Imperial History without Provincial Loyalty? Reading Roman History in Renaissance Japan

Abstract

These Japanese are by nature spirited and fearless. They have something of that ancient ferocity of the Romans, who in their valor would take their own lives before falling into the hands of their enemies. But in this, the Japanese surpass the Romans because they not only consider it dishonorable to die at the hands of their enemies, but they also consider it an indignity to die in any manner that is not killing themselves with their own hands.