For the Fallen
Qu Yuan
The battle line and its drums
Weapons meet, and the drums still sound.
Banners, arrows and wounded horses lead into buried wheels, tethered teams and resistance to the end.
操吴戈兮被犀甲，车错毂兮短兵接。
Holding Wu halberds and wearing rhinoceros-hide armour, the chariots lock hubs as blades meet at close quarters.
旌蔽日兮敌若云，矢交坠兮士争先。
Banners hide the sun, enemies mass like clouds; arrows fall across one another as the warriors press ahead.
凌余阵兮躐余行，左骖殪兮右刃伤。
The enemy breaks into our ranks and tramples our lines; the left horse falls dead, the right is wounded.
霾两轮兮絷四马，援玉枹兮击鸣鼓。
We bury both wheels, tether the four horses, and raise jade-adorned drumsticks to sound the battle drums.
天时怼兮威灵怒，严杀尽兮弃原野。
Heaven darkens in wrath and divine power seems enraged; the warriors fight to death and lie abandoned on the plain.
Drumming after damage shows continuing resistance, grounding the tragic force in concrete action.