鐔津文集 13.37

13.37

叚大尉秀實先為用事者奪去兵權而無怨。及是毅然奮笏擊殺朱泚。不顧一死圖存王室。古所謂社稷之臣也。又曰。殺身以成仁。又曰。臨難無苟免。唯叚氏皆得之矣。說者或云。叚太尉小弱。動不迕物。頗類儒者。及其奮擊反虜。罵聲掉厲而氣慴萬夫。白刃交前而卒不變色。又何壯哉。猛如飄風烈如疾雷。慷慨雄偉卓出古今。太史公疑田侯於畫圖。信有之矣。嗚呼大凡古今人情得權勢之盛。不振主則驕。時及失之。則怨望不能自存。往往謀為不軌。如叚秀實太尉者。得之不為幸。失之不為怨。成之與敗在未決間。而以死循王室。擬淮陰侯韓信則其賢遠矣。

Grand Commandant Duan Xiushi was previously stripped of his military authority by those in power, yet held no resentment. When it came to this crisis, he resolutely brandished his tablet and struck Zhu Ci, disregarding a single death in his plan to preserve the royal house. He was what the ancients called 'a minister of the altars of state.' It is also said: 'Sacrifice one's life to achieve humaneness'; and again: 'In the face of crisis, do not seek illicit escape.' Only the Lord Duan fulfilled all of these. Commentators have sometimes said: 'Grand Commandant Duan was frail and slight; in his actions he never opposed others, rather resembling a scholar.' Yet when he struck with fury at the rebel captive, his scolding voice shook with wrath, his spirit daunting ten thousand men; with naked blades clashing before him, his countenance in the end did not change. How magnificent! Fierce as a whirlwind, blazing like swift thunder, ardent and majestic, pre-eminent across antiquity and today. When the Grand Historian doubted Lord Tian from his portrait, truly there was reason for it! Alas! In general, human nature throughout antiquity and today, when attaining the height of authority and power, either cows the ruler or grows arrogant; and when the time comes that they lose it, they harbour resentment and cannot sustain themselves, frequently plotting treason. As for one like Grand Commandant Duan Xiushi, gaining it was not a matter of fortune to him, and losing it was not a matter of resentment; while success and failure were yet undecided, he followed the royal house unto death. If compared with Han Xin, the Marquis of Huaiyin, his worthiness is far superior!