1
薛淵
Xue Yuan
2
薛淵，河東汾陰人也。 宋徐州刺史安都從子。 本名道淵，避太祖偏諱改。 安都以彭城降虜，親族皆入北。 太祖鎮淮陰，淵遁來南，委身自結。 果幹有氣力。 太祖使領部曲，備衞帳內，從征伐。 元徽末，以勳官至輔國將軍，右軍將軍，驍騎將軍、軍主，封竟陵侯。
Xue Yuan was a man of Fenyin in Hedong. He was nephew to An Du, inspector of Xuzhou under the Song. His birth name was Dao Yuan; he changed it to avoid the Founder's taboo on the character yuan. When An Du gave up Pengcheng to the northern enemy, the whole clan went north. While the Founder was posted at Huaiyin, Yuan stole south and threw himself on the Founder's favor. He was bold and able, with great bodily strength. The Founder set him at the head of his household troops, guarding the inner quarters, and sent him on campaign after campaign. Late in the Yuanhui reign, by merit he reached General Who Supports the State, general of the right army, general of agile cavalry and army commander, and was enfeoffed marquis of Jingling.
3
沈攸之難起，太祖入朝堂，豫章王嶷代守東府，使淵領軍屯司徒左府，分備京邑。 袁粲據石頭，豫章王嶷夜登西門遙呼淵，淵驚起，率軍赴難，先至石頭焚門攻戰。 事平，明旦衆軍還集杜姥宅，街路皆滿，宮門不開，太祖登南掖門樓處分衆軍各還本頓，至食後，城門開，淵方得入見太祖，且喜且泣。 太祖卽位，增邑爲二千五百戶。 除淮陵太守，加寧朔將軍，驍騎將軍如故。 尋爲直閤將軍，冠軍將軍。 仍轉太子左率。
When Shen Youzhi rose, the Founder went into the hall of court; Prince of Yuzhang Liao held the eastern headquarters in his place and set Yuan at the head of troops encamped at the minister of public works' left quarters, dividing the capital for defense. Yuan Can held Stone citadel; Prince of Yuzhang Liao climbed the western gate at night and hailed Yuan from afar; Yuan started up in alarm, led his host to the crisis, and was first at Stone citadel—burning the gate and fighting through. When the affair was settled, at dawn the next day the hosts gathered at Old Woman Du's house; every street was full, the palace gates stayed shut, the Founder mounted the southern side-gate tower to send each army back to its post, and only after the meal hour did the gates open—then Yuan could enter and see the Founder, weeping between joy and relief. When the Founder took the throne, Yuan's fief rose to two thousand five hundred households. He was named administrator of Huailing, with added General Who Pacifies the North, general of agile cavalry unchanged. Soon he was made commander of the straight guard and general who commands the champions. He was then moved to lead the crown prince's left guard.
4
虜遣偽將薛道摽寇壽春，太祖以道摽淵之親近，敕齊郡太守劉懷慰曰：「聞道摽分明來，其兒婦竝在都，與諸弟無復同生者，凡此類，無爲不多方誤之，縱不全信，足使豺狼疑惑。」 令爲淵書與道摽示購之之意，虜得書，果追道摽，遣他將代之。
The northern enemy sent the false general Xue Daobiao against Shouchun; because Daobiao was Yuan's close kin, the Founder instructed Liu Huaishuai, administrator of Qi: 「I hear Daobiao is plainly on his way; his sons and daughters-in-law are all in the capital, and with his brothers he will no longer live as one household. For men like this, spare no trick from every side—even if they do not wholly believe you, it is enough to set wolves and jackals doubting one another. 」He had a letter drafted in Yuan's name to Daobiao showing intent to buy him over; the northerners got the letter, recalled Daobiao, and sent another general in his stead.
5
世祖卽位，遷左衞將軍。 初，淵南奔，母索氏不得自拔，改嫁長安楊氏，淵私遣購贖，梁州刺史崔慧景報淵云：「索在界首，遣信拘引，已得拔難。」 淵表求解職至界上迎之，見許。 改授散騎常侍、征虜將軍。 淵母南歸事竟無實。 ，淵上表解職送貂蟬。 詔曰：「遠隔殊方，聲問難審。 淵憂迫之深，固辭朝列。 昔東關舊典，猶通婚宦； 況母出有差，音息時至，依附前例，不容申許。 便可斷表，速還章服。」 淵以贖母旣不得，又表陳解職，詔不許。 後虜使至，上爲淵致與母書。
When Emperor Wu took the throne, Yuan was moved to general of the left guard. Earlier, when Yuan fled south, his mother Lady Suo could not break free and remarried into the Yang clan of Chang'an; Yuan secretly sent men to ransom her, and Cui Huijing, inspector of Liang, reported to Yuan: 「Suo is at the frontier post; I have sent a messenger to seize and lead her out—she is already past the danger. 」Yuan memorialized to resign his post and go to the border to receive her; the court granted it. He was reassigned supernumerary attendant of scattered cavalry and general who campaigns against the barbarians. In the end the tale of Yuan's mother coming south proved untrue. Yuan then memorialized to resign and sent back his court regalia. An edict said: 「Far apart in a foreign land, word and inquiry are hard to trust. Yuan's grief presses deep; he firmly declines the court ranks. In old precedent at the Eastern Pass, marriage and office still passed between the two sides; how much more when a mother has gone out with only a gap in degree—news still reaches him from time to time; by the earlier example, his plea cannot be granted. Let him at once withdraw the memorial and quickly return to his seals and robes. 」Because Yuan could not ransom his mother, he again memorialized to resign; the edict would not allow it. Later, when a northern envoy came, the throne had a letter written to Yuan's mother on his behalf.
6
車駕幸安樂寺，淵從駕乘虜橋，先是敕羌虜橋不得入仗，爲有司所奏，免官，見原。 四年，出爲持節、督徐州諸軍事、徐州刺史，將軍如故。 明年，遷右軍司馬，將軍如故，轉大司馬，濟陽太守，將軍如故。 七年，爲給事中、右衞將軍，以疾解職。 歸家，不能乘車，去車脚，使人轝之而去，爲有司所糾，見原。
When the imperial carriage visited Anle Temple, Yuan followed the procession across Qiang-barbarian Bridge; an earlier order had forbidden armed followers on that bridge—he was impeached by the relevant offices, dismissed, and pardoned. In the fourth year he went out bearing the staff, overseeing all Xuzhou military affairs and inspector of Xu, his generalship unchanged. The next year he was moved to right-army marshal, general unchanged, then grand marshal and administrator of Jiyang, general still unchanged. In the seventh year he was made offering attendant and general of the right guard, then resigned on grounds of illness. Back at home he could not ride in a cart; he had the cart legs taken off and men carry him away on the body—impeached by the relevant offices and pardoned.
7
八年，爲右將軍、大司馬，領軍討巴東王子響。 子響軍主劉超之被捕急，以眠褥雜物十餘種賂淵自逃，淵匿之軍中，爲有司所奏，詔原。 十年，爲散騎常侍，將軍如故。 世祖崩，朝廷慮虜南寇，假淵節，軍主、本官如故。 尋加驍騎將軍，假節、本官如故。 ，出爲持節、督司州軍事、司州刺史，右將軍如故。 ，進號平北將軍，未拜，卒。 明帝卽位，方有詔賻錢五萬，布五百匹，剋日舉哀。
In the eighth year he was made general of the right and grand marshal, leading the host to suppress Prince Zixiang of Badong. Liu Chaozhi, Zixiang's army commander, was hard pressed in arrest and bribed Yuan with a dozen sleeping mats and other goods to slip away; Yuan hid him in the host—impeached, and the edict pardoned him. In the tenth year he was made supernumerary attendant of scattered cavalry, general unchanged. When Emperor Wu died, the court feared a southern raid from the north and granted Yuan credentials, army commander and former rank unchanged. Soon he was raised to general of agile cavalry, with acting credentials and former rank unchanged. He then went out bearing the staff, overseeing Si military affairs as inspector of Si, general of the right unchanged. He was advanced in title to General Who Pacifies the North, but before investiture he died. When Emperor Ming took the throne, an edict had already granted fifty thousand cash and five hundred bolts of cloth for his funeral, with mourning set for a fixed day.
8
戴僧靜
Dai Sengjing
9
戴僧靜，會稽永興人也。 祖飾，宋景平中，與富陽孫法先謀亂伏法，家口徙青州。
Dai Sengjing was a man of Yongxing in Kuaiji. His grandfather Shi: in Song's Jingping era he plotted rebellion with Sun Faxian of Fuyang and was executed; the household was moved to Qingzhou.
10
僧靜少有膽力，便弓馬。 事刺史沈文秀，俱沒虜。 後將家屬叛還淮陰，太祖撫畜之，常在左右。 僧靜於都載錦出，爲歐陽戍所得，繫兖州獄，太祖遣薛淵餉僧靜酒食，以刀子置魚腹中。 僧靜與獄吏飲酒，旣醉，以刀刻械，手自折鏁，發屋而出。 歸，太祖匿之齋內，以其家貧，年給穀千斛。 虜圍角城，遣僧靜戰盪，數捷，補帳內軍主。 隨還京師，勳階至積射將軍、羽林監。
In youth Sengjing had courage and strength and was skilled with bow and horse. He served Inspector Shen Wenxiu and together fell into northern hands. Later he led his household in revolt back to Huaiyin; the Founder sheltered and kept him, always at his side. Seng Jing was carrying brocade out of the capital when Ouyang Shu took him and threw him into Yanzhou jail. The founding emperor sent Xue Yuan with food and wine, a knife tucked inside a fish. He drank with the jailers until they were drunk, then carved through his fetters with the knife, snapped the locks himself, tore through the roof, and fled. Back in camp, the founding emperor hid him in his private quarters and, because the household was poor, gave them a thousand piculs of grain every year. When the enemy besieged Jiaocheng, he sent Seng Jing to fight them off; after several victories Seng Jing was made chief of the inner guard. On the return to the capital his merit ranks rose to general who accumulates shots and supervisor of the feathered forest.
11
沈攸之事起，太祖入朝堂，僧靜爲軍主，從袁粲據石頭。 太祖遣僧靜將腹心先至石頭，時蘇烈據倉城，僧靜射書與烈，夜縋入城。 粲登城西南門，列燭火處分，臺軍至，射之，火乃滅，回登東門。 其黨輔國將軍孫曇瓘驍勇善戰，每盪一合，輙大殺傷，官軍死者百餘人。 軍主王天生殊死拒戰，故得相持。 自亥至丑，有流星赤色照地墜城中，僧靜率力攻倉門，身先士卒，衆潰，僧靜手斬粲，於是外軍燒門入。 初，粲大明中與蕭惠開、周朗同車行，逢大桁開，駐車共語。 惠開取鏡自照曰：「無年可仕。」 朗執鏡良久曰：「視死如歸。」 粲最後曰：「當至三公而不終也。」 僧靜以功除前軍將軍，寧朔將軍。 將士戰亡者，太祖爲歛祭焉。
When Shen Youzhi's revolt broke out, the founding emperor entered the audience hall. Seng Jing was an army chief and followed Yuan Can in holding Stone citadel. The founding emperor sent Seng Jing ahead with his trusted men. Su Lie then held the granary quarter; Seng Jing shot a letter to him and was hauled into the city by rope that night. Can climbed the southwest gate and set torches to direct the fight; when the palace troops came up he shot at them, the fires went dark, and he withdrew to the east gate. His ally, supporting-the-state general Sun Tanhuan, was fierce in battle; every charge left a great slaughter, and more than a hundred government men fell. Army chief Wang Tiansheng fought with desperate courage, and so the two sides held each other off. Between the hours of hai and chou a crimson meteor flared along the ground and fell inside the walls. Seng Jing stormed the granary gate at the head of his men; the host broke; he cut down Can with his own hand, and the outer force burned the gate and poured in. Long before, in the Daming era, Can rode in one carriage with Xiao Huikai and Zhou Lang. The Great Drawbridge stood open; they halted and spoke together. Huikai took a mirror, looked at himself, and said, 「No years are left in which to serve.」 Lang held the mirror a long while and said, 「I see death and return home.」 Can spoke last: 「I shall reach the three highest offices but not see the end.」 For merit Seng Jing was made general of the forward army and general who stabilizes the north. For officers and men who died in the fighting, the founding emperor gathered the dead and made offering.
12
，除游擊將軍。 沈攸之平，論封諸將，以僧靜爲興平縣侯，邑千戶。 太祖卽位，增邑千二百戶。 除南濟陰太守，本官如故。 除輔國將軍，改封建昌。 ，遷驍騎將軍，加員外常侍，轉太子左衞率。
He was appointed general who roams and strikes. After Shen Youzhi was crushed, rewards were debated for the generals; Seng Jing was enfeoffed Marquis of Xingping at a thousand households. When the founding emperor took the throne, his fief grew by twelve hundred households. He was made administrator of southern Jiyin, his former rank unchanged. He was made general who supports the state and his fief was moved to Jianchang. He was promoted to general of valiant cavalry, given supernumerary regular attendant, and made left guard of the heir.
13
世祖踐阼，出爲持節、督徐州諸軍事、冠軍將軍、北徐州刺史。 買牛給貧民令耕種，甚得荒情。 遷給事中、太子右率。 尋加通直常侍。 ，隷護軍陳顯達，討荒賊桓天生於比陽。 僧靜與平西司馬韓孟度、華山太守康元隆前進，未至比陽四十里，頓深橋。 天生引虜步騎十萬奄至，僧靜合戰大破之，殺獲萬計。 天生退還比陽，僧靜進圍之。 天生軍出城外，僧靜又擊破之，天生閉門不復出，僧靜力疲乃退。 除征虜將軍、南中郎司馬、淮南太守。
When Emperor Wu succeeded, he went out as bearer of the staff, overseer of Xu, general who chastises the foe, and governor of northern Xuzhou. He bought oxen for poor farmers to plow with and won deep goodwill among the frontier people. He was moved to palace attendant and right guard of the heir. Soon he was given the added title direct-and-plain regular attendant. He was placed under protector of the army Chen Xianda to campaign against the wasteland rebel Huan Tiansheng at Biyang. Seng Jing marched with pacifying-the-west staff officer Han Mengdu and Huashan administrator Kang Yuanlong. Still forty li from Biyang, they halted at Deep Bridge. Tiansheng brought a hundred thousand northern foot and horse in a sudden rush. Seng Jing met them and broke them utterly, killing and capturing by the tens of thousands. Tiansheng fell back on Biyang; Seng Jing pressed the siege. Tiansheng's men came out beyond the walls and Seng Jing beat them again. Tiansheng shut the gates and would not stir; only when Seng Jing's strength was spent did he pull back. He was made general who campaigns against the barbarians, chief of staff to the southern central commandant, and administrator of Huainan.
14
八年，巴東王子響殺僚佐，世祖召僧靜使領軍向江陵，僧靜面啓上曰：「巴東王年少，長史捉之太急，忿不思難故耳。 天子兒過誤殺人，有何大罪。 官忽遣軍西上，人情惶懼，無所不至，僧靜不敢奉敕。」 上不荅而心善之。
In the eighth year Prince of Badong Zi Xiang killed his staff. Emperor Wu summoned Seng Jing to lead troops toward Jiangling. Seng Jing spoke to the throne: 「The Prince of Badong is young; the chief administrator seized him too hard. Anger outran caution, that is all. A son of heaven who kills a man in a passing fit—what grave crime is that? If the court suddenly sends armies west, panic will spread and worse may follow. I dare not obey.」 The emperor gave no answer but was pleased in his heart.
15
徙爲廬陵王中軍司馬、高平太守，將軍如故。 九年，卒。 詔曰：「僧靜志懷貞果，誠著艱難。 剋殄西墉，勳彰運始。 奄致殞喪，惻愴傷懷。 賻錢五萬，布百匹。 諡壯侯。」
He was shifted to staff officer of the Prince of Luling's central army and administrator of Gaoping, his general rank unchanged. In the ninth year he died. An edict said: 「Seng Jing's will was steadfast and his loyalty stood firm through hardship. He broke the western rampart; his merit shone at the dawn of the realm. Sudden death has taken him; sorrow cuts deep. Funerary gift: fifty thousand cash, a hundred bolts of cloth. Posthumous title: Marquis Zhuang.」
16
僧靜同郡餘姚人陳胤叔，本名承叔，避宣帝諱改。 彊辯果捷，便刀楯。 初爲左夾轂隊將。 泰始初，隨太祖東討，遂歸身隨從征伐，小心慎事，以功見賞。 封當陽縣子。 官至太子左率。 啓世祖以鍜箭鏃用鐵多，不如鑄作。 東冶令張候伯以鑄＜金禁＞鈍，不合用，事不行。 ，卒。
Chen Yinchu of Yuyao, in the same commandery as Seng Jing, had borne the name Chengshu and changed it to avoid the taboo of Emperor Xuan. Sharp-tongued and quick with blade and shield. At first he was commander of the left flank-chariot company. At the opening of the Taishi reign he followed the founding emperor east on campaign, then gave himself to the field; careful in every duty, he was rewarded for merit. He was enfeoffed viscount of Dangyang. His office rose to left guard of the heir. He reported to Shizu that hammered arrowheads eat too much iron and fall short of cast work. Zhang Houbo of the Eastern Smelting Works tried casting, but with gold barred from the mix the points turned soft and useless, and the plan died. Then he died.
17
桓康
Huan Kang
18
桓康，北蘭陵承人也。 勇果驍悍。 宋大明中，隨太祖爲軍容。 從世祖在贛縣。 泰始初，世祖起義，爲郡所縶，衆皆散。 康裝檐，一頭貯穆后，一頭貯文惠太子及竟陵王子良，自負置山中。 與門客蕭欣祖、楊瑑之、皐分喜、潛三奴、向思奴四十餘人相結，破郡獄出世祖。 郡追兵急，康等死戰破之。 隨世祖起義，摧堅陷陣，膂力絕人，所經村邑，恣行暴害。 江南人畏之，以其名怖小兒，畫其形以辟瘧，無不立愈。 見擢爲世祖冠軍府參軍，除殿中將軍，武騎常侍，出補襄賁令。 桂陽事起，康棄縣還都就太祖，會事平，除員外郎。
Huan Kang came from Cheng in North Lanling. He was bold, savage, and feared in the fight. Under Song's Daming reign he entered the Grand Ancestor's service on the army staff. He marched with Shizu at Gan county. When Taishi opened and Shizu rose, the commandery seized him and his followers broke apart. Kang rigged shoulder-poles—Empress Mu in one basket, Crown Prince Wenhu and Prince Ziliang of Jingling in the other—and carried them himself into the mountains. He joined Xiao Xinzu, Yang Zhuanzhi, Gao Fenxi, Qian San'nu, Xiang Sinu, and forty-odd other clients, smashed the county jail, and brought Shizu out. The commandery's pursuers closed in; Kang and his band fought till they bled and drove them off. On Shizu's rising he tore through walled posts and enemy arrays, and no man could match his strength. Every hamlet on his road paid in plunder and fear. South of the Yangtze they dreaded his name and scared children with it; they painted his figure to break malaria, and the fever always broke. Shizu took him onto the champion staff, named him Palace General and Martial Cavalry Attendant-in-ordinary, and later sent him out as magistrate of Xiangben. When Guiyang rose, Kang quit his post and hurried to the capital for the Grand Ancestor; after the trouble passed he received a supernumerary appointment.
19
元徽五年七月六日夜，少帝微行至領軍府，帝左右人曰：「一府人皆眠，何不緣牆入。」 帝曰：「我今夕欲一處作適，待明日夜。」 康與太祖所養健兒盧荒、向黑於門閒聽得其語。 明夕，王敬則將帝首至，扣門，康謂是變，與荒、黑曉下，拔白欲出。 仍隨入宮。 太祖鎮東府，除康武陵王中兵、寧朔將軍，帶蘭陵太守，常衞左右。
On the night of the sixth of the seventh month in Yuanhui's fifth year, the young emperor slipped to the army commander's mansion. An attendant whispered: 「Everyone in the compound is asleep—why not come in over the wall? 」The boy emperor said: 「Tonight I want one bed and one woman; come back tomorrow night.」 Kang, together with Lu Huang and Xiang Hei, hard men the Grand Ancestor had reared, caught the exchange from the gate. Next evening Wang Jingze arrived with the emperor's head and beat on the gate. Kang read it as revolt; at first light he, Huang, and Hei rushed down, bared steel, and were ready to cut their way out. He went in with them to the palace. The Grand Ancestor held the East Mansion and named Kang the Prince of Wuling's central-troop commander, General Who Tranquilizes the North, and acting prefect of Lanling, never far from his side.
20
太祖誅黃回，回時將爲南兖州，部曲數千，遣收，恐爲亂。 召入東府，停外齋，使康將數十人數回罪，然後殺之。 回初與屯騎校尉王宜與同石頭之謀，太祖隱其事，猶以重兵付回而配以腹心。 宜與拳捷，善舞刀楯，回嘗使十餘人以水交灑，不能著。 旣慮宜與反己，乃先撤其軍將，宜與不與，回發怒不從處分，擅斬之。 諸將因此白太祖，以回握彊兵，必遂反覆。 康請獨往刺之，太祖曰：「卿等何疑甚，彼無能爲也。」 及回被召上車，愛妾見赤光冠其頭至足，苦捉留，回不肯止。 時人爲之語曰：「欲侜張，問桓康。」
The Grand Ancestor moved against Huang Hui. Hui was on the verge of southern Yanzhou with several thousand house troops; the court sent to take him in, dreading a turn. Hui was called to the East Mansion and kept in the outer lodge. Kang led a few dozen men to read his offenses aloud, then struck him down. Hui had plotted at Stone City with Wang Yiyu, Colonel of the Martial Riders; the Grand Ancestor buried the affair but still gave him a large command and set trusted men at his elbow. Yiyu was lightning with fist and shield-dance; Hui once set a dozen men to fling water at him from every side, and not a thread of him was wet. Fearing Yiyu would betray him, he pulled Yiyu's officers away first. Yiyu refused; Hui in a rage ignored the order and killed him outright. The field officers then warned the Grand Ancestor that Hui, with a hard host in hand, could not stay loyal for long. Kang offered to go in alone and run him through. The Grand Ancestor said: 「You all fret too much. He has no power left to move.」 As Hui was called up and stepped into the carriage, a favorite saw a red glow from crown to heel and seized him, pleading that he stay; Hui would not be held. A saying ran: 「Mean to fool Zhang? Ask Huan Kang.」
21
除後軍將軍，直閤將軍，南濮陽太守，寧朔如故。 ，封吳平縣伯，五百戶。 轉輔國將軍，左軍將軍，游擊將軍，太守如故。 太祖謂康曰：「卿隨我日久，未得方伯，亦當未解我意，政欲與卿先共滅虜耳。」 虜動，遣康行，假節。 尋進冠軍將軍。 三年春，於淮陽與虜戰，大破之，進兵攻陷虜樊諧城。 太祖喜，敕康迎淮北義民，不剋。 明年，以康爲持節、督青冀二州東徐之東莞琅邪二郡朐山戍北徐之東海漣口戍諸軍事、青冀二州刺史，冠軍如故。 世祖卽位，轉驍騎將軍，復前軍郡。 其年，卒。 詔曰：「康昔預南勳，義兼常懷，倍深惻愴。 凶事所須，厚加料理。」 年五十七。
He received Rear Army General, Direct Gate General, and southern Puyang, while General Who Tranquilizes the North stayed on his tally. He was enfeoffed as Baron of Wu Ping, with a fief of five hundred households. He was shifted to General Who Assists the State, Left Army General, and Mobile-Strike General, still holding his prefecture. The Grand Ancestor said to Kang: 「You have marched at my side for years without a commandery of your own—you may still miss my meaning. I want you beside me when we break the northerners.」 When the barbarians moved, he sent Kang to the field with acting credentials. Before long he was raised to Champion General. In the third year's spring he met the northerners at Huaiyang, shattered them, and pressed on to storm Fan Xie. The Grand Ancestor rejoiced and told Kang to bring in the righteous bands north of the Huai; he could not break through. The following year he went out with credentials to command Qing and Ji, eastern Xu's Dongguan and Langya, the Qushan post, and northern Xu's Donghai and Lian Mouth, as inspector of both provinces—Champion still on his title. At Shizu's accession he became Valiant Cavalry General and regained his old front-army districts. That same year he died. The throne wrote: 「Kang stood in the southern rising; his faith was long in our hearts, and his fall cuts twice as deep.」 Whatever the rites required, the court would provide in full. He was fifty-seven.
22
淮南人尹略，少伏事太祖，晚習騎射，以便捷見使爲將。 昇明中，爲虎賁中郎、越騎校尉。 建元初，封平固男，三百戶。 ，爲游擊將軍，討巴東王子響，見害。 贈輔國將軍、梁州剌史。
Yin Lue of Huainan entered the Grand Ancestor's household young; only later he took up bow and saddle, and his quick hand won him a general's rank. In Shengming he was Tiger-Guard Central Gentleman and Colonel of Valiant Cavalry. When Jianyuan opened he was enfeoffed as Baron of Pinggu, with three hundred households. He was named Mobile-Strike General, marched against Prince Zixiang of Badong, and died in the field. After death he was honored as General Who Assists the State and inspector of Liangzhou.
23
焦度
Jiao Du
24
焦度字文續，南安氐人也。 祖文珪，避難至襄陽，宋元嘉中，僑立天水郡略陽縣，乃屬焉。
Jiao Du, styled Wenxu, came of the Di people of Nan'an. His grandfather Wen Gui had fled to Xiangyang; under the Song, in the Yuanjia era, a migrant register was opened for Lüeyang in Tianshui commandery, and the clan was enrolled there.
25
度以歸國，補北館客。 孝武初，青州刺史顏師伯出鎮，臺差度領幢主送之。 索虜寇青州，師伯遣度領軍與虜戰於沙溝杜梁，度身破陣，大捷。 師伯板爲己輔國府參軍。 虜遣清水公拾賁敕文寇清口，度又領軍救援，刺虜騎將豹皮公墮馬，獲其具裝鎧槊，手殺數十人。
After Du came home to the court, he was posted as a northern-lodge guest. Early in the reign of Emperor Xiaowu of Song, Yan Shibo took up the Qingzhou garrison; the capital sent Du as banner chief on the escort. Northerners struck Qingzhou; Shibo sent Du at the head of a column to meet them at Shagou Duliang. Du tore the enemy line apart himself and carried the day. Shibo raised him to an aide on his Supporting-the-State command staff. The northerners sent the Lord of Clear Water, Shiben Diwen, against Qingkou; Du marched out again, drove his lance into the cavalry commander called Leopard-skin Duke and pitched him from the saddle, took horse-armor, mail, and lance complete, and cut down several tens of men with his own hand.
26
師伯啓孝武稱度氣力弓馬竝絕人，帝召還充左右。 見度身形黑壯，謂師伯曰：「真健物也。」 除西陽王撫軍長兼行參軍，補晉安王子勛夾轂隊主，隨鎮江州。 子勛起兵，以度爲龍驤將軍，領三千人爲前鋒，屯赭圻。 每與臺軍戰，常自排突，所向無不勝。 事敗，逃宮亭湖中爲寇賊。 朝廷聞其勇，甚憂患之，使江州刺史王景文誘降度等度，將部曲出首，景文以爲己鎮南參軍，尋領中直兵，厚待之。 隨景文還都，常在府州內。 景文被害夕，度大怒，勸景文拒命，景文不從。 明帝不知也。
Shibo memorialized Emperor Xiaowu that Du's strength, bow-work, and horsemanship stood above other men; the throne recalled him to the inner guard. When he saw Du's dark, thick-set frame, he told Shibo: 「What a bull of a man. 」He was named acting senior aide on the Pacifying Army staff of the Prince of Xiyang, made flank-carriage company chief to Prince Zixun of Jin'an, and went with the Jiangzhou garrison. When Zixun rebelled, Du was made Dragon-soaring General, given three thousand men as the van, and posted at Zheqi. In every clash with the imperial host he fought at the point of the wedge himself; nothing in his path held. When the cause collapsed, he took refuge on Gongting Lake and turned bandit. Word of his fighting power alarmed the court, which sent Jiangzhou inspector Wang Jingwen to lure Du and his men in. Du brought his following out to submit; Jingwen named him to his Pacifying-the-South staff, soon gave him the central guard companies, and favored him richly. He returned to the capital with Jingwen and rarely left the inspector's compound. The night Jingwen was killed, Du raged and pressed him to defy the order; Jingwen would not hear it. Emperor Ming never learned of it.
27
以度武勇，補晉熙王燮防閤，除征虜鎧曹行參軍，隨鎮夏口。 武陵王贊代燮爲郢州，度仍留鎮，爲贊前軍參軍。 沈攸之事起，轉度中直兵，加寧朔將軍、軍主。 太祖又遣使假度輔國將軍、屯騎校尉。 攸之大衆至夏口，將直下都，留偏兵守郢城而已。 度於城樓上肆言罵辱攸之，至自發露形體穢辱之，故攸之怒，改計攻城。 度親力戰，攸之衆蒙楯將登，度令投以穢器，賊衆不能冒，至今呼此樓爲「焦度樓」。 事寧，度功居多，轉後軍將軍，封東昌縣子，東宮直閤將軍。 爲人朴澀，欲就太祖求州，比及見，意色甚變，竟不得一語。 太祖以其不閑民事，竟不用。 ，乃除淮陵太守，本官如故。 度見朝廷貴戚，說郢城事，宣露如初。 好飲酒，醉輙暴怒。 上常使人節之。 年雖老，而氣力如故。 尋除游擊將軍。 ，卒，年六十一。 贈輔國將軍、梁秦二州刺史。
For his fighting name he was made Prince Xie of Jinxi's household guard, named acting aide in the campaign-armor bureau, and sent with the Xiakou garrison. When Prince Zan of Wuling took Yingzhou in Xie's place, Du stayed on the garrison as Zan's front-army staff officer. At the rise of Shen Youzhi, Du was moved to the central guard companies, with Pacifying-the-North General and army commander added to his title. The Grand Ancestor sent envoys as well, giving Du acting rank as Supporting-the-State General and Commandant of the Reserve Cavalry. Youzhi's main force came up to Xiakou intending to run straight for the capital, with only a flank corps left to watch Ying. Du stood on the gate tower and rained filth on Youzhi in words, then stripped and added bodily shame to the taunt. Youzhi's rage turned the march into a siege. Du fought hand to hand. Youzhi's men hid under shields and started up the wall; Du had ordure and night-soil hurled down until they could not climb. Men still call that tower 「Jiao Du's Tower.」 Once the fighting ended, his share of the credit outweighed the rest: Rear Guard General, Viscount of Dongchang, and Eastern Palace Direct Gate General. Crude and tongue-tied by nature, he meant to beg the Grand Ancestor for a province; face to face, his color shifted and he never managed one sentence. The Grand Ancestor judged him unfit for civil rule and let the request die. He was named administrator of Huailing instead, his other posts left as they were. Among the great kin of the court he would retell the siege of Ying, baring the story again as on the tower. He drank hard, and wine turned him savage. The court kept men at hand to check him. Age did not thin his strength. He was soon named General of Raiding Attack. He died at sixty-one. After death he was honored as Supporting-the-State General and inspector of Liang and Qin.
28
子世榮，永明中爲巴東王防閤。 子響事，世榮避奔雍州，世祖嘉之，以爲始興中兵參軍。
His son Shirong, in the Yongming era, was guard to the Prince of Badong. When Prince Zixiang rebelled, Shirong ran to Yongzhou; Shizu commended him and named him middle staff officer of Shixing.
29
曹虎
Cao Hu
30
曹虎字士威，下邳下邳人也，本名虎頭。 宋明帝末，爲直廂。 桂陽賊起，隨太祖出新亭壘出戰，先斬一級持還，由是識太祖。 太祖爲領軍，虎訴勳，補防殿隊主，直西齋。 蒼梧廢明日，虎欲出外避難，遇太祖在東中華門，問虎何之？ 虎因曰：「故欲仰覓明公耳。」 仍留直衞。
Cao Hu, styled Shiwei, was a man of Xiapi in Xiapi; in youth he had been called Tiger Head. In the last years of Emperor Ming of Song he held a post in the direct side-chamber guard. When the Guiyang rebels rose, he marched with the Grand Ancestor from Xinting fortress, took an enemy head before the rest, and carried it back—by that deed he came under the Grand Ancestor's eye. Once the Grand Ancestor became Commandant of the Guards, Hu laid his deeds before him and was made chief of the palace-guard company, posted to the Western Studio. The morning after the Deposed Emperor of Cangwu was cast down, Hu meant to slip out of the city; at the Eastern Central Flower Gate he met the Grand Ancestor, who asked his destination. Hu answered: 「I was on my way to seek you. 」And he stayed on direct guard.
31
太祖鎮東府，以虎與戴僧靜各領白直三百人。 累至屯騎校尉，帶南城令。 豫平石頭，封羅江縣男，除前軍將軍。 上受禪，增邑爲四百戶。 直閤將軍，領細仗主。 尋除寧朔將軍、東莞太守。 冬，虎啓乞度封侯官，尚書奏侯官戶數殷廣，乃改封監利縣。 二年，除游擊將軍，本官如故。
When the Grand Ancestor held the Eastern Mansion, Hu and Dai Sengjing each commanded three hundred white guards. He climbed by stages to Commandant of the Reserve Cavalry, with South City as his concurrent magistracy. For the taking of Shitou he was enfeoffed Baron of Luojiang and named Front Army General. At the Grand Ancestor's accession his fief was raised to four hundred households. He was made Direct-Gate General and chief of the fine ceremonial guard. Before long he went out as Pacifying-the-North General and administrator of Dongguan. That winter Hu asked to take his fief at Houguan; the Ministry reported the place too populous for a grant, and he was given Jianli county instead. In year 2 he was named General of Mobile Warfare, with his former titles left as they were.
32
及彭、沛義民起，遣虎領六千人入渦。 沈攸之橫吹一部，京邑之絕，虎啓以自隨。 義民久不至，虎乃攻虜別營破之。 將士貪取俘執，反爲虜所敗，死亡二千人。
When loyal bands rose in Peng and Pei, Hu led six thousand men into the Wo. Shen Youzhi's horizontal-flute band was a wonder of the capital; Hu asked leave to take it with him. The loyal bands never came; Hu struck instead and overran the enemy's detached camp. His men stopped to plunder captives; the raiders turned on them, and two thousand fell.
33
世祖卽位，除員外常侍，遷南中郎司馬，加寧朔將軍、南新蔡太守。 ，徙爲安成王征虜司馬，餘官如故。 明年，江州蠻動，敕虎領兵戍尋陽，板輔國將軍，伐蠻軍主。 又領尋陽相。 尋除游擊將軍，輔國、軍主如故。 世祖以虎頭名鄙，敕改之。
At Shizu's accession he became supernumerary attendant-in-ordinary, then Southern Center Army major, with Pacifying-the-North General and administrator of South Xincai added to his title. He was then shifted to Campaign-against-the-Barbarians major on the Prince of Ancheng's staff, his other offices unchanged. Next year the Jiangzhou tribes rose; the throne ordered Hu to hold Xunyang, raised him to Supporting-the-State General, and made him commander against the tribes. He also took charge of Xunyang prefecture. Before long he was named General of Mobile Warfare; his Supporting-the-State rank and tribal command stayed as they were. Shizu judged the childhood name Tiger Head coarse and commanded a change.
34
六年四月，荒賊桓天生復引虜出據隔城，遣虎督數軍討之。 虎令輔國將軍朱公恩領騎百匹及前行踏伏，值賊遊軍，因合戰破之。 遂進至隔城。 賊黨拒守，虎引兵圍柵，絕其走路，須臾，候騎還報虜援已至，尋而天生率馬步萬餘人迎戰，虎奮擊大敗之，獲二千餘人。 明日，遂攻隔城拔之，斬偽虎威將軍襄城太守帛烏祝，復殺二千餘人，賊棄平氏城退走。
In the sixth year, month 4, the outlaw Huan Tiansheng once more brought raiders out to seize Gecheng; Hu was sent to command several hosts against him. Hu set Supporting-the-State General Zhu Gong'en forward with a hundred horse and scouts to probe the trail; they hit rebel patrols, closed, and routed them. Then he pressed on to Gecheng. The rebels stood behind their stockade; Hu ringed the works and sealed every road out. In a moment his scouts rode back saying northern relief had come; then Tiansheng himself led ten thousand-odd horse and foot to give battle. Hu hit them head-on and broke them, taking more than two thousand. Next day he stormed Gecheng and carried it, beheaded the rebel Tiger Might General and Xiangcheng prefect Bo Wuzhu, cut down another two thousand, and drove the enemy from Pingshi.
35
七年，遷冠軍將軍，驍騎如故。 明年，遷太子左率，轉西陽王冠軍司馬、廣陵太守。 上敕虎曰：「廣陵須心腹，非吾意可委者，不可得處此任。」 隨郡王子隆代巴東王子響爲荊州，備軍容西上，以虎爲輔國將軍、鎮西司馬、南平內史。 十一年，收雍州剌史王奐，敕領步騎數百，步道取襄陽。 仍除持節、督梁南北秦沙四州諸軍事、西戎校尉、梁南秦二州刺史，將軍如故。 尋進號征虜將軍。 鬱林卽位，進號前將軍。 隆昌元年，遷督雍州郢州之竟陵司州之隨郡軍事、冠軍將軍、雍州刺史。 ，進號右將軍。 二年，進督爲監，進號平北將軍，爵爲侯，增邑三百戶。
In year 7 he was raised to Champion General; his Valiant Cavalry post stood. The year after, he became Crown Prince's Left Commander, then Champion major to the Prince of Xiyang and administrator of Guangling. The emperor told Hu: 「Guangling must go to a man at my breast—not to any officer I might name in passing. You cannot keep that post. 」Prince Zilong of Suizhou took Jingzhou from Prince Zixiang of Badong; the court sent the full martial train west and named Hu Supporting-the-State General, Pacify-the-West major, and interior administrator of Nanping. In year 11 Wang Huan, inspector of Yongzhou, was taken; Hu was ordered to lead a few hundred horse and foot by back paths into Xiangyang. He was then given credentials, command of the four provinces Liang, North Qin, South Qin, and Sha, the colonelcy of the Western Rong, and the two inspectorships of Liang and South Qin, while keeping his general ranks. Before long his title rose to Campaign-against-the-Barbarians General. At the Prince of Yulin's accession he was raised to Front General. In the first year of Longchang he took overall command of Yongzhou, Jingling in Yingzhou, and Suizhou in Sizhou, as Champion General and inspector of Yongzhou. His rank was raised to Right General. In year 2 his command became a superintendency; he was made Pacify-the-North General, enfeoffed as marquis, and given three hundred more households.
36
四年，虜寇沔北，虎聚軍襄陽，與南陽太守房伯玉不協，不急赴救，末乃移頓樊城。 虜主元宏遺虎書曰：「皇帝謝偽雍州刺史：神運兆中，皇居闡洛。 化總元天，方融八表。 而南有未賔之吳，治爲兩主之隔。 幽顯含嗟，人靈雍閼。 且漢北江邊，密爾乾縣，故先動鳳駕，整我神邑。 卿進無陳平歸漢之智，退闕關羽殉節之忠，嬰閉窮城，憂頓長沔，機勇兩缺，何其嗟哉。 朕比乃欲造卿，逼冗未果，且還新都，饗厥六戎，入彼春月，遲遲揚旆，善脩爾略，以俟義臨。」 虎使人答書曰：「自金精失道，皇居徙縣，喬木空存，茂草方鬱。 七狄交侵，五胡代起，顧瞻中原，每用弔焉。 知棄皐蘭，隨水瀍澗，伊川之象，爰在茲日。 古人有云：『匪宅是卜，而隣是卜。』 樊、漢無幸，咫尺殊風，折膠入塞，乘秋犯邊，親屬窮於斬殺，士女困於虔劉。 與彼蠢左，共爲脣齒，仁義弗聞，苛暴先露。 乃復改易氈裘，妄自尊大。 我皇開運，光宅區夏，而式亂逋逃，棄同卽異。 每欲出車鞠旅，以征不庭，所冀干戚兩階，叛命來格，遂復遊魂不戢，亂猾孔熾。 孤總連率，任屬方邵，組甲十萬，雄戟千羣，以此戡難，何往不克。 主上每矜率土，哀彼民黎，使不戰屈敵，兵無血刃。 故部勒小戍，閉壁清野，抗威遵養，庶能懷音。 若遂迷復，知進忘退，當金鉦戒路，雲旗北掃，長驅燕代，併羈名王，使少卿忽諸，頭曼不祀。 兵交無遠，相爲憫然。」
In year 4 the enemy struck north of the Mian. Hu held Xiangyang, quarreled with Nanyang prefect Fang Boyu, and would not march to the rescue until late, when he moved his camp to Fancheng. The northern ruler Yuan Hong wrote Hu: 「The Emperor greets the pretender Inspector of Yongzhou: Heaven's mandate gathers at the center; the throne is set anew at Luoyang. Transforming power holds the primal sky; the eight reaches melt into one realm. Yet Wu in the south still withholds allegiance, and the land lives under two crowns. Ghosts and men alike groan; heaven and earth are stopped in their course. North of the Han and along the river, hard by our royal seat, the imperial train moved first to set our sacred city in order. You have not Chen Ping's wit in choosing the winning side, nor Guan Yu's loyalty unto death. You cage yourself in a lost town and drag out your days on the long Mian—cunning and nerve both spent. What waste! I meant lately to come to you myself, but the press of affairs held me back. I turn now to the new capital to feast my six hosts; when spring opens I shall lift my banners in good time. Sharpen your counsel and wait on my righteous march. 」Hu answered by messenger: 「Since the golden mandate lost its path, the throne shifted its seat—the great trunks stand bare while coarse weeds run wild. Seven barbarian hosts harry the land in turn; five alien clans rise one after another—whoever looks on the central plains must mourn. You forsook Gaolan and went where the Chan and Jian flow—the omen of the Yichuan is fulfilled in our time. The ancients said: 「Do not divine the house—divine the neighborhood. 」Fancheng and the Han know no mercy; within a spear-cast the air changes. Ice seals the passes; you strike the frontier in autumn. Families are cut down to the last; men and women die in sweeping slaughter. You cling to those savage allies as lip to teeth, yet benevolence never reaches your lips—only cruelty comes first. Again you trade the court robe for barbarian skins and call yourself exalted. Our emperor opened the age and brought peace to the central realm, while you run with rebels and cast off kin for strangers. Again and again we would march to chastise the defiant, hoping arms laid at the two stairs would bring the wayward home—yet your restless kind will not be ruled, and disorder burns hotter. I command the allied hosts, set as frontier marshal—mail by the hundred thousand, halberds in a thousand ranks—with such force to crush rebellion, what ground could stand? Our sovereign pities the four quarters and grieves for the people, wishing foes to bow without a fight and blades to stay clean. So he sets light guards, shuts the walls and clears the fields, shows force yet holds to restraint, hoping you may yet hear reason. If you press on in delusion—advance without knowing when to pull back—bronze gongs will clear the march, cloud-banners will sweep the north, we shall run far through Yan and Dai, leash every crowned name among you, let your young envoy vanish in a breath, and leave Touman without offerings. Once steel is drawn, no land lies distant; even across the lines, men may pity each other.」
37
，遷給事中，右衞將軍，持節，隷都督陳顯達停襄陽伐虜。 度支尚書崔慧景於鄧地大敗，虜追至沔北。 元宏率十萬衆，從羽儀華蓋，圍樊城。 虎閉門固守。 虜去城數里立營頓，設氈屋，復再圍樊城，臨沔水，望襄陽岸乃去。 虎遣軍主田安之等十餘軍出逐之，頗相傷殺。 東昏卽位，遷前將軍，鎮軍司馬。 ，始安王遙光反，虎領軍屯青溪中橋。 事寧，轉散騎常侍、右衞將軍。
He was named supervising censor and Right Guard General, given staff authority, and placed under regional inspector Chen Xianda, who held at Xiangyang to fight the northerners. Fiscal director Cui Huijing was routed at Deng; the enemy chased to the north bank of the Mian. Yuan Hong came in person at the head of a hundred thousand men, feathered standards and state umbrellas in train, and ringed Fancheng. Hu barred the gates and stood on the defense. The northerners camped a few li out, raised felt lodges, tightened the siege of Fancheng twice, lingered on the Mian shore looking toward Xiangyang across the water, then drew away. Hu sent Tian Anzhi and more than ten column commanders in pursuit; both sides took heavy casualties. When Donghun ascended, Hu became front general and pacifying-the-army staff officer. When Prince Yao Guang of Shi'an rose, Hu took the field and held the Middle Bridge on Qing Creek. After order returned, he was made regular attendant of the scattered cavalry and Right Guard General.
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虎形幹甚毅，善於誘納，日食荒客常數百人。 晚節好貨賄，吝嗇，在雍州得見錢五千萬，伎女食醬菜，無重肴。 每好風景，輙開庫拍張向之。 帝疑虎舊將，兼利其財，新除未及拜，見殺。 時年六十餘。 和帝中興元年，追贈安北將軍、徐州刺史。
Hu was thick-set and iron-hard in bearing, clever at drawing men to him; every day he fed hired blades by the hundreds. Late in life he hungered for graft and counted every cash; in Yongzhou his visible hoard reached fifty million, yet his singing girls dined on pickle and greens without a second course. Whenever a view pleased him, he opened the storehouse and called for hand-clap players to perform toward it. The throne mistrusted an old fighting man and coveted his hoard; Hu was cut down before he could take up his new post. He was a little past sixty. In the first year of Emperor He's Zhongxing restoration, he was posthumously named General Who Pacifies the North and inspector of Xuzhou.
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【評】
Appraisal
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史臣曰：解厄鴻門，資舞陽之氣； 納降饗旅，仗虎侯之力。 觀茲猛毅，藉以風威，未必投車挾輈，然後勝敵。 故桓康之聲，所以震懾江蠡也。
The historian writes: crisis broken at Hong Gate rested on Wuyang's nerve; to take surrender and feast the host leaned on the Tiger Marquis's force. Men of such fighting nerve, backed by martial dread, need not overturn chariots and seize reins before they win. That is why Huan Kang's name alone could cow the Yangtze scourge.
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贊曰：薛辭親愛，歸身淮涘。 戴類千秋，興言帝子。 桓勇焦壯，爪牙之士。 虎守西邊，功虧北鄙。
In praise: Xue turned from kin and pledged himself to the Huai bank. Dai's sort endures a thousand years; his counsel moved the imperial sons. Huan bold as Jiao stout—a teeth-and-claw fighter. Hu held the western frontier; credit broke on the northern line.
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注
Note