a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第50部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


se　them；　and　when　he　has　finished　doing　this　he　reaches　towards　the　elephants　and　does　the　same　to　them。　And　when　the　king　has　finished　this；　the　Brahman　takes　the　basket　and　descends　to　the　platform；＇440＇　and　from　thence　puts　those　roses　and　other　flowers　on　the　heads　of　all　the　horses；　and　this　done；　returns　to　the　king。　Then　the　king　goes　again　to　where　the　idol　is；　and　as　soon　as　he　is　inside　they　lift　the　curtains＇441＇　of　the　room；　which　are　made　like　the　purdahs　of　a　tent；　and　the　king　seats　himself　there　where　these　are；　and　they　lift　them　all。　Thence　he　witnesses　the　slaughter　of　twenty…four　buffaloes　and　a　hundred　and　fifty　sheep；　with　which　a　sacrifice　is　made　to　that　idol；　you　must　know　that　they　cut　off　the　heads　of　these　buffaloes　and　sheep　at　one　blow　with　certain　large　sickles　which　are　wielded　by　a　man　who　has　charge　of　this　slaughter；　they　are　so　sure　of　hand　that　no　blow　misses。　When　they　have　finished　the　slaughter　of　these　cattle　the　king　goes　out　and　goes　to　the　other　large　buildings；　on　the　platforms　of　which　is　a　crowd　of　Brahmans；　and　as　soon　as　the　king　ascends　to　where　they　stand　they　throw　to　the　king　ten　or　twelve　roses　　those　（that　is）　who　are　nearest　to　him。　Then　he　passes　all　along　the　top　of　the　buildings；　and　as　soon　as　he　is　at　the　end　he　takes　the　cap　from　his　head；　and　after　placing　it　on　the　ground　turns　back　（to　the　place）　where　the　idol　is；　here　he　lies　extended　on　the　ground。　When　he　has　arisen　he　betakes　himself　to　the　interior　of　the　building；　and　enters　a　garden　（or　walled　enclosure　　QUYNTAL）　where　they　say　that　a　little　fire　has　been　made；　and　he　throws　into　the　fire　a　powder　made　up　of　many　things；　namely；　rubies　and　pearls　and　all　other　kinds　of　precious　stones；　and　aloes　and　other　sweet…scented　things。　This　done；　he　returns　to　the　pagoda　and　goes　inside　and　stays　a　little；　at　which　time　enter　by　the　other　door　some　of　his　favourites　who　are　in　the　building；　and　they　make　their　salaam。　Then　he　goes　back　to　the　place　whence　he　threw　the　flowers　to　the　horses；　and　as　soon　as　he　is　here　all　the　captains　and　chief　people　come　and　make　their　salaam　to　him；　and　some；　if　they　so　desire；　present　some　gifts　to　him；　then　as　they　came　so　they　retire；　and　each　one　betakes　himself　to　his　own　dwelling。　And　the　king　withdraws　to　the　interior　of　his　palace　by　that　gate　which　I　have　already　mentioned　　that　which　stands　between　the　two　buildings　that　are　in　the　arena　（TERREYRO）；　the　courtesans　and　bayaderes＇442＇　remain　dancing　in　front　of　the　temple　and　idol　for　a　long　time。　This　is　what　is　done　during　the　morning　of　each　day　of　these　nine　days；　with　the　ceremonies　I　have　mentioned；　and　each　day　more　splendid　（than　the　last）。

Now；　returning　to　the　feasts。　At　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　every　one　comes　to　the　palace。　They　do　not　admit　every　one　at　once　（they　allowed　us　to　go　into　the　open　part　that　is　between　the　gates）；　but　there　go　inside　only　the　wrestlers　and　dancing…women；　and　the　elephants；　which　go　with　their　trappings　and　decorations；　those　that　sit　on　them　being　armed　with　shields　and　javelins；　and　wearing　quilted　tunics。＇443＇　As　soon　as　these　are　inside　they　range　themselves　round　the　arena；　each　one　in　his　place；　and　the　wrestlers　go　close　to　the　staircase　which　is　in　the　middle　of　that　building；　where　has　been　prepared　a　large　space　of　ground　for　the　dancing…women　to　wrestle。　Many　other　people　are　then　at　the　entrance…gate　opposite　to　the　building；　namely　Brahmans；　and　the　sons　of　the　King's　favourites；　and　their　relations；　all　these　are　noble　youths　who　serve　before　the　king。　The　officers　of　the　household　go　about　keeping　order　amongst　all　the　people；　and　keep　each　one　in　his　own　place。　The　different　pavilions　are　separated　by　doors；　so　that　no　one　may　enter　unless　he　is　invited。

Salvatinica；＇444＇　who　is　the　principal　person　that　enters　the　building；　supervises　the　whole；　for　he　brought　up　the　king　and　made　him　king；　and　so　the　king　looks　on　him　like　a　father。　Whenever　the　king　calls　to　him　he　addresses　him　as　〃Lord　（SENHOR）　Salvatinica；〃　and　all　the　captains　and　nobles　of　the　realm　make　salaam　to　him。　This　Salvatinica　stands　inside　the　arena　where　the　festivals　go　on；　near　one　of　the　doors；　and　from　there　gives　the　word　for　the　admission　of　all　the　things　necessary　for　the　festival。

After　all　this　is　done　and　arranged　the　king　goes　forth　and　seats　himself　on　the　dais　I　have　mentioned；　where　is　the　throne　and　the　other　things；　and　all　those　that　are　inside　make　their　salaam　to　him。　As　soon　as　they　have　done　this　the　wrestlers　seat　themselves　on　the　ground；　for　these　are　allowed　to　remain　seated；　but　no　other；　howsoever　great　a　lord　he　be；　except　the　king　so　commands；　and　these　also　eat　betel；　though　none　else　may　eat　it　in　his　presence　except　the　dancing…women；　who　may　always　eat　it　before　him。　As　soon　as　the　king　is　seated　in　his　place　he　bids　to　sit　with　him　three　or　four　men　who　belong　to　his　race；　and　who　are　themselves　kings　and　the　fathers　of　his　wives；　the　principal　of　these　is　the　king　of　Syrimgapatao　and　of　all　the　territory　bordering　on　Malabar；　and　this　king　is　called　Cumarvirya；＇445＇　and　he　seats　himself　as　far　in　front　as　the　king　on　the　other　side　of　the　dais；　the　rest　are　behind。

There　the　king　sits；　dressed　in　white　clothes　all　covered　with　（embroidery　of）　golden　roses　and　wearing　his　jewels　　he　wears　a　quantity　of　these　white　garments；　and　I　always　saw　him　so　dressed　　and　around　him　stand　his　pages　with　his　betel；　and　his　sword；　and　the　other　things　which　are　his　insignia　of　state。　Many　Brahmans　stand　round　the　throne　on　which　rests　the　idol；　fanning　it　with　horsetail　plumes；　coloured；　the　handles　of　which　are　all　overlaid　with　gold；　these　plumes　are　tokens　of　the　highest　dignity；　they　also　fan　the　king　with　them。

As＇446＇　soon　as　the　king　is　seated；　the　captains　who　waited　without　make　their　entrance；　each　one　by　himself；　attended　by　his　chief　people；　and　so　on；　all　in　order；　they　approach　and　make　their　salaams　to　the　king；　and　then　take　their　places　in　the　pavilions　（VERAMDAS）　which　I　have　previously　described。　As　soon　as　these　nobles　have　finished　entering；　the　captains　of　the　troops　approach　with　shields　and　spears；　and　afterwards　the　captains　of　the　archers；　these　officers　are　all　stationed　on　the　ground　around　the　arena　in　front　of　the　elephants；　and　they　constitute　the　king's　guard；　for　into　such　a　place　no　man　may　enter　bearing　arms；　nor　near　to　where　the　king　is。　As　soon　as　these　soldiers　have　all　taken　their　places　the　women　begin　to　dance；　while　some　of　them　place　themselves　in　the　circular　galleries　that　I　have　said　were　（erected）　at　their　gate　of　entrance。　Who　can　fitly　describe　to　you　the　great　riches　these　women　carry　on　their　persons？　　collars　of　gold　with　so　many　diamonds　and　rubies　and　pearls；　bracelets　also　on　their　arms　and　on　their　upper　arms；　girdles　below；　and　of　necessity　anklets　on　the　feet。　The　marvel　should　be　otherwise；　namely　that　women　of　such　a　profession　should　obtain　such　wealth；　but　there　are　women　among　them　who　have　lands　that　have　been　given　to　them；　and　litters；　and　so　many　maid…servants　that　one　cannot　number　all　their　things。　There　is　a　woman　in　this　city　who　is　said　to　have　a　hundred　thousand　PARDAOS；＇447＇　and　I　believe　this　from　what　I　have　seen　of　them。

Then　the　wrestlers　begin　their　play。　Their　wrestling　does　not　seem　like　ours；　but　there　are　blows　（given）；　so　severe　as　to　break　teeth；　and　put　out　eyes；　and　disfigure　faces；　so　much　so　that　here　and　there　men　are　carried　off　speechless　by　their　friends；　they　give　one　another　fine　falls　too。　They　have　their　captains　and　judges；　who　are　there　to　put　each　one　on　an　equal　footing　in　the　field；　and　also　to　adjust　the　honours　to　him　who　wins。

In　all　this　portion　of　the　day　nothing　more　is　done　than　this　wrestling　and　the　dancing　of　the　women；　but　as　soon　as　ever　the　sun　is　down　many　torches　are　lit　and　some　great　flambeaux　made　of　cloth；　and　these　are　placed　about　the　arena　in　such　a　way　that　the　whole　is　as　light　as　day；　and　even　along　the　top　of　the　walls；　for　on　all　the　battlements　are　lighted　lamps；　and　the　place　where　the　king　sits　is　all　full　of　torches。　As　soon　as　these　are　all　lit　up　there　are　introduced　many　very　graceful　plays　and　contrivances；　but　these　do　not　stop　long；　they　only　approach　where　the　king　is　and　then　go　out。　Then　there　enter　others　in　other　fashion；　with　battles　of　people　on　horseback；　these　horses　are　like　the　hobby…horses　made　in　Portugal　for　the　feast　of　the　Corpo　de　Dios；　others　come　with　casting…nets；　fishing；　and　capturing　the　men　that　are　in　the　arena。　When　these　amusements　are　ended；　they　begin　to　throw　up　many　rockets　and　many　different　sorts　of　fires；　also　castles　that　burn　and　fling　out　from　themselves　many　bombs　（TIROS）　and　rockets。

When　these　fireworks　are　finished；　there　enter　many　triumphal　cars　which　belong　to　the　captains；　some　of　them　sent　by　those　captains　who　are　waging　war　in　foreign　parts；　and　they　enter　thus。　The　first　belongs　to　Salvatinica；　and　they　come　in　one　after　the　other。　Some　of　the　cars　appear　covered　with　many　rich　cloths；　having　on　them　many　devices　of　dancing…girls　and　other　human　figures；　there　are　other　cars　having　tiers　one　on　top　of　another；　and　others　all　of　one　kind；　and　so　in　their　order　they　pass　to