a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第42章

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nd　treat　with　equal　dignity。

These　horses；　then；　going　in　the　way　I　have　stated；　pass　twice　round　the　arena　and　place　themselves　in　the　middle　of　the　arena　in　five　or　six　lines；　one　before　the　other；　and　the　king's　horse　in　front　of　them；　all　facing　the　king；　they　stand　in　such　a　way　that　between　them　and　the　men　there　is　an　open　space　all　round。　As　soon　as　they　are　arranged　in　this　way　and　are　all　quiet　there　goes　out　from　the　inside　of　the　palace　a　Brahman；　the　highest　in　rank　of　those　about　the　king；　and　two　others　with　him；　and　this　chief　Brahman　carries　in　his　hands　a　bowl　with　a　cocoanut　and　some　rice　and　flowers；　while　others　carry　a　pot　of　water；　and　they　pass　round　by　the　back　of　the　horses；　which　all　stand　facing　the　king；　and　after　performing　his　ceremonies　there；　he　returns　to　the　palace。

After　this　is　over　you　will　see　issuing　from　inside　twenty…five　or　thirty　female　doorkeepers；　with　canes　in　their　hands　and　whips　on　their　shoulders；　and　then　close　to　these　come　many　eunuchs；　and　after　these　eunuchs　come　many　women　playing　many　trumpets　and　drums　and　pipes　（but　not　like　ours）　and　viols；　and　many　other　kinds　of　music；　and　behind　these　women　will　come　some　twenty　women…porters；　with　canes　in　their　hands　all　covered　with　silver；　and　close　to　them　come　women　clothed　in　the　following　manner。　They　have　very　rich　and　fine　silk　cloths；　on　the　head　they　wear　high　caps　which　they　call　COLLAES；＇448＇　and　on　these　caps　they　wear　flowers　made　of　large　pearls；　collars　on　the　neck　with　jewels　of　gold　very　richly　set　with　many　emeralds　and　diamonds　and　rubies　and　pearls；　and　besides　this　many　strings　of　pearls；　and　others　for　shoulder…belts；　on　the　lower　part　of　the　arms　many　bracelets；　with　half　of　the　upper　arm　all　bare；　having　armlets　in　the　same　way　all　of　precious　stones；　on　the　waist　many　girdles　of　gold　and　of　precious　stones；　which　girdles　hang　in　order　one　below　the　other；　almost　as　far　down　as　half　the　thigh；　besides　these　belts　they　have　other　jewels；　and　many　strings　of　pearls　round　the　ankles；　for　they　wear　very　rich　anklets　even　of　greater　value　than　the　rest。　They　carry　in　their　hands　vessels　of　gold　each　as　large　as　a　small　cask　of　water；　inside　these　are　some　loops　made　of　pearls　fastened　with　wax；　and　inside　all　this　a　lighted　lamp。　They　come　in　regular　order　one　before　the　other；　in　all　perhaps　sixty　women　fair　and　young；　from　sixteen　to　twenty　years　of　age。　Who　is　he　that　could　tell　of　the　costliness　and　the　value　of　what　each　of　these　women　carries　on　her　person？　So　great　is　the　weight　of　the　bracelets　and　gold　and　jewels　carried　by　them　that　many　of　them　cannot　support　them；　and　women　accompany　them　assisting　them　by　supporting　their　arms。　In　this　manner　and　in　this　array　they　proceed　three　times　round　the　horses；　and　at　the　end　retire　into　the　palace。　These　women　are　maids　of　honour　to　the　queens；　and　so　are　the　others　that　go　with　them；　on　each　day　of　these　nine　days　of　the　feast　one　of　the　queens　sends；　each　on　her　own　day；　her　ladies　with　the　others。　The　officials；　in　honour　of　the　feast；　have　the　days　divided　between　them　in　accordance　with　their　custom　as　already　arranged　by　the　king；　and　these　women　come　every　day　most　richly　attired；　taking　pleasure　in　strewing　themselves　in　such　things；　and　in　making　a　display　each　one　of　what　she　possesses。

When　these　women　retire　the　horses　also　go；　and　then　come　the　elephants；　and　after　making　their　salaam　they　too　retire。　As　soon　as　they　are　gone　the　king　retires　by　a　small　door　which　is　at　the　end　of　the　building。　Then　the　Brahmans　go　and　take　an　idol；　and　carry　it　to　the　House　of　Victory；　where　is　the　room　of　cloth　that　I　have　spoken　of；　and　the　king　at　once　comes　from　within；　and　goes　to　where　the　idol　is；　and　offers　his　prayers　and　performs　his　ceremonies。　Then　they　bring　there　more　buffaloes　and　sheep；　and　kill　them　in　the　same　way　as　before；　and　then　come　the　professional　women　to　dance。　As　soon　as　the　slaughter　of　the　buffaloes　and　sheep　is　over　the　king　retires；　and　goes　to　his　supper；　for　he　fasts　all　these　nine　days；　and　（each　day）　they　eat　nothing　until　all　is　finished；　and　their　hour　for　food　is　midnight。　The　bayaderes　remain　dancing　before　the　idol　a　long　time　after　all　this　is　done。

In　this　way　are　celebrated　these　festivals　of　nine　days；　on　the　last　day　there　are　slaughtered　two　hundred　and　fifty　buffaloes　and　four　thousand　five　hundred　sheep。

When　these　days　of　festival　are　past；　the　king　holds　a　review　of　all　his　forces；　and　the　review　is　thus　arranged。　The　king　commands　to　pitch　his　tent　of　Mecca　velvet　a　full　league　from　the　city；　at　a　place　already　fixed　for　that　purpose；　and　in　this　tent　they　place　the　idol　in　honour　of　which　all　these　festivals　are　celebrated。　From　this　tent　to　the　king's　palace　the　captains　range　themselves　with　their　troops　and　array；　each　one　in　his　place　according　to　his　rank　in　the　king's　household。　Thus　the　soldiers　stand　in　line；　but　it　does　not　appear　to　you　to　be　only　one　line　but　in　some　places　two　or　three；　one　behind　the　other。　Where　there　was　a　lake　it　was　surrounded　with　troops；　and　where　the　road　was　narrow　they　were　drawn　up　on　the　plain；　and　so　on　the　slope　of　the　hills　and　eminences；　in　such　a　way　that　you　could　see　neither　plain　nor　hill　that　was　not　entirely　covered　with　troops。　Those　on　foot　stood　in　front　of　those　on　horses；　and　the　elephants　behind　the　horses；　in　this　array　was　each　captain　with　his　troops。　The　captains　who　had　their　stations　inside　the　city；　since　the　soldiers　could　not　be　drawn　up　on　the　flat　roofs　of　the　houses；　put　up　scaffoldings　across　the　mouths　of　the　streets　to　hold　the　troops；　in　such　a　way　that　all　were　full；　both　outside　and　in。

Now　I　should　like　to　describe　to　you　how　they　were　armed；　and　their　decorations。　The　cavalry　were　mounted　on　horses　fully　caparisoned；　and　on　their　foreheads　plates；　some　of　silver　but　most　of　them　gilded；　with　fringes　of　twisted　silk　of　all　colours；　and　reins　of　the　same；＇449＇　others　had　trappings　of　Mecca　velvet；　which　is　velvet　of　many　colours　with　fringes　and　ornaments；　others　had　them　of　other　silks；　such　as　satins　and　damask；　and　others　of　brocade　from　China　and　Persia。＇450＇　Some　of　the　men　with　the　gilded　plates　had　them　set　with　many　large　precious　stones；　and　on　the　borders　lace…work　of　small　stones。　Some　of　these　horses　had　on　their　foreheads　heads　of　serpents　and　of　other　large　animals　of　various　kinds；　made　in　such　a　strange　manner　that　they　were　a　sight　to　see　for　the　perfection　of　their　make。　The　horsemen　were　dressed　in　quilted　tunics；＇451＇　also　of　brocade　and　velvet　and　every　kind　of　silk。　These　tunics　are　made　of　layers　of　very　strong　raw　leather；　and　furnished　with　other　iron　（plates）　that　make　them　strong；　some　have　these　plates　gilded　both　inside　and　out；　and　some　are　made　of　silver。　Their　headpieces　are　in　the　manner　of　helmets　with　borders　covering　the　neck；　and　each　has　its　piece　to　protect　the　face；　they　are　of　the　same　fashion　as　the　tunics。　They　wear　on　the　neck　gorgets　（COFOS）　all　gilded；　others　made　of　silk　with　plates　of　gold　and　silver；　others　of　steel　as　bright　as　a　mirror。　At　the　waists　they　have　swords　and　small　battle…axes；　and　in　their　hands　javelins　with　the　shafts　covered　with　gold　and　silver。　All　have　their　umbrellas　of　state　made　of　embroidered　velvet　and　damask；　with　many　coloured　silks　on　the　horses。　They　wave　many　（standards　with）　white　and　coloured　tails；　and　hold　them　in　much　esteem　　which　tails　are　horses'　tails。　The　elephants　in　the　same　way　are　covered　with　caparison　of　velvet　and　gold　with　fringes；　and　rich　cloths　of　many　colours；　and　with　bells　so　that　the　earth　resounds；　and　on　their　heads　are　painted　faces　of　giants　and　other　kinds　of　great　beasts。　On　the　back　of　each　one　of　them　are　three　or　four　men；　dressed　in　their　quilted　tunics；　and　armed　with　shields　and　javelins；　and　they　are　arrayed　as　if　for　a　foray。　Then；　turning　to　the　troops　on　foot；　there　are　so　many　that　they　surround　all　the　valleys　and　hills　in　a　way　with　which　nothing　in　the　world　can　compare。　You　will　see　amongst　them　dresses　of　such　rich　cloths　that　I　do　not　know　where　they　came　from；　nor　could　any　one　tell　how　many　colours　they　have；　shield…men　with　their　shields；　with　many　flowers　of　gold　and　silver　on　them；　others　with　figures　of　tigers　and　other　great　beasts；　others　all　covered　with　silver　leaf…work　beautifully　wrought；　others　with　painted　colours；　others　black　and　（so　polished　that）　you　can　see　into　them　as　into　a　mirror；　and　their　swords　so　richly　ornamented　that　they　could　not　possibly　be　more　so。　Of　the　archers；　I　must　tell　you　that　they　have　bows　plated　with　gold　and　silver；　and　others　have　them　polished；　and　their　arrows　very　neat；　and　so　feathered　that　they　could　not　be　better；　daggers　at　their　waists　and　battle…axes；　with　the　shafts　and　ends　of　gold　and　silver；　then　you　see　musqueteers　with　their　musquets　and　blunderbusses　and　their　thick　tunics；　all　in　their　order；　with　their　。。。＇452＇　in　all　their　bravery；　it　was　indeed　a　thing　to　see。　Then　the　Moors　　one　must　not　forget　them　　for　they　were　there　also　in　the　review　with　their　shields；　javelins；　and　Turkish　bows；　with　many　bombs　and　spears　and　fire…missiles；　and　I　was　much　astonished　to　find　amongst　them　men　who　knew　so　well　how　to　work　these　weapons。

The　king　leaves　his　palace　riding　on　the　horse　of　which　I　have　already　told　you；　clothed　in　the　many　rich　white　cloths　I　have　mentioned；　with　two　umbrellas　of　state　all　gilded　and　covered　with　crimson　velvet；　and　with　the　jewels　and　adornments　which　they　keep　for　the　purpose　of　wearing　at　such　times：　he　who　ever　wears　such　jewels　can　understand　the　sort　of　things　so　great　a　lord　would　wear。　Then　to　see　the　grandeur　of　the　nobles　and　men　of　rank；　I　cannot　possibly　describe　it　all；　nor　should　I　be　believed　if　I　tried　to　do　so；　then　to　see　the　horses　and　the　armour　that　they　wear；　you　would　see　them　so　covered　with　metal　plates　that　I　have　no　words　to　express　what　I　saw；　and　some　hid　from　me　the　sight　of　others；　and　to　try　and　tell　of　all　I　saw　is　hopeless；　for　I　went　along　with　my　head　so　often　turned　from　one　side　to　the　other　that　I　was　almost　falling　backwards　off　my　horse　with　my　senses　lost。　The　cost　of　it　all　is　not　so　much　to　be　wondered　at；　as　there　is　so　much　money　in　the　land；　and　the　chiefs　are　so　wealthy。

There　went　in　front　of　the　king　many　elephants　with　their　coverings　and　ornaments；　as　I　have　said；　the　king　had　before　him　some　twenty　horses　fully　caparisoned　and　saddled；　with　embroideries　of　gold　and　precious　stones；　that　showed　off　well　the　grandeur　and　state　of　their　lord。　Close　to　the　king　went　a　cage　such　as　is　seen　at　Lisbon　on　the　day　of　the　Corpo　de　Dios　festival；　and　it　was　gilded　and　very　large；　it　seemed　to　me　to　be　made　of　copper　or　silver；　it　was　carried　by　sixteen　men；　eight　on　each　side；　besides　others　who　took　their　turns；　and　in　it　is　carried　the　idol　of　which　I　have　already　spoken。　Thus　accompanied　the　king　passed　along　gazing　at　his　soldiers；　who　gave　great　shouts　and　cries　and　struck　their　shields；　the　horses　neighed；　the　elephants　screamed；　so　that　it　seemed　as　it　the　city　would　be　overturned；　the　hills　and　valleys　and　all　the　ground　trembled　with　the　discharges　of　arms　and　musquets；　and　to　see　the　bombs　and　fire…missiles　over　the　plains；　this　was　indeed　wonderful。　Truly　it　seemed　a