of　Dukes　Wen*　and　Huan*。　When　the　great　design　was　rough…hewn；　you　had　the　support　of　the　lands　of　the　states　of　Wu*　and　Chu*；　wherefore　many　people　of　ability　incontinently　joined　you。　Since　I　entered　your　service；　I　have　mitted　many　faults；　and　if　I　recognize　them；　how　much　more　do　you　see　them！　Now；　O　Prince；　you　are　surrounded　by　famous　people；　while　I；　useless　as　a　helper　at　home　and　inept　as　a　leader　abroad；　should　be　shamed　were　I　to　take　a　place　among　them。

〃It　is　well　known　that　when　Fan　Li*　saw　certain　eventualities；　he　went　sailing　on　the　lakes；　and　Zi　Fan*　acknowledged　his　faults　and　stayed　by　the　rivers。　Inasmuch　as　one　cannot　take　means　of　safeguarding　one's　self　at　the　critical　and　dangerous　moment；　I　desire………as　is　my　duty………to　go　away　as　I　came；　untainted。　Moreover；　I　am　stupid　and　without　use　or　merit；　merely　born　in　these　days　as　the　sport　of　circumstances。

〃In　the　days　of　old；　Shen　Sheng*；　though　perfectly　filial；　incurred　the　suspicions　of　his　father　and　died；　Wu　Zixu*；　though　perfectly　loyal；　was　put　to　death。　Meng　Tian*；　though　he　extended　the　borders　of　Qin；　suffered　the　extreme　penalty；　and　Yue　Yi*；　though　he　destroyed　the　might　of　Qi；　was　the　victim　of　calumny。　Whenever　I　have　read　of　these　men；　I　have　been　moved　to　tears；　and　now　I　am　in　like　case　and　the　more　mortified。

〃Lately　Jingzhou　was　overwhelmed；　and　I；　an　officer　of　rank；　failed　in　my　duty；　not　one　in　a　hundred　behaving　as　I　should。　Only　I　return　Fangling　and　Shangyong　and　seek　service　abroad。　Now　I　desire　you；　O　Prince；　graciously　to　understand；　to　sympathize　with　thy　servant　and　to　condone　the　step　he　is　about　to　take。　Really　I　am　but　a　mean　man；　incapable　of　great　deeds。　I　know　what　I　am　doing；　and　I　dare　to　say　it　is　no　small　fault。

〃They　say　that　diss