『古事記』中つ巻「沙本毘古王の反逆」より
伊久米伊理毘古伊佐知命（いくめいりびこいさちのみこと・垂仁天皇）が后とした沙本毘売命（さほびめのみこと）には、沙本毘古王（さほびこのみこ）という大切な兄がいました。
ある時、沙本毘古王は沙本毘売命に、「夫と、この兄と、どちらをいとしく思っているか」と問いかけました。「それは、お兄様をいとしく思っています」沙本毘売命が答えると、「本当にそう思うのであれば、二人で一緒に天下をおさめよう。それには」兄は声を殺すと、切れ味するどい小刀を沙本毘売命に手渡します。「これで、天皇が寝ているところを刺し殺せ」
そんな二人のたくらみを、天皇は知るよしもありません。沙本毘売命のひざまくらで、安らかに眠りにつく夫。その首を刺そうと、沙本毘売命は、三度にわたって小刀をふり上げます。ですが、悲しみのあまり、どうしてもできません。あふれる涙が頬に落ち、天皇は目をさまします。
「今、おかしな夢を見たのじゃ。佐保（奈良市）のほうからにわか雨が降ってきて、急にわたしの顔をぬらした。そして錦のような模様をした小さなヘビが、わたしの首に巻きついてきたのだ」
すべてを見通されたと思った沙本毘売命は、兄とのやりとりのすべてを打ち明けました。天皇は、沙本毘古王を討つため軍を集めます。沙本毘売命は、兄を思う気持ちをおさえられず、夫のもとを離れ、兄が立てこもる稲城（いなき）へ入りました。実はこの時、彼女のおなかには、天皇との子が宿っていました。
天皇は彼女をいとしみ、急に城を攻めることはしませんでした。やがて赤ちゃんが生まれると、沙本毘売命は「もしこの子が、天皇の御子（みこ）であると思われるなら、受け取ってください」と伝えます。后を思う心の変わらない天皇は、選りすぐりの兵士を集め、御子と一緒にその母も同時に取り戻すように命じました。
御子を抱いた沙本毘売命が城の外へ出ると、兵士たちは御子を受け取り、続いて沙本毘売命の髪や衣服につかみかかります。しかし彼女はその狙いを見抜いていました。髪は元から切ってあり、衣服は腐らせてあったのです。兵士たちはついに、沙本毘売命をつかまえることができませんでした。やがて天皇は稲城を攻め、沙本毘売命は、兄と運命をともにしました。
夫と兄との間で揺れながらも、最期まで情に生き抜いた沙本毘売命の姿は、千数百年の時を越えて、私たちの心を強く打ちます。
英訳文を表示する（For English）
From the Kojiki, Volume II “Conspiracy of Saho-biko no Miko”
Ikumeiribiko-isachi no Mikoto, later known as Emperor Suinin, chose to marry Saho-bime no Mikoto, although she was still in love with her elder brother, Saho-biko no Miko.
One day, Saho-biko no Miko asked his sister, “My dear sister, who do you love the most, your husband or your brother?” When she answered, “Well, I love you the most dearly,” he continued, “If your words are true, let us reign over the country together. For that purpose...” Then, he whispered to her secretively as he handed her a sharp dagger, “With this, stab the Emperor to death while he is sleeping.”
The Emperor did not know of any plots against his life, and he was dozing peacefully with his head resting on her lap. The Empress raised the dagger three times, but she was too overwhelmed with sorrow to kill him. A flood of tears ran down her cheeks, waking the Emperor.
“I just had a strange dream. A sudden downpour came from Saho (now Nara City) and wet my face. Then, a little snake with a brocade-like pattern came to me to wind itself around my neck.”
The Empress realized that he sensed a plot, and confessed everything. The Emperor gathered his army to kill her brother. She was so worried about her brother’s fate and could not suppress her affection for him, so she left the Emperor and fled to Inaki Castle, where her brother and his followers were holed up. In fact, she was pregnant with the Emperor’s child at the time.
The Emperor pitied her and refrained from attacking the castle temporarily. In due course, the baby was born and the Empress sent her husband the message, “If you believe that the baby is your child, take charge of it.” He still loved her and ordered hand-picked soldiers to bring back both mother and child.
The Empress stepped out of the castle holding the baby in her arms, and handed over her dearest child to the soldiers. They immediately reached out their hands to grab her hair and clothing, but in vain. She already anticipated their intention and was ready for that: her hair had been cut short and her clothes fell away easily. The soldiers were not able to capture her. Subsequently, the Emperor’s army attacked Inaki Castle and the Empress perished with her brother.
Being torn between a husband and a brother, Saho-bime no Mikoto lived out her own destiny to die for love. Her attitude towards life profoundly moves us even now, one thousand and several hundred years later.
Wakakusa-yama Mountain, Kasugano-cho, Nara Saho, as part of the names of Saho-biko and Saho-bime, can still be seen today as place-name: in Sahogawa River and Mount Sahoyama, both in the north-west part of Nara City. The mountain top, a place appearing in the legendary story of Saho-bime, is now a recommended scenic spot with a fine view overlooking the outskirts of the city.
若草山 【奈良市春日野町】
サホビコ、サホビメの名「サホ」。佐保川や佐保山など、今も奈良市北西部にその名が残ります。遙かなるサホビメの物語の舞台・奈良市周辺が眼下に広がる一押し眺望スポット。
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