Hymn to a warrior
Lu Lun's celebration of a mighty general
Songs from Outside the Line
Lu Lun
(1)
His arrows were flighted with falcon feathers,
His swallow-tail standard embroidered silk,
He stood apart and announced his orders—
With one shout, a thousand squadrons responded!
(2)
The wind was wild and the woods were dark,
But the general at night went to bend his bow.
At first light we caught sight of the white arrow flights,
It had struck and was stuck in a sharp-edged rock.
(3)
In the dark of the moon, the ducks were moving:
The Khan and his riders were retreating from their camp.
Though the snow had settled in the sweep of our scimitars,
He called the light cavalry to come to the chase!
(4)
Back at our bivouacs, before we'd time to break bread,
The local farmers thronged to thank us,
We drank till we danced with our armour still on,
And the beat of the drum shook the mountains!
(5)
He trained the troops and the hunting hawks,
Everyone experienced his other-worldly power,
Like a fleet fox putting pheasants to flight,
He has scoured this ancient landscape clean.
(6)
He is graceful! Seven generations of greatness are his!
In the chaos, one corner of the land has been cleansed.
If his portrait is placed in the Pagoda of the Greats,
He will affirm: I did not fight for fortune or fame!
We don’t know who this poem is about, only that Lu Lun saw him as a classic great warrior: inspiring his troops, reading the subtle signs of enemy movement, winning the victory, and celebrating the win.
卢纶 塞下曲
其一
鹫翎金仆姑，燕尾绣蝥弧。
独立扬新令，千营共一呼。
其二
林暗草惊风，将军夜引弓。
平明寻白羽，没在石棱中。
其三
月黑雁飞高，单于夜遁逃。
欲将轻骑逐，大雪满弓刀。
其四
野幕敞琼筵，羌戎贺劳旋。
醉和金甲舞，雷鼓动山川。
其五
调箭又呼鹰，俱闻出世能。
奔狐将迸雉，扫尽古丘陵。
其六
亭亭七叶贵，荡荡一隅清。
他日题麟阁，唯应独不名。