saying, "This badge should pass hand to hand—not sit with you alone! Wang Ji surrendered the tally. Wang Ji, Du Hong, Wen Shao, Liu Shen, and others then rose in revolt.
45
尋而陶侃為廣州，到始興，州人皆諫不可輕進，侃不聽。 及至州，諸郡縣皆已迎機矣。 侃先討溫邵、劉沈，皆殺之。 機遣牙門屈藍還州，詐言增糧，密招誘所部，欲以距侃。 侃即收藍斬之，遣督護許高討機走之，病死於道。 高掘出其屍斬首，並殺其二子焉。
When Tao Kan took Guangzhou and reached Shixing, locals begged him not to rush; he refused. By the time he arrived, every county had already gone over to Wang Ji. Tao Kan first destroyed Wen Shao and Liu Shen. Wang Ji sent Qu Lan home on the pretext of gathering grain, secretly rallying troops against Tao Kan. Tao Kan seized Qu Lan, executed him, and sent Xu Gao after Wang Ji, who fled and died on the run. Xu Gao exhumed Wang Ji's body, took his head, and killed his two sons.
46
機兄矩，字令式。 美姿容，每出遊，觀者盈路。 初為南平太守，豫討陳恢有功，遷廣州刺史。 將赴職，忽見一人持奏謁矩，自云京兆杜靈之。 矩問之，答稱：「天上京兆，被使召君為主簿。」 矩意甚惡之。 至州月餘卒。
Wang Ji's elder brother Wang Ju, courtesy name Lingshi. So handsome that crowds choked the streets when he went abroad. He served as prefect of Nanping, earned merit against Chen Hui, and was promoted to inspector of Guangzhou. On the eve of his posting he met a man claiming to be Du Lingzhi of Jingzhao, bearing a document. The stranger said heaven had sent him to appoint Wang Ju chief clerk. Wang Ju took it as a dire omen. He died within a month of taking office.
47
祖約
Zu Yue
48
祖約，字士少，豫州刺史逖之弟也。 初以孝廉為成皋令，與逖甚相友愛。 永嘉末，隨逖過江。 元帝稱制，引為掾屬，與陳留阮孚齊名。 後轉從事中郎，典選舉。
Zu Yue, courtesy name Shishao, was the younger brother of Zu Ti, inspector of Yu. Recommended as filial and incorrupt, he became magistrate of Chenggao and was devoted to his brother Zu Ti. At the close of the Yongjia era he crossed the Yangtze with Zu Ti. When Emperor Yuan held regency he joined the staff alongside Ruan Fu of Chenliu. He later became attendant-in-ordinary in charge of appointments.
49
約妻無男而性妒，約亦不敢違忤。 嘗夜寢於外，忽為人所傷，疑其妻所為，約求去職，帝不聽，約便從右司馬營東門私出。 司直劉隗劾之曰：「約幸荷殊寵，顯位選曹，銓衡人物，眾所具瞻。 當敬以直內，義以方外，杜漸防萌，式遏寇害。 而乃變起蕭牆，患生婢妾，身被刑傷，虧其膚髮。 群小噂嚃，囂聲遠被，塵穢清化，垢累明時。 天恩含垢，猶復慰喻，而約違命輕出，既無明智以保其身，又孤恩廢命，宜加貶黜，以塞眾謗。」 帝不之罪。 隗重加執據，終不許。
His wife was barren and fiercely jealous; Zu Yue dared not cross her. After a night attack he suspected his wife; he begged to resign; the emperor refused; he slipped out through the east gate of the marshal's camp. Liu Wei impeached him: "Zu Yue enjoys imperial favor and heads personnel—everyone watches him. He should model integrity within and without, nip evil in the bud. Instead scandal broke within his household; he was bloodied by servants and maids. Gossip spread and smeared the court's good order. The throne forgave him once, yet he bolted his post—witless and ungrateful. He should be demoted to silence slander. The emperor took no action. Liu Wei pressed the case; the emperor still refused.
50
及逖有功於譙沛，約漸見任遇。 逖卒，自侍中代逖為平西將軍、豫州刺史，領逖之眾。 約異母兄光祿大夫納密言於帝曰：「約內懷陵上之心，抑而使之可也。 今顯侍左右，假其權勢，將為亂階矣。」 帝不納。 時人亦謂納與約異生，忌其寵貴，故有此言。 而約竟無綏馭之才，不為士卒所附。
When Zu Ti won glory on the Qiao-Pei front, Zu Yue rose in favor. After Zu Ti died, Zu Yue stepped from palace attendant into his brother's shoes as general who pacifies the west and inspector of Yu, inheriting his army. His half-brother Zu Na warned the emperor, "Zu Yue means to domineer the throne—keep him on a short leash. Giving him power at court invites rebellion. The emperor ignored him. Some said Zu Na, a half-brother, envied Zu Yue's rise—that was why he spoke. Zu Yue proved no leader; his soldiers did not love him.
51
及王敦舉兵，約歸衛京都，率眾次壽陽，逐敦所署淮南太守任台，以功封五等侯，進號鎮西將軍，使屯壽陽，為北境籓捍。 自以名輩不後郗、卞，而不豫明帝顧命，又望開府，及諸所表請多不見許，遂懷怨望。 石聰嘗以眾逼之，約屢表請救，而官軍不至。 聰既退，朝議又欲作塗塘以遏胡寇，約謂為棄己，彌懷憤恚。 先是，太后使蔡謨勞之，約見謨，瞋目攘袂，非毀朝政。 及蘇峻舉兵，遂推崇約而罪執政，約聞而大喜。 從子智及衍並傾險好亂，又贊成其事，於是命逖子沛內史渙，女婿淮南太守許柳以兵會峻。 逖妻，柳之姊也，固諫不從。 及峻克京都，矯詔以約為侍中、太尉、尚書令。 穎川人陳光率其屬攻之，約左右閻禿貌類約，光謂為約而擒之，約逾垣護免。 光奔于石勒，而約之諸將復陰結於勒，請為內應。 勒遣石聰來攻之，約眾潰，奔曆陽。 遣兄子渙攻桓宣於皖城，會毛寶援宣，擊渙，敗之。 趙胤復遣將軍甘苗從三焦上曆陽，約懼而夜遁，其將牽騰率眾出降。
When Wang Dun rebelled, Zu Yue marched to the capital's defense, camped at Shouyang, drove out Ren Tai, earned a five-grade fief, and was named general who guards the west to hold the northern frontier. He ranked himself with Xi Jian and Bian Kun yet was omitted from Emperor Ming's regency council, denied an independent command, and nursed a grudge. Shi Cong besieged him; his pleas for relief went unanswered. When the court planned dikes against the Hu, he read it as abandoning his sector and fumed. When Empress Dowager Yu sent Cai Mo to comfort him, Zu Yue raged and denounced the government. When Su Jun rose, praising Zu Yue and attacking the ministers, Zu Yue rejoiced. His nephews Zu Zhi and Zu Yan, both troublemakers, egged him on; he ordered Zu Ti's son Zu Huan and his son-in-law Xu Liu to march with Su Jun. Zu Ti's widow, Xu Liu's sister, begged him to refuse; he would not listen. After Su Jun seized the capital he forged orders naming Zu Yue palace attendant, grand commandant, and director of the secretariat. Chen Guang of Yingchuan attacked him; a bodyguard resembled Zu Yue and was taken while Zu Yue scaled a wall and escaped. Chen Guang fled to Shi Le; Zu Yue's officers secretly offered Shi Le their help. Shi Le sent Shi Cong; Zu Yue's army collapsed and he ran to Liyang. He sent Zu Huan against Huan Xuan at Wancheng; Mao Bao relieved Huan Xuan and crushed Zu Huan. Zhao Yin sent Gan Miao down from Sanjiao toward Liyang; Zu Yue fled by night while Qian Teng surrendered.
52
約以左右數百人奔于石勒，勒薄其為人，不見者久之。 勒將程遐說勒曰：「天下粗定，當顯明逆順，此漢高祖所以斬丁公也。 今忠於事君者莫不顯擢，背叛不臣者無不夷戮，此天下所以歸伏大王也。 祖約猶存，臣切惑之。 且約大引賓客，又占奪鄉里先人田地，地主多怨。」 於是勒乃詐約曰：「祖侯遠來，未得喜歡，可集子弟一時俱會。」 至日，勒辭之以疾，令遐請約及其宗室。 約知禍及，大飲致醉。 既至於市，抱其外孫而泣。 遂殺之，並其親屬中外百餘人悉滅之，婦女伎妾班賜諸胡。
Zu Yue reached Shi Le with a few hundred followers; Shi Le despised him and left him waiting. Cheng Xia urged, "The realm is stabilizing; reward loyalty and punish treason—like Han Gaozu executing Duke Ding. Loyalty is promoted and treason extirpated—that is why the world bows to you. Yet Zu Yue still lives—I am baffled. He keeps a vast household and has seized ancestral fields at home—landowners hate him. Shi Le feigned welcome: "Lord Zu, let us feast your whole clan. On the day of the banquet Shi Le pleaded illness and sent Cheng Xia to summon Zu Yue and his family. Seeing death coming, Zu Yue drank himself insensible. At the execution ground he clutched his grandson and wept. Shi Le slaughtered him and over a hundred kinsmen; women and concubines were handed out to Xiongnu lords.
53
初，逖有胡奴曰王安，待之甚厚。 及在雍丘，告之曰：「石勒是汝種類，吾亦不在爾一人。」 乃厚資遣之，遂為勒將。 祖氏之誅也，安多將從人於市觀省，潛取逖庶子道重，藏之為沙門，時年十歲。 石氏滅後來歸。
Zu Ti once owned a Xiongnu slave named Wang An whom he treated with great kindness. At Yongqiu he told him, "Shi Le is your kinsman; I have no wish to keep you bound. He gave Wang An rich gifts and sent him away; Wang An became a general under Shi Le. When the Zu clan was wiped out, Wang An often visited the executions, secretly rescued Zu Ti's bastard son Zu Daochong, and hid him as a novice monk—ten years old. After the Shi regime fell he returned to the Jin court.
54
蘇峻
Su Jun
55
蘇峻，字子高，長廣掖人也。 父模，安樂相。 峻少為書生，有才學，仕郡主簿。 年十八，舉孝廉。 永嘉之亂，百姓流亡，所在屯聚，峻糾合得數千家，結壘於本縣。 于時豪傑所在屯聚，而峻最強。 遣長史徐瑋宣檄諸屯，示以王化，又收枯骨而葬之，遠近感其恩義，推峻為主。 遂射獵于海邊青山中。 元帝聞之，假峻安集將軍。 時曹嶷領青州刺史，表峻為掖令，峻辭疾不受。 嶷惡其得眾，恐必為患，將討之。 峻懼，率其所部數百家泛海南渡。 既到廣陵，朝廷嘉其遠至，轉鷹揚將軍。 會周堅反于彭城，峻助討之，有功，除淮陵內史，遷蘭陵相。
Su Jun, courtesy name Zigao, came from Ye in Changguang. His father Su Mo was prefect of Anle. In youth he was a scholar with literary gifts and served as chief clerk of his commandery. At eighteen he was nominated as filial and incorrupt. During the Yongjia disaster refugees banded together; Su Jun rallied thousands of families and walled his home district. Among the warlords of the day his camp was the strongest. He sent Xu Wei with proclamations preaching imperial virtue, collected bones for burial, and won such gratitude that the camps made him their chief. He then hunted along the coastal hills. Emperor Yuan named him general who pacifies and gathers. Cao Yi, governor of Qingzhou, offered him the magistracy of Ye; Su Jun pleaded illness and refused. Cao Yi resented his popularity and planned to destroy him. Su Jun fled south by sea with hundreds of families. The court welcomed him at Guangling and promoted him to general who raises the hawk. He helped crush Zhou Jian's revolt at Pengcheng, earned a post as interior minister of Huailing, then prefect of Lanling.
56
王敦作逆，詔峻討敦。 卜之不吉，遲回不進。 及王師敗績，峻退保盱眙。 淮陵故吏徐深、艾毅重請峻為內史，詔聽之，加奮威將軍。 太甯初，更除臨淮內史。 王敦復肆逆，尚書令郗鑒議召峻及劉遐援京都，敦遣峻兄說峻曰：「富貴可坐取，何為自來送死？」 峻不從，遂率眾赴京師，頓于司徒故府。 道遠行速，軍人疲困。 沈充、錢鳳謀曰：「北軍新到，未堪攻戰，擊之必克。 若復猶豫，後難犯也」賊於其夜度竹格渚，拔柵將戰，峻率其將韓晃于南塘橫截，大破之。 又隨庾亮追破沈充。 進使持節、冠軍將軍、曆陽內史，加散騎常侍，封邵陵公，食邑一千八百戶。
When Wang Dun rebelled, Su Jun was ordered against him. Omens were bad; he stalled. After the imperial army lost, he fell back to Xuyi. His old Huailing subordinates begged him back as interior minister; the court agreed and added the title general who rouses might. Early in the Taining era he became interior minister of Linhuai. When Wang Dun rebelled again, Xi Jian called Su Jun and Liu Xia to the capital. Wang Dun sent Su Jun's brother to argue, "Riches are yours for the taking—why march to your death? Su Jun refused, marched to the capital, and camped at the old ministry of education. The forced march exhausted his men. Shen Chong and Qian Feng plotted: "Su Jun's northerners are tired—strike now and we win. Delay only makes them stronger." That night the rebels crossed Bamboo Ford; Su Jun intercepted them at the South Pond bridge with Han Huang and shattered them. He joined Yu Liang in running down Shen Chong. He was named credential-bearing general who crowns the army, interior minister of Liyang, concurrent palace attendant, and duke of Shaoling with eighteen hundred households.
57
峻本以單家聚眾於擾攘之際，歸順之後，志在立功，既有功于國，威望漸著。 至是有銳卒萬人，器械甚精，朝廷以江外寄之。 而峻頗懷驕溢，自負其眾，潛有異志，撫納亡命，得罪之家有逃死者，峻輒蔽匿之。 眾力日多，皆仰食縣官，運漕者相屬，稍有不如意，便肆忿言。
A commoner who rose in chaos, he had served the throne loyally and grown formidable. He commanded ten thousand well-armed veterans and held the entire lower Yangtze for the court. But success bred arrogance: he hid fugitives and nursed secret ambitions. His army swelled on state grain; convoys lined the roads, and he cursed at the slightest slight.
58
時明帝初崩，委政宰輔，護軍庾亮欲徵之。 峻聞將徵，遣司馬何仍詣亮曰：「討賊外任，遠近從命，至於內輔，實非所堪。」 不從，遂下優詔徵峻為大司農，加散騎常侍，位特進，以弟逸代領部曲。 峻素疑帝欲害己，表曰：「昔明皇帝親執臣手，使臣北討胡寇。 今中原未靖，無用家為，乞補青州界一荒郡，以展鷹犬之用。」 復不許。 峻嚴裝將赴召，而猶豫未決，參軍任讓謂峻曰：「將軍求處荒郡而不見許，事勢如此，恐無生路，不如勒兵自守。」 峻從之，遂不應命。 朝廷遣使諷諭之，峻曰：「臺下云我欲反，豈得活邪！ 我甯山頭望廷尉，不能廷尉望山頭。 往者國危累卵，非我不濟，狡兔既死，獵犬理自應烹，但當死報造謀者耳。」 於是遣參軍徐會結祖約，謀為亂，而以討亮為名。 約遣祖渙、許柳率眾助峻，峻遣將韓晃、張健等襲姑孰，進逼慈湖，殺于湖令陶馥及振威將軍司馬流。 峻自率渙、柳眾萬人，乘風濟自橫江，次於陵口，與王師戰，頻捷，遂據蔣陵覆舟山，率眾因風放火，台省及諸營寺署一時蕩盡。 遂陷宮城，縱兵大掠，侵逼六宮，窮凶極暴，殘酷無道。 驅役百官，光祿勳王彬等皆被捶撻，逼令擔負登蔣山。 裸剝士女，皆以壞席苫草自鄣，無草者坐地以土自覆，哀號之聲震動內外。 時官有布二十萬匹，金銀五千斤，錢億萬，絹數萬匹，他物稱是，峻盡費之。 矯詔大赦，惟庾亮兄弟不在原例。 自為驃騎領軍將軍、錄尚書事，許柳丹陽尹，加前將軍馬雄左衛將軍，祖渙驍騎將軍，復弋陽王羕為西陽王、太宰、錄尚書事，羕息播亦復本官。 於是改易官司，置其親黨，朝廷政事一皆由之。 又遣韓晃入義興，張健、管商、弘徽等入晉陵。
When Emperor Ming died, Yu Liang, as regent's ally, decided to recall him. Su Jun sent He Reng to Yu Liang: "I will fight rebels on the frontier, but I am unfit for court duty. The court refused and offered him minister of agriculture, a hollow honor, while his brother Su Yi took his troops. Su Jun suspected a trap and wrote, "The late emperor clasped my hand and bade me fight the Hu. The north is still unsettled—assign me some frontier backwater in Qingzhou instead. Again the court refused. His aide Ren Rang said, "They deny you even a border post—you are a dead man unless you keep your army. Su Jun listened and defied the recall. When envoys reasoned with him, he snapped, "The court already calls me traitor—what life is left? Better I watch the executioner from a mountain than the other way around. The realm was eggshell-fragile until I saved it; now the rabbit is dead and they mean to stew the hound—I will die cursing the plotters. He sent Xu Hui to ally with Zu Yue, planning revolt under the slogan of punishing Yu Liang. Zu Yue sent Zu Huan and Xu Liu; Su Jun sent Han Huang and Zhang Jian to seize Gushu, push on Cihu, and kill Tao Fu, magistrate of Yuhu, and Sima Liu, general who rouses might. Su Jun himself led ten thousand men across Hengjiang with a fair wind, beat the imperial army at Lingkou, seized Mount Fuzhou east of Moling, and burned the palace quarter to ash. He stormed the palace, unleashed looting, terrorized the harem, and ruled with savagery. He drove ministers like Wang Bin up Mount Jiang under the lash, laden with baggage. Noblewomen were stripped and hid behind straw mats or smeared themselves with mud; their wails shook the city. He burned through two hundred thousand bolts of cloth, five thousand pounds of bullion, a hundred million cash, and countless silk. He forged a general amnesty that excluded only Yu Liang and his brothers. He named himself cavalry general-in-chief and director of the secretariat, Xu Liu as Danyang governor, Ma Xiong as left guard general, Zu Huan as fierce cavalry general, and restored Sima Yang as prince of Xiyang and grand tutor. He packed the government with his own men and ruled by fiat. He dispatched Han Huang to Yixing and Zhang Jian, Guan Shang, and Hong Hui toward Jinling.
59
時溫嶠、陶侃已唱義于武昌，峻聞兵起，用參軍賈甯計，還據石頭，更分兵距諸義軍，所過無不殘滅。 嶠等將至，峻遂遷天子于石頭，逼迫居人，盡聚之後苑，使懷德令匡術守苑城。 嶠等既到，乃築壘于白石，峻率眾攻之，幾至陷沒。 東西抄掠，多所擒虜，兵威日盛，戰無不克，由是義眾沮衄，人懷異計。 朝士之奔義軍者，皆云：「峻狡黠有智力，其徒黨驍勇，所向無敵。 惟當以天討有罪，誅滅不久； 若以人事言之，未易除也。」 溫嶠怒曰：「諸君怯懦，乃是譽賊。」 及後累戰不捷，嶠亦深憚之。 管商等進攻吳郡，焚吳縣、海監、嘉興，敗諸義軍。 韓晃又攻宣城，害太守桓彝。 商等又焚余杭，而大敗于武康，退還義興。 嶠與趙胤率步兵萬人，從白石南上，欲以臨之。 峻與匡孝將八千人逆戰，峻遣子碩與孝以數十騎先薄趙胤，敗之。 峻望見胤走，曰：「孝能破賊，我更不如乎！」 因舍其眾，與數騎北下突陣，不得入，將回趨白木陂，牙門彭世、李千等投之以矛，墜馬，斬首臠割之，焚其骨，三軍皆稱萬歲。 峻司馬任讓等共立峻弟逸為主。 求峻屍不獲，碩乃發庾亮父母墓，剖棺焚屍。 逸閉城自守。 韓晃聞峻死，引兵赴石頭。 管商及弘徽進攻庱亭壘，督護李閎及輕車長史滕含擊破之，斬首千級。 商率眾走延陵，李閎與庱亭諸軍追之，斬獲數千級。 商詣庾亮降，匡術舉苑城降。 韓晃與蘇逸等並力攻術，不能陷。 溫嶠等選精銳將攻賊營，碩率驍勇數百渡淮而戰，於陣斬碩。 晃等震懼，以其眾奔張健于曲阿，門厄不得出，更相蹈藉，死者萬數。 逸為李湯所執，斬于車騎府。
When Wen Jiao and Tao Kan rose at Wuchang, Su Jun took Jia Ning's advice, fell back to Stone City, and savaged every loyalist force in his path. As Wen Jiao approached, Su Jun moved the emperor to Stone City, herded citizens into the imperial park, and left Kuang Shu to hold it. The loyalists walled Baishi; Su Jun nearly overran them. His raiders swelled his power until the loyalists despaired. Refugees from court called Su Jun a brilliant fighter with invincible troops. Heaven will destroy him soon enough; but by human reckoning he is almost impossible to beat. Wen Jiao thundered, "You are only glorifying the rebel. After repeated defeats Wen Jiao feared him too. Guan Shang burned Wu, Haijian, and Jiaxing and broke loyalist columns. Han Huang took Xuancheng and killed Huan Yi. They torched Yuhang but were routed at Wukang and fled to Yixing. Wen Jiao and Zhao Yin marched ten thousand infantry south from Baishi to pressure Su Jun. Su Jun and Kuang Xiao met them with eight thousand men; Su Shuo and Kuang Xiao rode ahead, broke Zhao Yin. Seeing Zhao Yin run, Su Jun cried, "If Kuang Xiao can rout them, surely I can do better! He spurred a handful of riders into the loyalist line, was turned back, and fleeing toward Baimu marsh was speared from the saddle by Peng Shi and Li Qian, beheaded, hacked to pieces, and burned while his men cheered. Ren Rang and the rest proclaimed Su Jun's brother Su Yi leader. When they could not find Su Jun's body, Su Shuo desecrated Yu Liang's parents' graves. Su Yi barred the gates. Han Huang raced to Stone City on news of Su Jun's death. Guan Shang and Hong Hui assaulted the Ting camp; Li Hong and Teng Han repulsed them with a thousand heads. Guan Shang fled toward Yanling; Li Hong ran him down and killed thousands. Guan Shang surrendered to Yu Liang; Kuang Shu yielded the park. Han Huang and Su Yi besieged Kuang Shu in vain. Wen Jiao's picked troops stormed the rebel camp; Su Shuo fell in battle on the Huai. Han Huang's men stampeded toward Qu'e, jammed the gates, and trampled tens of thousands to death. Su Yi was captured by Li Tang and executed at the cavalry command.
60
管商之降也，餘眾並歸張健。 健又疑弘徽等不與己同，盡殺之，更以舟軍自延陵向長塘，小大二萬餘口，金銀寶物不可勝數。 揚烈將軍王允之與吳興諸軍擊健，大破之，獲男女萬餘口。 健復與馬雄、韓晃等輕軍俱走，閎率銳兵追之，及於岩山，攻之甚急。 健等不敢下山，惟晃獨出，帶兩步靫箭，卻據胡床，彎弓射之，傷殺甚眾。 箭盡，乃斬之。 健等遂降，並梟其首。
Guan Shang's survivors joined Zhang Jian. Zhang Jian murdered Hong Hui and other waverers, then sailed from Yanling toward Changtang with twenty thousand followers and incalculable loot. Wang Yunzhi, general who rouses might, and the Wu-Xing forces shattered Zhang Jian and took ten thousand captives. Zhang Jian, Ma Xiong, and Han Huang fled light; Li Hong ran them down at Yanshan and pressed hard. Trapped on the heights, Han Huang alone sallied forth with paired quivers, sat on a camp stool, and shot wave after wave of loyalists. When his arrows ran out they cut him down. Zhang Jian capitulated; their heads went to the gibbet.
61
孫恩
Sun En
62
孫恩，字靈秀，琅邪人，孫秀之族也。 世奉五斗米道。 恩叔父泰，字敬遠，師事錢唐杜子恭。 而子恭有秘術，嘗就人借瓜刀，其主求之，子恭曰：「當即相還耳。」 既而刀主行至嘉興，有魚躍入船中，破魚得瓜刀。 其為神效往往如此。 子恭死，泰傳其術。 然浮狡有小才，誑誘百姓，愚者敬之如神，皆竭財產，進子女，以祈福慶。 王珣言于會稽王道子，流之于廣州。 廣州刺史王懷之以泰行郁林太守，南越亦歸之。 太子少傅王雅先與泰善，言于孝武帝，以泰知養性之方，因召還。 道子以為徐州主簿，猶以道術眩惑士庶。 稍遷輔國將軍、新安太守。 王恭之役，泰私合義兵，得數千人，為國討恭。 黃門郎孔道、鄱陽太守桓放之、驃騎諮議周勰等皆敬事之，會稽世子元顯亦數詣泰求其秘術。 泰見天下兵起，以為晉祚將終，乃扇動百姓，私集徒眾，三吳士庶多從之。 于時朝士皆懼泰為亂，以其與元顯交厚，咸莫敢言。 會稽內史謝輶發其謀，道子誅之。 恩逃於海。 眾聞泰死，惑之，皆謂蟬蛻登仙，故就海中資給。 恩聚合亡命得百餘人，志欲復仇。
Sun En, courtesy name Lingxiu, came from Langya and belonged to Sun Xiu's clan. His family had long followed the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice. His uncle Sun Tai studied under Du Zigong of Qiantang. Du Zigong knew occult arts: borrowing a melon knife, he told its owner, "You shall have it back presently. When the owner reached Jiaxing, a fish leapt into his boat; inside it lay the lost knife. His miracles were always of that sort. When Du Zigong died, Sun Tai inherited his techniques. Sun Tai was a smooth charlatan: the credulous worshiped him like a god, bankrupting themselves to offer children and treasure for blessings. Wang Xun warned Sima Daozi, prince of Kuaiji, who exiled Sun Tai to Guangzhou. Wang Huaizhi, inspector of Guangzhou, named him acting prefect of Yulin; the south submitted to him. Wang Ya, the crown prince's tutor, told Emperor Xiaowu that Sun Tai knew longevity arts; the emperor recalled him. Sima Daozi made him Xuzhou chief clerk and kept dazzling people with sorcery. He rose to general who supports the state and prefect of Xin'an. During Wang Gong's revolt he raised several thousand loyalist militia on his own authority. Kong Dao, Huan Fangzhi, Zhou Xie, and others courted him; Sima Yuanxian, heir of Kuaiji, constantly sought his secrets. Seeing chaos everywhere, Sun Tai decided the Jin dynasty was finished; he rallied the Three Wu until multitudes followed him. The court feared him but dared not speak—he was too close to Sima Yuanxian. Xie You, interior minister of Kuaiji, exposed the plot; Sima Daozi executed Sun Tai. Sun En fled to the sea. His followers believed Sun Tai had shed his corpse like a cicada and become immortal; they flocked to the coast to sustain Sun En. Sun En rallied a hundred outlaws bent on revenge.
63
及元顯縱暴吳會，百姓不安，恩因其騷動，自海攻上虞，殺縣令，因襲會稽，害內史王凝之，有眾數萬。 於是會稽謝鍼、吳郡陸瑰、吳興丘尪、義興許允之、臨海周胄、永嘉張永及東陽、新安等凡八郡，一時俱起，殺長史以應之，旬日之中，眾數十萬。 於是吳興太守謝邈，永嘉太守謝逸，嘉興公顧胤，南康公謝明慧，黃門郎謝沖、張琨，中書郎孔道，太子洗馬孔福，烏程令夏侯愔等皆遇害。 吳國內史桓謙，義興太守魏傿，臨海太守、新蔡王崇等並出奔。 於是恩據會稽，自號征東將軍，號其党曰「長生人」，宣語令誅殺異己，有不同者戮及嬰孩，由是死者十七八。 畿內諸縣處處蜂起，朝廷震懼，內外戒嚴。 遣衛將軍謝琰、鎮北將軍劉牢之討之，並轉鬥而前。 吳會承平日久，人不習戰，又無器械，故所在多被破亡。 諸賊皆燒倉廩，焚邑屋，刊木堙井，虜掠財貨，相率聚於會稽。 其婦女有嬰累不能去者，囊簏盛嬰兒投于水，而告之曰：「賀汝先登仙堂，我尋後就汝。」
When Sima Yuanxian tyrannized Wu, Sun En struck from the sea, took Shangyu, stormed Kuaiji, slew Wang Ningzhi, and amassed tens of thousands. Eight commanderies—Kuaiji, Wu, Wu-Xing, Yixing, Linhai, Yongjia, Dongyang, Xin'an—rose together, slew officials, and within days he had hundreds of thousands. Xie Miao, Xie Yi, Gu Yin, Xie Minghui, Xie Chong, Zhang Kun, Kong Dao, Kong Fu, Xiahou Yin, and many more were killed. Huan Qian, Wei Yi, Sima Chong, and others fled. Sun En seized Kuaiji, styled himself general who conquers the east, called his followers the Long-Lifers, and ordered the slaughter of all dissenters, infants included—seven or eight in ten died. The heartland exploded in revolt; the court declared martial law. Xie Yan and Liu Laozhi marched against them. Wu had known peace for generations—untrained and unarmed, town after town fell. They torched granaries and villages, felled trees, filled wells, looted, and converged on Kuaiji. Women who could not flee drowned their babies in baskets, crying, "You go first to paradise—I follow soon."
64
初，恩聞八郡回應，告其屬曰：「天下無復事矣，當與諸君朝服而至建康。」 既聞牢之臨江，復曰：「我割浙江，不失作句踐也。」 尋知牢之已濟江，乃曰：「孤不羞走矣。」 乃虜男女二十餘萬口，一時逃入海。 懼官軍之躡，乃緣道多棄寶物子女。 時東土殷實，莫不粲麗盈目，牢之等遽於收斂，故恩復得逃海。 朝廷以謝琰為會稽，率徐州文武戍海浦。
When eight commanderies rose, Sun En told his men, "The realm is ours—we will enter Jianye in court robes. Learning Liu Laozhi had reached the river, he said, "I can still hold the Zhe like Gou Jian of Yue. When he learned Liu Laozhi had crossed, he muttered, "Flight is no shame. He dragged two hundred thousand captives into the sea with him. Fearing pursuit, he strewed loot and captives along the roads. The rich eastern plain glittered with his discarded plunder; Liu Laozhi's men stopped to scoop it up, letting Sun En escape seaward. The court named Xie Yan governor of Kuaiji and posted Xuzhou troops along the coast.
65
，恩復入余姚，破上虞，進至刑浦。 琰遣參軍劉宣之距破之，恩退縮。 少日，復寇刑浦，害謝琰。 朝廷大震，遣冠軍將軍桓不才、輔國將軍孫無終、甯朔將軍高雅之擊之，恩復還於海。 於是復遣牢之東屯會稽，吳國內史袁山松築扈瀆壘，緣海備恩。 明年，恩復入浹口，雅之敗績。 牢之進擊，恩復還於海。 轉寇扈瀆，害袁山松，仍浮海向京口。 牢之率眾西擊，未達，而恩已至，劉裕乃總兵緣海距之。 及戰，恩眾大敗，狼狽赴船。 尋又集眾，欲向京都，朝廷駭懼，陳兵以待之。 恩至新州，不敢進而退，北寇廣陵，陷之，乃浮海而北。 劉裕與劉敬宣並軍躡之于鬱洲，累戰，恩復大敗，由是漸衰弱，復沿海還南。 裕亦尋海要截，復大破恩于扈瀆，恩遂遠迸海中。
Sun En returned to Yuyao, took Shangyu, and pushed to Xing Ford. Xie Yan's aide Liu Xuanzhi repulsed him. Days later he struck Xing Ford again and killed Xie Yan. The court panicked and dispatched Huan Bucai, Sun Wuzhong, and Gao Yazhi; Sun En fled offshore again. Liu Laozhi was sent east to Kuaiji while Yuan Shansong, interior minister of Wu, walled the Hu shore against him. The next year Sun En entered Jia Ford and routed Gao Yazhi. Liu Laozhi attacked; Sun En withdrew to sea. He hit the Hu defenses, slew Yuan Shansong, and sailed for Jingkou. Liu Laozhi turned west too late; Liu Yu took coastal troops to meet Sun En. Liu Yu shattered him; Sun En scrambled aboard ship. He regrouped for another thrust at the capital; the court braced for attack. He probed Xinzhou, drew back, seized Guangling, and sailed north. Liu Yu and Liu Jingxuan ran him down at Yuzhou, broke him again, and drove him south along the coast. Liu Yu intercepted him at Hu and broke him once more; Sun En vanished into the deep sea.
66
及桓玄用事，恩復寇臨海，臨海太守辛景討破之。 恩窮戚，乃赴海自沈，妖黨及妓妾謂之水仙，投水從死者百數。 余眾復推恩妹夫盧循為主。 自恩初入海，所虜男女之口，其後戰死及自溺並流離被傳賣者，至恩死時裁數千人存，而恩攻沒謝琰、袁山松，陷廣陵，前後數十戰，亦殺百姓數萬人。
Under Huan Xuan he raided Linhai until Xin Jing defeated him. Cornered, Sun En drowned himself; hundreds of cultists and concubines called him a water immortal and leapt after him. The survivors made his brother-in-law Lu Xun their chief. From his first flight to his death, the hundreds of thousands he seized dwindled to a few thousand through battle, suicide, and sale—yet he had killed Xie Yan and Yuan Shansong, sacked Guangling, fought dozens of battles, and left tens of thousands of civilians dead.
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盧循
Lu Xun
68
盧循，字於先，小名元龍，司空從事中郎諶之曾孫也。 雙眸冏徹，瞳子四轉，善草隸弈棋之藝。 沙門慧遠有鑒裁，見而謂之曰：「君雖體涉風素，而志存不軌。」 循娶孫恩妹。 及恩作亂，與循通謀。 恩性酷忍，循每諫止之，人士多賴以濟免。 恩亡，餘眾推循為主。 元興二年正月，寇東陽，八月，攻永嘉。 劉裕討循至晉安，循窘急，泛海到番禺，寇廣州，逐刺史吳隱之，自攝州事，號平南將軍，遣使獻貢。 時朝廷新誅桓氏，中外多虞，乃權假循征虜將軍、廣州刺史、平越中郎將。
Lu Xun, courtesy Yuxian, childhood name Yuanlong, was great-grandson of Lu Chen, consultant to the minister of works. His eyes were said to shine with shifting pupils; he excelled at calligraphy and go. The monk Huiyuan told him, "You wear the air of a recluse but nurse treason. He married Sun En's sister. When Sun En rose, Lu Xun was his accomplice. Sun En was savage; Lu Xun often checked him, saving many lives. After Sun En died the rebels chose Lu Xun. In Yuanxing 2 he struck Dongyang in spring and Yongjia in autumn. Liu Yu drove him to Jin'an; Lu Xun sailed to Panyu, ousted Wu Yinzhi, styled himself general who pacifies the south, and sent tribute north. The court, busy with the Huan purge, papered him over as general who punishes captives, inspector of Guangzhou, and colonel who pacifies the Yue.
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義熙中，劉裕伐慕容超，循所署始興太守徐道覆，循之姊夫也，使人勸循乘虛而出，循不從。 道覆乃至番禺，說循曰：「朝廷恆以君為腹心之疾，劉公未有旋日，不乘此機而保一日之安，若平齊之後，劉公自率眾至豫章，遣銳師過嶺，雖復君之神武，必不能當也。 今日之機，萬不可失。 既克都邑，劉裕雖還，無能為也。 君若不同，便當率始興之眾直指尋陽。」 循甚不樂此舉，無以奪其計，乃從之。
While Liu Yu fought Murong Chao in the north, Xu Daofu, Lu Xun's brother-in-law and prefect of Shixing, urged a strike at the empty capital; Lu Xun refused. Xu Daofu came to Panyu and said, "The court sees you as a mortal threat. Liu Yu is far in the north—if you do not strike now, once Qi falls he will march on Yuzhang and send elite columns over the mountains; even you cannot hold them. This moment must not be wasted. Seize the capital and Liu Yu cannot save it. If you refuse, I will take the Shixing army straight to Xunyang myself. Lu Xun hated the plan but could not stop Xu Daofu and yielded.
70
初，道覆密欲裝舟艦，乃使人伐船材于南康山，偽云將下都貨之。 後稱力少不能得致，即於郡賤賣之，價減數倍，居人貪賤，賣衣物而市之。 贛石水急，出船甚難，皆儲之。 如是者數四，故船版大積，而百姓弗之疑。 及道覆舉兵，案賣券而取之，無得隱匿者，乃並力裝之，旬日而辦。 遂舉眾寇南康、廬陵、豫章諸郡，守相皆委任奔走。 鎮南將軍何無忌率眾距之，兵敗被害。
Xu Daofu had timber cut in the Nankang hills, claiming it would be rafted to market in the capital. He then claimed he could not transport it and dumped the lumber at fire-sale prices; locals snapped it up. The Gan rapids made hauling boats hard, so people hoarded the planks at home. After several rounds of this trick, enough planking for a fleet lay in every village, unsuspected. When he rebelled, he presented the old IOUs and reclaimed every plank; within days a fleet was built. He swept through Nankang, Luling, and Yuzhang; officials fled. He Wuji, general who guards the south, opposed him and died in defeat.
71
循遣道覆寇江陵，未至，為官軍所敗，馳走告循曰：「請並力攻京都，若克之，江陵非所憂也。」 乃連旗而下，戎卒十萬，舳艫千計，敗衛將軍劉毅于桑落洲，逕至江寧。 道覆素有膽決，知劉裕已還，欲乾沒一戰，請於新亭至白石，焚舟而上，數道攻之。 循多謀少決，欲以萬全之計，固不聽。 道覆以循無斷，乃歎曰：「我終為盧公所誤，事必無成。 使我得為英雄驅馳，天下不足定也！」 裕懼其侵軼，乃柵石頭，斷柤浦，以距之。 循攻柵不利，船艦為暴風所傾，人有死者。 列陣南岸，戰又敗績。 乃進攻京口，寇掠諸縣，無所得。 循謂道覆曰：「師老矣！ 弗能復振。 可據尋陽，並力取荊州，徐更與都下爭衡，猶可以濟。」 因自蔡洲南走，復據尋陽。 裕先遣群率追討，自統大眾繼進，又敗循於雷池。 循欲遁還豫章，乃悉力柵斷左裏。 裕命眾攻柵，循眾雖死戰，猶不能抗。 裕乘勝擊之，循單舸而走，收散卒得千餘人，還保廣州。 裕先遣孫處從海道據番禺城，循攻之不下。 道覆保始興，因險自固。 循乃襲合浦，克之，進攻交州。 至龍編，刺史杜慧度譎而敗之。
Xu Daofu's column toward Jiangling was crushed; he raced back to Lu Xun, saying, "Forget Jiangling—take the capital together. They sailed downriver with a hundred thousand men and a thousand hulls, crushed Liu Yi at Mulberry Fall Isle, and reached Jiangning. Xu Daofu, bold by nature, knew Liu Yu was back and wanted to burn the fleet at Xinting–Baishi and storm the city on foot. Lu Xun was full of schemes but could not decide; he clung to a "safe" plan and refused. Xu Daofu groaned, "Lu Xun will ruin us—this will fail. Give me a real leader and the empire would fall in our lap! Liu Yu palisaded Stone City and blocked Zhapu against him. Lu Xun's assault on the palisade failed; a gale swamped his ships. He formed battle south of the river and lost again. He struck Jingkou and raided counties for little gain. He told Xu Daofu, "The men are spent! They cannot rally. Fall back to Xunyang, seize Jingzhou together, then bargain with the capital—that can still work. He fled from Cai Isle to Xunyang. Liu Yu sent vanguards, followed with the main army, and beat Lu Xun at Thunder Lake. Lu Xun tried to regain Yuzhang and fortified Zuoli. Liu Yu stormed the line; Lu Xun's men fought to the last but broke. Liu Yu pressed the rout; Lu Xun escaped in one boat with a thousand survivors and fled to Guangzhou. Liu Yu had Sun Chu seize Panyu by sea; Lu Xun could not retake it. Xu Daofu held Shixing's defiles. Lu Xun took Hepu and marched on Jiaozhou. At Longbian, Du Huidu, the inspector, lured him into a trap and won.
72
循勢屈，知不免，先鴆妻子十餘人，又召妓妾問曰：「我今將自殺，誰能同者？」 多云：「雀鼠貪生，就死實人情所難。」 有云：「官尚當死，某豈願生！」 於是悉鴆諸辭死者，因自投于水。 慧度取其屍斬之，及其父嘏； 同黨盡獲，傳首京都。
Trapped, Lu Xun poisoned his family, then asked his concubines, "I mean to die—who will follow? Most answered, "Even beasts cling to life—death is too hard. Others cried, "If ministers must die, I will not cling to life! He poisoned every concubine who hesitated, then drowned himself. Du Huidu beheaded his corpse and executed his father Qiao Gu. His partisans were rounded up and their heads sent to Jiankang.
73
譙縱
Qiao Zong
74
譙縱，巴西南充人也。 祖獻之，有重名於西土。 縱少而謹慎，蜀人愛之。 為安西府參軍。 義熙元年，刺史遣縱及侯暉等領諸縣氐進兵東下。 暉有貳志，因梁州人不樂東也，將圖益州刺史毛璩，與巴西陽昧結謀于五城水口，共逼縱為主。 縱懼而不當，走投于水，暉引出而請之，至於再三，遂以兵逼縱於輿上。 攻璩弟西夷校尉瑾于涪城，城陷，瑾死之，縱乃自號梁、秦二州刺史。 璩聞縱反，自略城步還成都，遣參軍王瓊率三千人討縱，又遣弟瑗領四千兵繼瓊後進。 縱遣弟明子及暉距瓊於廣漢，瓊擊破暉等，追至綿竹。 明子設二伏以待之，大敗瓊眾，死者十八九。 益州營戶李騰開城以納縱。
Qiao Zong came from Nanchong in Baxi. His grandfather Qiao Xianzhi was renowned in the west. Prudent from boyhood, he was beloved in Shu. He served on the staff of the general who pacifies the west. In Yixi 1 the inspector ordered Qiao Zong, Hou Hui, and others to march the county Di levies downriver. Hou Hui, resenting the eastern campaign, conspired with Yang Mei at Wucheng to kill Mao Qu and forced Qiao Zong to head the mutiny. Qiao Zong refused and tried to drown himself; Hou Hui fished him out, begged him three times, and at spearpoint seated him in the leader's carriage. They stormed Fucheng, killed Mao Jin, and Qiao Zong proclaimed himself governor of Liang and Qin. Mao Qu marched back from Luecheng, sent Wang Qiong with three thousand men, and Mao Yuan with four thousand in support. Qiao Mingzi and Hou Hui met Wang Qiong at Guanghan; Wang Qiong routed Hou Hui and chased them to Mianzhu. Qiao Mingzi ambushed him and slaughtered nine tenths of Wang Qiong's men. Li Teng, a garrison colonist, opened the gates to Qiao Zong.
75
毛璩既死，縱以從弟洪為益州刺史，明子為鎮東將軍、巴州刺史，率其眾五千人屯白帝，自稱成都王。 明年，遣使稱籓于姚興，將順流東寇，以討車騎將軍劉裕為名，乞師于姚興，且請桓謙為助，興遣之。
After Mao Qu fell, Qiao Zong named his cousin Hong governor of Yi, Mingzi general who guards the east and governor of Ba, garrisoned five thousand men at Baidi, and called himself prince of Chengdu. The next year he swore allegiance to Yao Xing of Later Qin, asked for troops against Liu Yu, and secured Huan Qian as an ally.
76
九年，劉裕以西陽太守硃齡石為益州刺史，甯朔將軍臧喜、下邳太守劉鐘，蘭陵太守蒯恩等率眾二萬，自江陵討縱。 初謀元率，僉難其人，齡石資名素淺，裕違眾拔之，授以麾下之半。 藏喜，裕妻弟也，位出其右，又隸焉。 齡石次於白帝，縱遣譙道福重兵守涪。 齡石師次平模，去成都二百里，縱遣其大將軍侯暉、尚書僕射譙詵屯平模，夾岸連城，層樓重柵，眾未能攻。 齡石謂劉鐘曰：「天方暑熱，賊今固險，攻之難拔，只困我師。 吾欲蓄銳息兵，伺隙而進，卿以為何如？」 鐘曰：「不然。 前揚聲言大將由內水，故道福不敢舍涪，今重軍逼之，出其不意，侯暉之徒已破膽矣。 正可因其凶而攻之，勢當必克。 克平模之後，自可鼓行而前，成都必不能守。 若綏兵相持，虛實相見，涪軍復來，難為敵也。 進不能戰，退無所資，二萬餘人因為蜀子虜耳。」 從之。 翌日，進攻皆克，斬侯暉等，於是遂進。 縱之城守者相次瓦解，縱乃出奔。 其尚書令馬耽封倉庫以待王師。 及齡石入成都，誅縱同祖之親，餘皆安堵，使復其業。
In year 9 Liu Yu sent Zhu Lingshi as governor of Yi with Zang Xi, Liu Zhong, and Kuai En—twenty thousand men—from Jiangling against Qiao Zong. Choosing a commander, the staff hesitated—Zhu Lingshi was young and obscure—but Liu Yu overruled them and gave him half the army. Zang Xi, Liu Yu's brother-in-law, outranked him yet served under him. Zhu Lingshi stopped at Baidi while Qiao Zong posted Qiao Daofu to hold Fu. At Pingmo, two hundred li from Chengdu, Hou Hui and Qiao Shen walled both riverbanks in depth; Zhu Lingshi could not break them. Zhu Lingshi told Liu Zhong, "In this heat their stronghold is impenetrable—we will only waste men. I say we rest and strike when we see an opening—your view? Liu Zhong replied, "Wrong. We feinted the inner river so Qiao Daofu hugged Fu; a sudden thrust catches them flat-footed—Hou Hui is already terrified. Strike while they panic and we cannot lose. Take Pingmo and we can drum straight to Chengdu—they cannot stand. Delay, and Fu's reinforcements join them—we face a united west. Then we cannot advance or supply ourselves—twenty thousand men become Shu prisoners. Zhu Lingshi took his advice. Next day they stormed through, slew Hou Hui, and pushed on. Qiao Zong's defenses crumbled; he bolted. Ma Dan, director of the secretariat, sealed the granaries for the Jin army. Zhu Lingshi executed Qiao Zong's close clan but left common folk unmolested.
77
縱之走也，先如其墓，縱女謂縱曰：「走必不免，只取辱焉。 等死，死于先人之墓可也。」 縱不從，投道福於涪。 道福怒謂縱曰：「大丈夫居如斯功業，安可棄哉！ 今欲為降虜，豈可而得！ 人誰不死，何懼之甚！」 因投縱以劍，中其馬鞍。 縱去之，乃自縊。 道福謂其徒曰：「吾養爾等，正為今日。 蜀之存亡，實系在我，不在譙王。 我尚在，猶足一戰。」 士咸許諾。 乃散金帛以賜其眾，眾受之而走。 道福獨奔廣漢，廣漢人杜瑾執之。 硃齡石徙馬耽於越巂，追殺之。 耽之徙也，謂其徒曰：「硃侯不送我京師，滅眾口也，吾必不免。」 乃盥洗而臥，引繩而死。 須臾，齡石師至，遂戮屍焉。
Fleeing past the family graves, his daughter said, "You cannot outrun them—only humiliate yourself. If we must die, die here among the ancestors. Qiao Zong refused and ran to Qiao Daofu at Fu. Qiao Daofu raged, "You built this realm—how dare you quit? Surrender? Impossible! All men die—what is there to fear? He hurled a sword at Qiao Zong, striking his saddle. Qiao Zong broke away and hanged himself. Qiao Daofu told his men, "I fed you for this hour. Shu's fate rests on me, not on the prince of Qiao. While I live we can fight once more. They cheered agreement. He scattered gold and silk; his men pocketed it and ran. Qiao Daofu fled alone to Guanghan, where Du Jin seized him. Zhu Lingshi exiled Ma Dan to Yuexi and had him killed en route. Ma Dan told his men, "Zhu Lingshi avoids sending me to the capital to hush talk—I am a dead man. He bathed, lay down, and hanged himself. Moments later Zhu Lingshi's men arrived and desecrated his body.
78
史評
Historians' judgment
79
史臣曰：惠皇失禦，政紊朝危，難起蕭牆，毒痡函夏，九州波駭，五嶽塵飛，干戈日尋，戎車競逐。 王彌好亂樂禍，挾詐懷奸，命儔嘯侶，伺間侯隙，助悖逆於平陽，肆殘忍於都邑，遂使生靈塗炭，神器流離，邦國軫《麥秀》之哀，宮廟興《黍離》之痛，豈天意乎？ 豈人事乎？ 何醜虜之倡狂而亂離之斯瘼者也！ 張昌等或鴟張淮浦，或蟻聚荊衡，招烏合之凶徒，逞豺狼之貪暴，憑陵險隘，倔強江湖，未淹歲稔，咸至誅戮，實自取之，非為不幸。 峻約同惡相濟，生此亂階，孫盧同類相求，嗣成妖逆。 至乃干戈掃地，災沴滔天，雖樊謝之毒被含靈，李郭之禍延宮闕，方凶比暴，弗是加也。 譙縱乘茲釁隙，肆彼奸謀，旋踵而亡，無足論矣。
The historians write: Emperor Hui lost control; the court unraveled; rebellion began at home and poisoned the realm; the empire shook and armies clashed without end. Wang Mi thrived on chaos, aided usurpers at Pingyang, and turned Luoyang to slaughter until the throne fled and the land mourned like the kings of Shang and Zhou—was that fate or folly? Was it human failure? How those barbarian chieftains fed the age's ruin! Zhang Chang and kin—whether on the Huai or in Jingzhou—raised rabbles, preyed like wolves, and were crushed within the year; they earned their doom. Su Jun and Zu Yue abetted each other; Sun En and Lu Xun carried the contagion on. Their wars scoured the earth and heaven itself seemed poisoned—worse in scale than even Fan and Xie or Li and Guo. Qiao Zong exploited the breach and schemed, yet collapsed in an instant—hardly worth a word.
80
贊曰：中朝隳政，王彌肇亂。 神器流離，生靈塗炭。 群妖伺隙，構茲多難。 薦食荊衡，陵虐江漢。 孫盧奸慝，約峻殘賊。 窮凶極暴，為鬼為蜮。 縱竊岷峨，旋至顛踣。
The verdict reads: When the central court failed, Wang Mi began the storm. The throne wandered; the people burned. Demons of disorder seized every chance to multiply sorrow. They devoured Jingzhou and the lake country and terrorized the great rivers. Sun En and Lu Xun were deceivers; Zu Yue and Su Jun butchers. Their savagery made them fiends. Qiao Zong stole Shu from the throne and toppled just as quickly.