卷七·项羽本纪第七
卷七·项羽本纪第七
司马迁
项籍者，下相人也，字羽。初起时，年二十四。其季父项梁，梁父即楚将项燕，为秦将王翦所戮者也。项氏世世为楚将，封于项，故姓项氏。
项籍少时，学书不成，去学剑，又不成。项梁怒之。籍曰：“书足以记名姓而已。剑一人敌，不足学，学万人敌。”于是项梁乃教籍兵法，籍大喜，略知其意，又不肯竟学。项梁尝有栎阳逮，乃请蕲狱掾曹咎书抵栎阳狱掾司马欣，以故事得已。项梁杀人，与籍避仇于吴中。吴中贤士大夫皆出项梁下。每吴中有大繇役及丧，项梁常为主办，阴以兵法部勒宾客及子弟，以是知其能。秦始皇帝游会稽，渡浙江，梁与籍俱观。籍曰：“彼可取而代也。”梁掩其口，曰：“毋妄言，族矣！”梁以此奇籍。籍长八尺余，力能扛鼎，才气过人，虽吴中子弟皆已惮籍矣。
秦二世元年七月，陈涉等起大泽中。其九月，会稽守通谓梁曰：“江西皆反，此亦天亡秦之时也。吾闻先即制人，后则为人所制。吾欲发兵，使公及桓楚将。”是时桓楚亡在泽中。梁曰：“桓楚亡，人莫知其处，独籍知之耳。”梁乃出，诫籍持剑居外待。梁复入，与守坐，曰：“请召籍，使受命召桓楚。”守曰：“诺。”梁召籍入。须臾，梁眴籍曰：“可行矣！”于是籍遂拔剑斩守头。项梁持守头，佩其印绶。门下大惊，扰乱，籍所击杀数十百人。一府中皆慴伏，莫敢起。梁乃召故所知豪吏，谕以所为起大事，遂举吴中兵。使人收下县，得精兵八千人。梁部署吴中豪杰为校尉、候、司马。有一人不得用，自言于梁。梁曰：“前时某丧使公主某事，不能办，以此不任用公。”众乃皆伏。于是梁为会稽守，籍为裨将，徇下县。
广陵人召平于是为陈王徇广陵，未能下。闻陈王败走，秦兵又且至，乃渡江矫陈王命，拜梁为楚王上柱国。曰：“江东已定，急引兵西击秦。”项梁乃以八千人渡江而西。闻陈婴已下东阳，使使欲与连和俱西。陈婴者，故东阳令史，居县中，素信谨，称为长者。东阳少年杀其令，相聚数千人，欲置长，无適用，乃请陈婴。婴谢不能，遂强立婴为长，县中从者得二万人。少年欲立婴便为王，异军苍头特起。陈婴母谓婴曰：“自我为汝家妇，未尝闻汝先古之有贵者。今暴得大名，不祥。不如有所属，事成犹得封侯，事败易以亡，非世所指名也。”婴乃不敢为王。谓其军吏曰：“项氏世世将家，有名于楚。今欲举大事，将非其人，不可。我倚名族，亡秦必矣。”于是众从其言，以兵属项梁。项梁渡淮，黥布、蒲将军亦以兵属焉。凡六七万人，军下邳。
当是时，秦嘉已立景驹为楚王，军彭城东，欲距项梁。项梁谓军吏曰：“陈王先首事，战不利，未闻所在。今秦嘉倍陈王而立景驹，逆无道。”乃进兵击秦嘉。秦嘉军败走，追之至胡陵。嘉还战一日，嘉死，军降。景驹走死梁地。项梁已并秦嘉军，军胡陵，将引军而西。章邯军至栗，项梁使别将朱鸡石、余樊君与战。余樊君死。朱鸡石军败，亡走胡陵。项梁乃引兵入薛，诛鸡石。项梁前使项羽别攻襄城，襄城坚守不下。已拔，皆阬之。还报项梁。项梁闻陈王定死，召诸别将会薛计事。此时沛公亦起沛，往焉。
居鄛人范增，年七十，素居家，好奇计，往说项梁曰：“陈胜败固当。夫秦灭六国，楚最无罪。自怀王入秦不反，楚人怜之至今，故楚南公曰‘楚虽三户，亡秦必楚’也。今陈胜首事，不立楚后而自立，其势不长。今君起江东，楚蜂午之将皆争附君者，以君世世楚将，为能复立楚之后也。”于是项梁然其言，乃求楚怀王孙心民间，为人牧羊，立以为楚怀王，从民所望也。陈婴为楚上柱国，封五县，与怀王都盱台。项梁自号为武信君。
居数月，引兵攻亢父，与齐田荣、司马龙且军救东阿，大破秦军于东阿。田荣即引兵归，逐其王假。假亡走楚。假相田角亡走赵。角弟田间故齐将，居赵不敢归。田荣立田儋子市为齐王。项梁已破东阿下军，遂追秦军。数使使趣齐兵，欲与俱西。田荣曰：“楚杀田假，赵杀田角、田间，乃发兵。”项梁曰：“田假为与国之王，穷来从我，不忍杀之。”赵亦不杀田角、田间以市于齐。齐遂不肯发兵助楚。项梁使沛公及项羽别攻城阳，屠之。西破秦军濮阳东，秦兵收入濮阳。沛公、项羽乃攻定陶。定陶未下，去，西略地至雝丘，大破秦军，斩李由。还攻外黄，外黄未下。
项梁起东阿，西，比至定陶，再破秦军，项羽等又斩李由，益轻秦，有骄色。宋义乃谏项梁曰：“战胜而将骄卒惰者败。今卒少惰矣，秦兵日益，臣为君畏之。”项梁弗听。乃使宋义使于齐。道遇齐使者高陵君显，曰：“公将见武信君乎？”曰：“然。”曰：“臣论武信君军必败。公徐行即免死，疾行则及祸。”秦果悉起兵益章邯，击楚军，大破之定陶，项梁死。沛公、项羽去外黄攻陈留，陈留坚守不能下。沛公、项羽相与谋曰：“今项梁军破，士卒恐。”乃与吕臣军俱引兵而东。吕臣军彭城东，项羽军彭城西，沛公军砀。
章邯已破项梁军，则以为楚地兵不足忧，乃渡河击赵，大破之。当此时，赵歇为王，陈余为将，张耳为相，皆走入钜鹿城。章邯令王离、涉间围钜鹿，章邯军其南，筑甬道而输之粟。陈余为将，将卒数万人而军钜鹿之北，此所谓河北之军也。
楚兵已破于定陶，怀王恐，从盱台之彭城，并项羽、吕臣军自将之。以吕臣为司徒，以其父吕青为令尹。以沛公为砀郡长，封为武安侯，将砀郡兵。
初，宋义所遇齐使者高陵君显在楚军，见楚王曰：“宋义论武信君之军必败，居数日，军果败。兵未战而先见败徵，此可谓知兵矣。”王召宋义与计事而大说之，因置以为上将军，项羽为鲁公，为次将，范增为末将，救赵。诸别将皆属宋义，号为卿子冠军。行至安阳，留四十六日不进。项羽曰：“吾闻秦军围赵王钜鹿，疾引兵渡河，楚击其外，赵应其内，破秦军必矣。”宋义曰：“不然。夫搏牛之虻不可以破虮虱。今秦攻赵，战胜则兵罢，我承其敝；不胜，则我引兵鼓行而西，必举秦矣。故不如先斗秦赵。夫被坚执锐，义不如公；坐而运策，公不如义。”因下令军中曰：“猛如虎，很如羊，贪如狼，强不可使者，皆斩之。”乃遣其子宋襄相齐，身送之至无盐，饮酒高会。天寒大雨，士卒冻饥。项羽曰：“将戮力而攻秦，久留不行。今岁饥民贫，士卒食芋菽，军无见粮，乃饮酒高会，不引兵渡河因赵食，与赵并力攻秦，乃曰‘承其敝’。夫以秦之强，攻新造之赵，其势必举赵。赵举而秦强，何敝之承！且国兵新破，王坐不安席，埽境内而专属于将军，国家安危，在此一举。今不恤士卒而徇其私，非社稷之臣。”项羽晨朝上将军宋义，即其帐中斩宋义头，出令军中曰：“宋义与齐谋反楚，楚王阴令羽诛之。”当是时，诸将皆慴服，莫敢枝梧。皆曰：“首立楚者，将军家也。今将军诛乱。”乃相与共立羽为假上将军。使人追宋义子，及之齐，杀之。使桓楚报命于怀王。怀王因使项羽为上将军，当阳君、蒲将军皆属项羽。
项羽已杀卿子冠军，威震楚国，名闻诸侯。乃遣当阳君、蒲将军将卒二万渡河，救钜鹿。战少利，陈余复请兵。项羽乃悉引兵渡河，皆沈船，破釜甑，烧庐舍，持三日粮，以示士卒必死，无一还心。于是至则围王离，与秦军遇，九战，绝其甬道，大破之，杀苏角，虏王离。涉间不降楚，自烧杀。当是时，楚兵冠诸侯。诸侯军救钜鹿下者十余壁，莫敢纵兵。及楚击秦，诸将皆从壁上观。楚战士无不一以当十，楚兵呼声动天，诸侯军无不人人惴恐。于是已破秦军，项羽召见诸侯将，入辕门，无不膝行而前，莫敢仰视。项羽由是始为诸侯上将军，诸侯皆属焉。
章邯军棘原，项羽军漳南，相持未战。秦军数卻，二世使人让章邯。章邯恐，使长史欣请事。至咸阳，留司马门三日，赵高不见，有不信之心。长史欣恐，还走其军，不敢出故道，赵高果使人追之，不及。欣至军，报曰：“赵高用事于中，下无可为者。今战能胜，高必疾妒吾功；战不能胜，不免于死。愿将军孰计之。”陈余亦遗章邯书曰：“白起为秦将，南征鄢郢，北阬马服，攻城略地，不可胜计，而竟赐死。蒙恬为秦将，北逐戎人，开榆中地数千里，竟斩阳周。何者？功多，秦不能尽封，因以法诛之。今将军为秦将三岁矣，所亡失以十万数，而诸侯并起滋益多。彼赵高素谀日久，今事急，亦恐二世诛之，故欲以法诛将军以塞责，使人更代将军以脱其祸。夫将军居外久，多内卻，有功亦诛，无功亦诛。且天之亡秦，无愚智皆知之。今将军内不能直谏，外为亡国将，孤特独立而欲常存，岂不哀哉！将军何不还兵与诸侯为从，约共攻秦，分王其地，南面称孤；此孰与身伏鈇质，妻子为僇乎？”章邯狐疑，阴使候始成使项羽，欲约。约未成，项羽使蒲将军日夜引兵度三户，军漳南，与秦战，再破之。项羽悉引兵击秦军汙水上，大破之。
章邯使人见项羽，欲约。项羽召军吏谋曰：“粮少，欲听其约。”军吏皆曰：“善。”项羽乃与期洹水南殷虚上。已盟，章邯见项羽而流涕，为言赵高。项羽乃立章邯为雍王，置楚军中。使长史欣为上将军，将秦军为前行。到新安。诸侯吏卒异时故繇使屯戍过秦中，秦中吏卒遇之多无状，及秦军降诸侯，诸侯吏卒乘胜多奴虏使之，轻折辱秦吏卒。秦吏卒多窃言曰：“章将军等诈吾属降诸侯，今能入关破秦，大善；即不能，诸侯虏吾属而东，秦必尽诛吾父母妻子。”诸将微闻其计，以告项羽。项羽乃召黥布、蒲将军计曰：“秦吏卒尚众，其心不服，至关中不听，事必危，不如击杀之，而独与章邯、长史欣、都尉翳入秦。”于是楚军夜击阬秦卒二十余万人新安城南。
行略定秦地。函谷关有兵守关，不得入。又闻沛公已破咸阳，项羽大怒，使当阳君等击关。项羽遂入，至于戏西。沛公军霸上，未得与项羽相见。沛公左司马曹无伤使人言于项羽曰：“沛公欲王关中，使子婴为相，珍宝尽有之。”项羽大怒，曰：“旦日飨士卒，为击破沛公军！”当是时，项羽兵四十万，在新丰鸿门，沛公兵十万，在霸上。范增说项羽曰：“沛公居山东时，贪于财货，好美姬。今入关，财物无所取，妇女无所幸，此其志不在小。吾令人望其气，皆为龙虎，成五采，此天子气也。急击勿失。”
楚左尹项伯者，项羽季父也，素善留侯张良。张良是时从沛公，项伯乃夜驰之沛公军，私见张良，具告以事，欲呼张良与俱去。曰：“毋从俱死也。”张良曰：“臣为韩王送沛公，沛公今事有急，亡去不义，不可不语。”良乃入，具告沛公。沛公大惊，曰：“为之柰何？”张良曰：“谁为大王为此计者？”曰：“鲰生说我曰‘距关，毋内诸侯，秦地可尽王也’。故听之。”良曰：“料大王士卒足以当项王乎？”沛公默然，曰：“固不如也，且为之柰何？”张良曰：“请往谓项伯，言沛公不敢背项王也。”沛公曰：“君安与项伯有故？”张良曰：“秦时与臣游，项伯杀人，臣活之。今事有急，故幸来告良。”沛公曰“孰与君少长？”良曰：“长于臣。”沛公曰“君为我呼入，吾得兄事之。”张良出，要项伯。项伯即入见沛公。沛公奉卮酒为寿，约为婚姻，曰：“吾入关，秋毫不敢有所近，籍吏民，封府库，而待将军。所以遣将守关者，备他盗之出入与非常也。日夜望将军至，岂敢反乎！愿伯具言臣之不敢倍德也。”项伯许诺。谓沛公曰：“旦日不可不蚤自来谢项王。”沛公曰：“诺。”于是项伯复夜去，至军中，具以沛公言报项王。因言曰：“沛公不先破关中，公岂敢入乎？今人有大功而击之，不义也，不如因善遇之。”项王许诺。
沛公旦日从百余骑来见项王，至鸿门，谢曰：“臣与将军戮力而攻秦，将军战河北，臣战河南，然不自意能先入关破秦，得复见将军于此。今者有小人之言，令将军与臣有卻。”项王曰：“此沛公左司马曹无伤言之；不然，籍何以至此。”项王即日因留沛公与饮。项王、项伯东向坐。亚父南向坐。亚父者，范增也。沛公北向坐，张良西向侍。范增数目项王，举所佩玉玦以示之者三，项王默然不应。范增起，出召项庄，谓曰：“君王为人不忍，若入前为寿。寿毕，请以剑舞，因击沛公于坐，杀之。不者，若属皆且为所虏。”庄则入为寿，寿毕，曰：“君王与沛公饮，军中无以为乐，请以剑舞。”项王曰：“诺。”项庄拔剑起舞，项伯亦拔剑起舞，常以身翼蔽沛公，庄不得击。于是张良至军门，见樊哙。樊哙曰：“今日之事何如？”良曰：“甚急。今者项庄拔剑舞，其意常在沛公也。”哙曰：“此迫矣，臣请入，与之同命。”哙即带剑拥盾入军门。交戟之卫士欲止不内，樊哙侧其盾以撞，卫士仆地，哙遂入，披帷西向立，瞋目视项王，头发上指，目眦尽裂。项王按剑而跽曰：“客何为者？”张良曰：“沛公之参乘樊哙者也。”项王曰：“壮士，赐之卮酒。”则与斗卮酒。哙拜谢，起，立而饮之。项王曰：“赐之彘肩。”则与一生彘肩。樊哙覆其盾于地，加彘肩上，拔剑切而啗之。项王曰：“壮士，能复饮乎？”樊哙曰：“臣死且不避，卮酒安足辞！夫秦王有虎狼之心，杀人如不能举，刑人如恐不胜，天下皆叛之。怀王与诸将约曰‘先破秦入咸阳者王之’。今沛公先破秦入咸阳，毫毛不敢有所近，封闭宫室，还军霸上，以待大王来。故遣将守关者，备他盗出入与非常也。劳苦而功高如此，未有封侯之赏，而听细说，欲诛有功之人。此亡秦之续耳，窃为大王不取也。”项王未有以应，曰：“坐。”樊哙从良坐。坐须臾，沛公起如厕，因招樊哙出。
沛公已出，项王使都尉陈平召沛公。沛公曰：“今者出，未辞也，为之柰何？”樊哙曰：“大行不顾细谨，大礼不辞小让。如今人方为刀俎，我为鱼肉，何辞为。”于是遂去。乃令张良留谢。良问曰：“大王来何操？”曰：“我持白璧一双，欲献项王，玉斗一双，欲与亚父，会其怒，不敢献。公为我献之”张良曰：“谨诺。”当是时，项王军在鸿门下，沛公军在霸上，相去四十里。沛公则置车骑，脱身独骑，与樊哙、夏侯婴、靳强、纪信等四人持剑盾步走，从郦山下，道芷阳间行。沛公谓张良曰：“从此道至吾军，不过二十里耳。度我至军中，公乃入。”沛公已去，间至军中，张良入谢，曰：“沛公不胜桮杓，不能辞。谨使臣良奉白璧一双，再拜献大王足下；玉斗一双，再拜奉大将军足下。”项王曰：“沛公安在？”良曰：“闻大王有意督过之，脱身独去，已至军矣。”项王则受璧，置之坐上。亚父受玉斗，置之地，拔剑撞而破之，曰：“唉！竖子不足与谋。夺项王天下者，必沛公也，吾属今为之虏矣。”沛公至军，立诛杀曹无伤。
居数日，项羽引兵西屠咸阳，杀秦降王子婴，烧秦宫室，火三月不灭；收其货宝妇女而东。人或说项王曰：“关中阻山河四塞，地肥饶，可都以霸。”项王见秦宫皆以烧残破，又心怀思欲东归，曰：“富贵不归故乡，如衣绣夜行，谁知之者！”说者曰：“人言楚人沐猴而冠耳，果然。”项王闻之，烹说者。
项王使人致命怀王。怀王曰：“如约。”乃尊怀王为义帝。项王欲自王，先王诸将相。谓曰：“天下初发难时，假立诸侯后以伐秦。然身被坚执锐首事，暴露于野三年，灭秦定天下者，皆将相诸君与籍之力也。义帝虽无功，故当分其地而王之。”诸将皆曰：“善。”乃分天下，立诸将为侯王。项王、范增疑沛公之有天下，业已讲解，又恶负约，恐诸侯叛之，乃阴谋曰：“巴、蜀道险，秦之迁人皆居蜀。”乃曰：“巴、蜀亦关中地也。”故立沛公为汉王，王巴、蜀、汉中，都南郑。而三分关中，王秦降将以距塞汉王。项王乃立章邯为雍王，王咸阳以西，都废丘。长史欣者，故为栎阳狱掾，尝有德于项梁；都尉董翳者，本劝章邯降楚。故立司马欣为塞王，王咸阳以东至河，都栎阳；立董翳为翟王，王上郡，都高奴。徙魏王豹为西魏王，王河东，都平阳。瑕丘申阳者，张耳嬖臣也，先下河南，迎楚河上，故立申阳为河南王，都雒阳。韩王成因故都，都阳翟。赵将司马卬定河内，数有功，故立卬为殷王，王河内，都朝歌。徙赵王歇为代王。赵相张耳素贤，又从入关，故立耳为常山王，王赵地，都襄国。当阳君黥布为楚将，常冠军，故立布为九江王，都六。鄱君吴芮率百越佐诸侯，又从入关，故立芮为衡山王，都邾。义帝柱国共敖将兵击南郡，功多，因立敖为临江王，都江陵。徙燕王韩广为辽东王。燕将臧荼从楚救赵，因从入关，故立荼为燕王，都蓟。徙齐王田市为胶东王。齐将田都从共救赵，因从入关，故立都为齐王，都临菑。故秦所灭齐王建孙田安，项羽方渡河救赵，田安下济北数城，引其兵降项羽，故立安为济北王，都博阳。田荣者，数负项梁，又不肯将兵从楚击秦，以故不封。成安君陈余弃将印去，不从入关，然素闻其贤，有功于赵，闻其在南皮，故因环封三县。番君将梅鋗功多，故封十万户侯。项王自立为西楚霸王，王九郡，都彭城。
汉之元年四月，诸侯罢戏下，各就国。项王出之国，使人徙义帝，曰：“古之帝者地方千里，必居上游。”乃使使徙义帝长沙郴县。趣义帝行，其群臣稍稍背叛之，乃阴令衡山、临江王击杀之江中。韩王成无军功，项王不使之国，与俱至彭城，废以为侯，已又杀之。臧荼之国，因逐韩广之辽东，广弗听，荼击杀广无终，并王其地。
田荣闻项羽徙齐王市胶东，而立齐将田都为齐王，乃大怒，不肯遣齐王之胶东，因以齐反，迎击田都。田都走楚。齐王市畏项王，乃亡之胶东就国。田荣怒，追击杀之即墨。荣因自立为齐王，而西杀击济北王田安，并王三齐。荣与彭越将军印，令反梁地。陈余阴使张同、夏说说齐王田荣曰：“项羽为天下宰，不平。今尽王故王于丑地，而王其群臣诸将善地，逐其故主，赵王乃北居代，余以为不可。闻大王起兵，且不听不义，愿大王资余兵，请以击常山，以复赵王，请以国为扞蔽。”齐王许之，因遣兵之赵。陈余悉发三县兵，与齐并力击常山，大破之。张耳走归汉。陈余迎故赵王歇于代，反之赵。赵王因立陈余为代王。
是时，汉还定三秦。项羽闻汉王皆已并关中，且东，齐、赵叛之：大怒。乃以故吴令郑昌为韩王，以距汉。令萧公角等击彭越。彭越败萧公角等。汉使张良徇韩，乃遗项王书曰：“汉王失职，欲得关中，如约即止，不敢东。”又以齐、梁反书遗项王曰：“齐欲与赵并灭楚。”楚以此故无西意，而北击齐。徵兵九江王布。布称疾不往，使将将数千人行。项王由此怨布也。汉之二年冬，项羽遂北至城阳，田荣亦将兵会战。田荣不胜，走至平原，平原民杀之。遂北烧夷齐城郭室屋，皆阬田荣降卒，系虏其老弱妇女。徇齐至北海，多所残灭。齐人相聚而叛之。于是田荣弟田横收齐亡卒得数万人，反城阳。项王因留，连战未能下。
春，汉王部五诸侯兵，凡五十六万人，东伐楚。项王闻之，即令诸将击齐，而自以精兵三万人南从鲁出胡陵。四月，汉皆已入彭城，收其货宝美人，日置酒高会。项王乃西从萧，晨击汉军而东，至彭城，日中，大破汉军。汉军皆走，相随入谷、泗水，杀汉卒十余万人。汉卒皆南走山，楚又追击至灵壁东睢水上。汉军卻，为楚所挤，多杀，汉卒十余万人皆入睢水，睢水为之不流。围汉王三匝。于是大风从西北而起，折木发屋，扬沙石，窈冥昼晦，逢迎楚军。楚军大乱，坏散，而汉王乃得与数十骑遁去，欲过沛，收家室而西；楚亦使人追之沛，取汉王家：家皆亡，不与汉王相见。汉王道逢得孝惠、鲁元，乃载行。楚骑追汉王，汉王急，推堕孝惠、鲁元车下，滕公常下收载之。如是者三。曰：“虽急不可以驱，柰何弃之？”于是遂得脱。求太公、吕后不相遇。审食其从太公、吕后间行，求汉王，反遇楚军。楚军遂与归，报项王，项王常置军中。
是时吕后兄周吕侯为汉将兵居下邑，汉王间往从之，稍稍收其士卒。至荥阳，诸败军皆会，萧何亦发关中老弱未傅悉诣荥阳，复大振。楚起于彭城，常乘胜逐北，与汉战荥阳南京、索间，汉败楚，楚以故不能过荥阳而西。
项王之救彭城，追汉王至荥阳，田横亦得收齐，立田荣子广为齐王。汉王之败彭城，诸侯皆复与楚而背汉。汉军荥阳，筑甬道属之河，以取敖仓粟。汉之三年，项王数侵夺汉甬道，汉王食乏，恐，请和，割荥阳以西为汉。
项王欲听之。历阳侯范增曰：“汉易与耳，今释弗取，后必悔之。”项王乃与范增急围荥阳。汉王患之，乃用陈平计间项王。项王使者来，为太牢具，举欲进之。见使者，详惊愕曰：“吾以为亚父使者，乃反项王使者。”更持去，以恶食食项王使者。使者归报项王，项王乃疑范增与汉有私，稍夺之权。范增大怒，曰：“天下事大定矣，君王自为之。愿赐骸骨归卒伍。”项王许之。行未至彭城，疽发背而死。
汉将纪信说汉王曰：“事已急矣，请为王诳楚为王，王可以间出。”于是汉王夜出女子荥阳东门被甲二千人，楚兵四面击之。纪信乘黄屋车，傅左纛，曰：“城中食尽，汉王降。”楚军皆呼万岁。汉王亦与数十骑从城西门出，走成皋。项王见纪信，问：“汉王安在？”曰：“汉王已出矣。”项王烧杀纪信。
汉王使御史大夫周苛、枞公、魏豹守荥阳。周苛、枞公谋曰：“反国之王，难与守城。”乃共杀魏豹。楚下荥阳城，生得周苛。项王谓周苛曰：“为我将，我以公为上将军，封三万户。”周苛骂曰：“若不趣降汉，汉今虏若，若非汉敌也。”项王怒，烹周苛，并杀枞公。
汉王之出荥阳，南走宛、叶，得九江王布，行收兵，复入保成皋。汉之四年，项王进兵围成皋。汉王逃，独与滕公出成皋北门，渡河走脩武，从张耳、韩信军。诸将稍稍得出成皋，从汉王。楚遂拔成皋，欲西。汉使兵距之巩，令其不得西。
是时，彭越渡河击楚东阿，杀楚将军薛公。项王乃自东击彭越。汉王得淮阴侯兵，欲渡河南。郑忠说汉王，乃止壁河内。使刘贾将兵佐彭越，烧楚积聚。项王东击破之，走彭越。汉王则引兵渡河，复取成皋，军广武，就敖仓食。项王已定东海来，西，与汉俱临广武而军，相守数月。
当此时，彭越数反梁地，绝楚粮食，项王患之。为高俎，置太公其上，告汉王曰：“今不急下，吾烹太公。”汉王曰：“吾与项羽俱北面受命怀王，曰‘约为兄弟’，吾翁即若翁，必欲烹而翁，则幸分我一桮羹。”项王怒，欲杀之。项伯曰：“天下事未可知，且为天下者不顾家，虽杀之无益，祇益祸耳。”项王从之。
楚汉久相持未决，丁壮苦军旅，老弱罢转漕。项王谓汉王曰：“天下匈匈数岁者，徒以吾两人耳，愿与汉王挑战决雌雄，毋徒苦天下之民父子为也。”汉王笑谢曰：“吾宁斗智，不能斗力。”项王令壮士出挑战。汉有善骑射者楼烦，楚挑战三合，楼烦辄射杀之。项王大怒，乃自被甲持戟挑战。楼烦欲射之，项王瞋目叱之，楼烦目不敢视，手不敢发，遂走还入壁，不敢复出。汉王使人间问之，乃项王也。汉王大惊。于是项王乃即汉王相与临广武间而语。汉王数之，项王怒，欲一战。汉王不听，项王伏弩射中汉王。汉王伤，走入成皋。
项王闻淮阴侯已举河北，破齐、赵，且欲击楚，乃使龙且往击之。淮阴侯与战，骑将灌婴击之，大破楚军，杀龙且。韩信因自立为齐王。项王闻龙且军破，则恐，使盱台人武濊涉往说淮阴侯。淮阴侯弗听。是时，彭越复反，下梁地，绝楚粮。项王乃谓海春侯大司马曹咎等曰：“谨守成皋，则汉欲挑战，慎勿与战，毋令得东而已。我十五日必诛彭越，定梁地，复从将军。”乃东，行击陈留、外黄。
外黄不下。数日，已降，项王怒，悉令男子年十五已上诣城东，欲阬之。外黄令舍人儿年十三，往说项王曰：“彭越强劫外黄，外黄恐，故且降，待大王。大王至，又皆阬之，百姓岂有归心？从此以东，梁地十余城皆恐，莫肯下矣。”项王然其言，乃赦外黄当阬者。东至睢阳，闻之皆争下项王。
汉果数挑楚军战，楚军不出。使人辱之，五六日，大司马怒，渡兵汜水。士卒半渡，汉击之，大破楚军，尽得楚国货赂。大司马咎、长史翳、塞王欣皆自刭汜水上。大司马咎者，故蕲狱掾，长史欣亦故栎阳狱吏，两人尝有德于项梁，是以项王信任之。当是时，项王在睢阳，闻海春侯军败，则引兵还。汉军方围钟离眛于荥阳东，项王至，汉军畏楚，尽走险阻。
是时，汉兵盛食多，项王兵罢食绝。汉遣陆贾说项王，请太公，项王弗听。汉王复使侯公往说项王，项王乃与汉约，中分天下，割鸿沟以西者为汉，鸿沟而东者为楚。项王许之，即归汉王父母妻子。军皆呼万岁。汉王乃封侯公为平国君。匿弗肯复见。曰：“此天下辩士，所居倾国，故号为平国君。”项王已约，乃引兵解而东归。
汉欲西归，张良、陈平说曰：“汉有天下太半，而诸侯皆附之。楚兵罢食尽，此天亡楚之时也，不如因其机而遂取之。今释弗击，此所谓‘养虎自遗患’也。”汉王听之。汉五年，汉王乃追项王至阳夏南，止军，与淮阴侯韩信、建成侯彭越期会而击楚军。至固陵，而信、越之兵不会。楚击汉军，大破之。汉王复入壁，深堑而自守。谓张子房曰：“诸侯不从约，为之柰何？”对曰：“楚兵且破，信、越未有分地，其不至固宜。君王能与共分天下，今可立致也。即不能，事未可知也。君王能自陈以东傅海，尽与韩信；睢阳以北至谷城，以与彭越：使各自为战，则楚易败也。”汉王曰：“善。”于是乃发使者告韩信、彭越曰：“并力击楚。楚破，自陈以东傅海与齐王，睢阳以北至谷城与彭相国。”使者至，韩信、彭越皆报曰：“请今进兵。”韩信乃从齐往，刘贾军从寿春并行，屠城父，至垓下。大司马周殷叛楚，以舒屠六，举九江兵，随刘贾、彭越皆会垓下，诣项王。
项王军壁垓下，兵少食尽，汉军及诸侯兵围之数重。夜闻汉军四面皆楚歌，项王乃大惊曰：“汉皆已得楚乎？是何楚人之多也！”项王则夜起，饮帐中。有美人名虞，常幸从；骏马名骓，常骑之。于是项王乃悲歌慷慨，自为诗曰：“力拔山兮气盖世，时不利兮骓不逝。骓不逝兮可柰何，虞兮虞兮柰若何！”歌数阕，美人和之。项王泣数行下，左右皆泣，莫能仰视。
于是项王乃上马骑，麾下壮士骑从者八百余人，直夜溃围南出，驰走。平明，汉军乃觉之，令骑将灌婴以五千骑追之。项王渡淮，骑能属者百余人耳。项王至阴陵，迷失道，问一田父，田父绐曰“左”。左，乃陷大泽中。以故汉追及之。项王乃复引兵而东，至东城，乃有二十八骑。汉骑追者数千人。项王自度不得脱。谓其骑曰：“吾起兵至今八岁矣，身七十余战，所当者破，所击者服，未尝败北，遂霸有天下。然今卒困于此，此天之亡我，非战之罪也。今日固决死，愿为诸君快战，必三胜之，为诸君溃围，斩将，刈旗，令诸君知天亡我，非战之罪也。”乃分其骑以为四队，四向。汉军围之数重。项王谓其骑曰：“吾为公取彼一将。”令四面骑驰下，期山东为三处。于是项王大呼驰下，汉军皆披靡，遂斩汉一将。是时，赤泉侯为骑将，追项王，项王瞋目而叱之，赤泉侯人马俱惊，辟易数里与其骑会为三处。汉军不知项王所在，乃分军为三，复围之。项王乃驰，复斩汉一都尉，杀数十百人，复聚其骑，亡其两骑耳。乃谓其骑曰：“何如？”骑皆伏曰：“如大王言。”
于是项王乃欲东渡乌江。乌江亭长檥船待，谓项王曰：“江东虽小，地方千里，众数十万人，亦足王也。愿大王急渡。今独臣有船，汉军至，无以渡。”项王笑曰：“天之亡我，我何渡为！且籍与江东子弟八千人渡江而西，今无一人还，纵江东父兄怜而王我，我何面目见之？纵彼不言，籍独不愧于心乎？”乃谓亭长曰：“吾知公长者。吾骑此马五岁，所当无敌，尝一日行千里，不忍杀之，以赐公。”乃令骑皆下马步行，持短兵接战。独籍所杀汉军数百人。项王身亦被十余创。顾见汉骑司马吕马童，曰：“若非吾故人乎？”马童面之，指王翳曰：“此项王也。”项王乃曰：“吾闻汉购我头千金，邑万户，吾为若德。”乃自刎而死。王翳取其头，余骑相蹂践争项王，相杀者数十人。最其后，郎中骑杨喜，骑司马吕马童，郎中吕胜、杨武各得其一体。五人共会其体，皆是。故分其地为五：封吕马童为中水侯，封王翳为杜衍侯，封杨喜为赤泉侯，封杨武为吴防侯，封吕胜为涅阳侯。
项王已死，楚地皆降汉，独鲁不下。汉乃引天下兵欲屠之，为其守礼义，为主死节，乃持项王头视鲁，鲁父兄乃降。始，楚怀王初封项籍为鲁公，及其死，鲁最后下，故以鲁公礼葬项王谷城。汉王为发哀，泣之而去。
诸项氏枝属，汉王皆不诛。乃封项伯为射阳侯。桃侯、平皋侯、玄武侯皆项氏，赐姓刘。
太史公曰：吾闻之周生曰“舜目盖重瞳子”，又闻项羽亦重瞳子。羽岂其苗裔邪？何兴之暴也！夫秦失其政，陈涉首难，豪杰蜂起，相与并争，不可胜数。然羽非有尺寸，乘埶起陇亩之中，三年，遂将五诸侯灭秦，分裂天下，而封王侯，政由羽出，号为“霸王”，位虽不终，近古以来未尝有也。及羽背关怀楚，放逐义帝而自立，怨王侯叛己，难矣。自矜功伐，奋其私智而不师古，谓霸王之业，欲以力征经营天下，五年卒亡其国，身死东城，尚不觉寤而不自责，过矣。乃引“天亡我，非用兵之罪也”，岂不谬哉！
Fascicle Seven · Basic Annals of Xiang Yu, Seventh
司马迁
Xiang Ji was a man of Xiaxiang, styled Yu. When he first rose he was twenty-four. His father's younger brother was Xiang Liang, and Liang's father was Xiang Yan, the Chu general whom the Qin general Wang Jian put to death. The Xiang had been generals of Chu for generations and were enfeoffed at Xiang, and so took Xiang as their surname.
When Xiang Ji was young he studied writing and did not succeed; he gave it up and studied the sword, and again did not succeed. Xiang Liang was angry with him. Ji said: "Writing is enough only to record a name and surname. The sword is a match for one man and is not worth studying; I will study what will match ten thousand men." Thereupon Xiang Liang taught Ji the art of war, and Ji was greatly pleased; but having roughly grasped its meaning, he again would not study it to the end. Xiang Liang was once under arrest at Yueyang, and so he asked Cao Jiu, the prison clerk of Qi, to write to Sima Xin, the prison clerk of Yueyang, and by this means the matter was dropped. Xiang Liang killed a man, and with Ji he avoided the vendetta by going to Wuzhong. The worthy gentlemen and officers of Wuzhong all ranked below Xiang Liang. Whenever there was a great corvée or a funeral in Wuzhong, Xiang Liang always took charge of it, and secretly marshalled his guests and the young men by the rules of the art of war, and by this knew their abilities. When the First Emperor of Qin travelled to Kuaiji and crossed the Zhe River, Liang and Ji watched together. Ji said, "That man could be taken and replaced." Liang covered his mouth and said, "Do not talk wildly, or the clan will be put to death!" And from this Liang thought Ji remarkable. Ji was more than eight chi tall, strong enough to lift a tripod, and his talent and spirit surpassed other men, so that even the young men of Wuzhong already stood in awe of him.
In the seventh month of the first year of the Second Emperor of Qin, Chen She and the others rose at Daze. In the ninth month of that year Tong, the governor of Kuaiji, said to Liang: "West of the Jiang all have revolted; this too is the time when Heaven destroys Qin. I have heard that he who is first controls others, and he who is later is controlled by others. I mean to raise troops and make you and Huan Chu the generals." At that time Huan Chu was a fugitive in the marshes. Liang said, "Huan Chu is a fugitive and no one knows where he is; only Ji knows." Liang then went out and charged Ji to wait outside with his sword. Liang came in again and sat with the governor, and said, "I beg to summon Ji, so that he may receive your command to summon Huan Chu." The governor said, "Very well." Liang called Ji in. After a moment Liang gave Ji a look and said, "Now you may act!" Thereupon Ji drew his sword and cut off the governor's head. Xiang Liang took the governor's head and hung his seal and ribbon at his own belt. Those at the gate were greatly alarmed and thrown into confusion, and Ji struck down and killed some scores, up to a hundred. All in the office cowered in submission and none dared rise. Liang then summoned the powerful officers he had known before and explained to them the great undertaking he was raising, and so called up the troops of Wuzhong. He sent men to gather in the subordinate counties, and got eight thousand picked soldiers. Liang assigned the bold men of Wuzhong as colonels, scouts and majors. One man was not employed and spoke of it to Liang. Liang said, "At such a funeral before this I put you in charge of such a matter, and you could not manage it; for this reason I do not employ you." The company then all submitted. Thereupon Liang became governor of Kuaiji and Ji his deputy general, and they overran the subordinate counties.
Zhao Ping, a man of Guangling, was at this time overrunning Guangling for the king of Chen and could not take it. Hearing that the king of Chen had been defeated and fled, and that the Qin troops were moreover about to arrive, he crossed the Jiang and, falsely claiming the king of Chen's command, appointed Liang Pillar of State to the king of Chu, saying, "East of the Jiang is already settled; lead your troops quickly west and strike Qin." Xiang Liang then crossed the Jiang westward with his eight thousand. Hearing that Chen Ying had already taken Dongyang, he sent an envoy wishing to join forces with him and go west together. Chen Ying had formerly been a clerk of Dongyang; living in the county, he was known for good faith and prudence and was called an elder. The young men of Dongyang killed their prefect and gathered together several thousand, wishing to set up a chief; finding none suitable, they asked Chen Ying. Ying declined, saying he was not able, but they forced him to be their chief, and those in the county who followed him came to twenty thousand. The young men wished to make Ying king outright, a separate force with blue kerchiefs rising up on its own. Chen Ying's mother said to Ying: "Since I became a wife in your family I have never heard that any of your forebears was noble. Now to get a great name suddenly is not auspicious. Better to have someone to belong to: if the affair succeeds you may still be enfeoffed as a marquis, and if it fails it will be easy to escape, for you will not be one the age points at by name." So Ying did not dare to be king. He said to his officers: "The Xiang have been a family of generals for generations and are famous in Chu. Now if we wish to raise a great undertaking and the leader is not the right man, it will not do. If we rely on a famous house, the destruction of Qin is certain." Thereupon the multitude followed his words and attached their troops to Xiang Liang. When Xiang Liang crossed the Huai, Ying Bu and General Pu also attached their troops to him. In all they were sixty or seventy thousand, and they camped at Xiapi.
At this time Qin Jia had already set up Jing Ju as king of Chu and camped east of Pengcheng, meaning to resist Xiang Liang. Xiang Liang said to his officers: "The king of Chen was the first to raise the matter; his battles went badly and we have not heard where he is. Now Qin Jia has turned against the king of Chen and set up Jing Ju: this is rebellious and without principle." So he advanced his troops and struck at Qin Jia. Qin Jia's army was defeated and fled, and he pursued them to Huling. Jia turned and fought for a day; Jia died and his army surrendered. Jing Ju fled and died in the lands of Liang. Xiang Liang having absorbed Qin Jia's army, he camped at Huling and was about to lead his army west. Zhang Han's army came to Li, and Xiang Liang sent the detached generals Zhu Jishi and Lord Yufan to fight them. Lord Yufan died. Zhu Jishi's army was defeated and he fled to Huling. Xiang Liang then led his troops into Xue and put Jishi to death. Xiang Liang had earlier sent Xiang Yu to attack Xiangcheng separately, and Xiangcheng held out firmly and was not taken; when it fell, they buried all its people alive. He went back and reported to Xiang Liang. Xiang Liang, hearing that the king of Chen was certainly dead, summoned the detached generals to meet at Xue and take counsel. At this time the Lord of Pei had also risen at Pei and went there.
Fan Zeng, a man of Juchao, was seventy years old; he had always lived at home and was fond of extraordinary schemes. He went to persuade Xiang Liang, saying: "That Chen Sheng failed was only proper. When Qin destroyed the six states, Chu was the least guilty. Since King Huai went into Qin and did not return, the men of Chu have pitied him to this day; hence Lord Nan of Chu said, 'Though but three households remain in Chu, it is Chu that will destroy Qin.' Now Chen Sheng was the first to raise the matter, but he did not set up a descendant of Chu and set himself up instead, and so his power did not last. Now you have risen east of the Jiang, and the generals of Chu swarming up like bees all vie to attach themselves to you, because your house has been generals of Chu for generations and you are thought able to set up a descendant of Chu again." Thereupon Xiang Liang thought his words right, and sought out among the common people the grandson of King Huai of Chu, named Xin, who was herding sheep, and set him up as King Huai of Chu, following what the people longed for. Chen Ying became Pillar of State of Chu, enfeoffed with five counties, and with King Huai made his capital at Xutai. Xiang Liang styled himself the Lord of Wuxin.
After some months he led his troops to attack Kangfu, and with Tian Rong of Qi and Sima Longju's army relieved Dong'e, and utterly broke the Qin army at Dong'e. Tian Rong at once led his troops home and drove out his king Jia. Jia fled to Chu. Jia's chief minister Tian Jiao fled to Zhao. Jiao's younger brother Tian Jian, formerly a general of Qi, stayed in Zhao and dared not go home. Tian Rong set up Tian Dan's son Shi as king of Qi. Xiang Liang, having broken the army below Dong'e, then pursued the Qin army. He repeatedly sent envoys to urge on the Qi troops, wishing to go west together. Tian Rong said, "When Chu kills Tian Jia and Zhao kills Tian Jiao and Tian Jian, then I will send out troops." Xiang Liang said, "Tian Jia is king of an allied state; in his straits he has come to me, and I cannot bear to kill him." Zhao likewise would not kill Tian Jiao and Tian Jian to trade with Qi. So Qi in the end would not send troops to help Chu. Xiang Liang sent the Lord of Pei and Xiang Yu to attack Chengyang separately, and they massacred it. Westward they broke the Qin army east of Puyang, and the Qin troops gathered into Puyang. The Lord of Pei and Xiang Yu then attacked Dingtao. Dingtao did not fall, and they left it, overran the land westward as far as Yongqiu, utterly broke the Qin army and beheaded Li You. Turning back they attacked Waihuang, and Waihuang did not fall.
Xiang Liang, having risen from Dong'e and gone west, by the time he reached Dingtao had twice broken the Qin army, and Xiang Yu and the others had beheaded Li You besides; he thought Qin the more lightly and had a proud look. Song Yi then remonstrated with Xiang Liang: "When victory makes the general proud and the soldiers idle, defeat follows. Now the soldiers are growing a little idle and the Qin troops daily increase; I fear for you." Xiang Liang did not listen. He then sent Song Yi as envoy to Qi. On the road he met the Qi envoy Lord Gaoling, Xian, and said, "Are you going to see the Lord of Wuxin?" He said, "Yes." Song Yi said, "In my judgement the Lord of Wuxin's army will certainly be defeated. If you go slowly you will escape death; if you go quickly you will meet with disaster." Qin did indeed raise all its troops to reinforce Zhang Han; they struck the Chu army and utterly broke it at Dingtao, and Xiang Liang died. The Lord of Pei and Xiang Yu left Waihuang and attacked Chenliu; Chenliu held out firmly and could not be taken. The Lord of Pei and Xiang Yu took counsel together, saying, "Now Xiang Liang's army is broken and the soldiers are afraid." So together with Lü Chen's army they led their troops east. Lü Chen's army camped east of Pengcheng, Xiang Yu's west of Pengcheng, and the Lord of Pei at Dang.
Zhang Han, having broken Xiang Liang's army, thought the troops in the lands of Chu were not worth worrying about, and so crossed the He and struck Zhao, and utterly broke them. At this time Zhao Xie was king, Chen Yu was general and Zhang Er chief minister, and they all fled into the city of Julu. Zhang Han ordered Wang Li and She Jian to besiege Julu, while Zhang Han camped to its south and built a walled road to send grain to them. Chen Yu as general led several tens of thousands and camped north of Julu; this is what was called the army north of the He.
The Chu troops having been broken at Dingtao, King Huai was afraid and went from Xutai to Pengcheng, joined the armies of Xiang Yu and Lü Chen and took command of them himself. He made Lü Chen Minister over the Masses and Lü Chen's father Lü Qing Prime Minister. He made the Lord of Pei chief of the commandery of Dang, enfeoffed him as Marquis of Wu'an, and gave him command of the troops of Dang.
At first, the Qi envoy Lord Gaoling, Xian, whom Song Yi had met, was with the Chu army, and he saw the king of Chu and said: "Song Yi judged that the Lord of Wuxin's army would certainly be defeated, and after some days the army was indeed defeated. To see the signs of defeat before the troops have fought — this may be called understanding warfare." The king summoned Song Yi and took counsel with him and was greatly pleased with him, and so appointed him supreme general, with Xiang Yu as Duke of Lu and second in command and Fan Zeng as junior general, to rescue Zhao. All the detached generals were attached to Song Yi, who was styled the Noble Chief Commander. Marching as far as Anyang, he stayed forty-six days and did not advance. Xiang Yu said: "I have heard that the Qin army has besieged the king of Zhao at Julu. Let us lead our troops quickly across the He; Chu will strike from without and Zhao answer from within, and the Qin army will certainly be broken." Song Yi said: "Not so. The gadfly that strikes the ox cannot break the lice. Now Qin attacks Zhao: if it wins its troops will be worn out and we shall profit by their exhaustion; if it does not win, then we shall lead our troops with drums beating and go west, and shall certainly take Qin. So it is better first to let Qin and Zhao fight. In putting on armour and grasping weapons, I am not the equal of you; in sitting and working out plans, you are not the equal of me." And he gave an order in the army: "Any who are fierce as a tiger, wayward as a ram, greedy as a wolf, or too stubborn to be employed, shall be beheaded." He then sent his son Song Xiang to be chief minister of Qi, escorted him in person as far as Wuyan, and drank and feasted lavishly. The weather was cold and the rain heavy, and the soldiers were frozen and hungry. Xiang Yu said: "We should be joining strength to attack Qin, and we stay long and do not move. This year there is famine and the people are poor, the soldiers eat taro and beans, the army has no ready grain, and yet he drinks and feasts lavishly; he will not lead the troops across the He to feed off Zhao and join strength with Zhao to attack Qin, but says 'profit by their exhaustion.' With Qin's strength attacking a newly made Zhao, it is certain to take Zhao. Zhao being taken and Qin strong, what exhaustion will there be to profit by? Moreover the state's army is newly broken, the king sits uneasy on his mat, he has swept the land within his borders and entrusted it all to the general, and the safety or danger of the state hangs on this one stroke. Now he does not pity the soldiers but follows his private interest; he is no minister of the altars of state." At dawn Xiang Yu went to the supreme general Song Yi's morning audience, and in his very tent cut off Song Yi's head; he came out and gave an order in the army: "Song Yi plotted with Qi to rebel against Chu, and the king of Chu secretly ordered me to put him to death." At this time the generals all cowered in submission and none dared resist. They all said: "It was your house that first set up Chu. Now the general has put down disorder." So together they set up Yu as acting supreme general. He sent men after Song Yi's son and, catching him in Qi, killed him. He sent Huan Chu to report to King Huai. King Huai thereupon made Xiang Yu supreme general, and the Lord of Dangyang and General Pu were both attached to Xiang Yu.
Xiang Yu having killed the Noble Chief Commander, his awe shook the state of Chu and his name was heard among the lords. He then sent the Lord of Dangyang and General Pu with twenty thousand men across the He to rescue Julu. Their advantage was slight, and Chen Yu asked again for troops. Xiang Yu then led all his troops across the He, sank every boat, broke the cauldrons and steamers and burned the huts, and carried three days' rations, to show the soldiers they must die and had not one thought of turning back. Thereupon on arriving he surrounded Wang Li, met the Qin army and fought nine engagements, cut their walled road and utterly broke them, killing Su Jiao and taking Wang Li captive. She Jian would not surrender to Chu and burned himself to death. At this time the Chu troops were first among the lords. Of the lords' armies that had come to the relief of Julu there were more than ten walled camps, and none dared let loose their troops. When Chu struck Qin, the generals all watched from their ramparts. Of the Chu fighting men there was none who was not a match for ten, and the shouting of the Chu troops shook heaven, and among the lords' armies there was no man who was not shaking with fear. Thereupon, having broken the Qin army, Xiang Yu summoned the lords' generals, and as they entered the gate of his camp there was none who did not go forward on his knees, and none dared look up. From this Xiang Yu first became supreme general of the lords, and the lords were all attached to him.
Zhang Han camped at Jiyuan and Xiang Yu south of the Zhang, and they faced each other without fighting. The Qin army was repeatedly driven back, and the Second Emperor sent men to reprove Zhang Han. Zhang Han was afraid and sent the Chief Clerk Xin to ask instructions. He reached Xianyang and waited three days at the Major's Gate, and Zhao Gao would not see him, having a mind to distrust him. The Chief Clerk Xin was afraid and hurried back to his army, not daring to take the old road; and Zhao Gao did indeed send men after him, but they did not catch him. Xin reached the army and reported: "Zhao Gao has charge of affairs within, and below him there is nothing to be done. Now if we can win in battle, Gao will certainly be jealous of our merit; if we cannot win, we shall not escape death. I beg the general to consider it carefully." Chen Yu also sent Zhang Han a letter: "Bai Qi was a general of Qin: in the south he campaigned against Yan and Ying, in the north he buried alive the troops of Mafu; the cities he attacked and lands he seized could not be counted, and in the end he was granted death. Meng Tian was a general of Qin: in the north he drove off the Rong and opened up several thousand li of land at Yuzhong, and in the end he was beheaded at Yangzhou. Why? Because their merits were many and Qin could not enfeoff them all, and so it used the law to put them to death. Now you have been a general of Qin three years; those you have lost number in the hundred thousands, and yet the lords rise up and grow ever more numerous. That Zhao Gao has flattered him for a long while; now that matters are urgent, he too fears the Second Emperor will put him to death, and therefore wishes to use the law to put you to death and so shift the blame, sending a man to replace you and escape the calamity himself. You have been long outside, and there are many rifts within; you will be put to death whether you have merit or not. Moreover that Heaven is destroying Qin, foolish and wise alike all know. Now within you cannot remonstrate straightforwardly, and without you are the general of a perishing state; to stand alone and isolated and wish to endure — is it not pitiable! Why do you not turn your troops and join the lords in a vertical alliance, agree to attack Qin together and divide its lands and be kings there, facing south and styling yourself a prince? Which is better, this, or lying under the axe and block with your wife and children put to death?" Zhang Han hesitated and secretly sent the scout Shi Cheng as envoy to Xiang Yu, wishing to make terms. The terms were not settled when Xiang Yu sent General Pu to lead his troops day and night across at the Three Fords and camp south of the Zhang, and he fought the Qin troops and broke them a second time. Xiang Yu led all his troops to strike the Qin army on the Wu River and utterly broke them.
Zhang Han sent a man to see Xiang Yu, wishing to make terms. Xiang Yu summoned his officers and took counsel: "Our grain is short; I wish to accept his terms." The officers all said, "Good." Xiang Yu then appointed a meeting with him south of the Huan River on the ruins of Yin. When the covenant was made, Zhang Han saw Xiang Yu and wept, and spoke to him of Zhao Gao. Xiang Yu then set up Zhang Han as king of Yong and kept him in the Chu army. He made the Chief Clerk Xin supreme general, commanding the Qin troops in the van. They came to Xin'an. In earlier times, when the lords' officers and soldiers had passed through the Qin heartland on corvée and garrison duty, the officers and soldiers of Qin had treated them outrageously; and when the Qin army surrendered to the lords, the lords' officers and soldiers took advantage of their victory and treated them mostly as slaves and captives, lightly humiliating the Qin officers and soldiers. Many of the Qin officers and soldiers said secretly: "General Zhang and the others tricked us into surrendering to the lords. Now if we can enter the Pass and break Qin, well and good; but if we cannot, the lords will carry us east as captives, and Qin will certainly put all our parents, wives and children to death." The generals got wind of this talk and told Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu then summoned Ying Bu and General Pu and took counsel: "The Qin officers and soldiers are still numerous and their hearts do not submit; if they do not obey when we reach within the Pass, the matter will certainly be dangerous. Better to strike and kill them, and go into Qin with only Zhang Han, the Chief Clerk Xin and the Commandant Yi." Thereupon the Chu army struck them by night and buried alive more than two hundred thousand Qin soldiers south of the city of Xin'an.
Marching on, they overran and settled the lands of Qin. At the Hangu Pass there were troops guarding the pass and they could not enter. Hearing besides that the Lord of Pei had already broken Xianyang, Xiang Yu was greatly angered and sent the Lord of Dangyang and the others to strike at the pass. Xiang Yu then entered and came to the west of Xi. The Lord of Pei was camped at Bashang and had not yet been able to meet Xiang Yu. The Lord of Pei's Major of the Left, Cao Wushang, sent a man to say to Xiang Yu: "The Lord of Pei means to be king within the Pass, to make Ziying his chief minister, and to have all the treasures himself." Xiang Yu was greatly angered and said, "Tomorrow feast the soldiers; we shall break the Lord of Pei's army!" At this time Xiang Yu had four hundred thousand troops at Hongmen in Xinfeng, and the Lord of Pei a hundred thousand at Bashang. Fan Zeng urged Xiang Yu: "When the Lord of Pei was east of the mountains he was greedy for goods and fond of fair women. Now that he has entered the Pass he takes no goods and favours no women; this shows his aim is not small. I have had men observe his vapours, and they are all dragons and tigers, forming five colours: these are the vapours of a Son of Heaven. Strike quickly and do not let him slip."
Xiang Bo, the Chu Overseer of the Left, was Xiang Yu's uncle and had always been on good terms with the Marquis of Liu, Zhang Liang. Zhang Liang was at this time with the Lord of Pei, and Xiang Bo galloped by night to the Lord of Pei's camp, saw Zhang Liang privately and told him the whole matter, wishing to call Zhang Liang away with him, saying, "Do not follow him to death." Zhang Liang said: "I am escorting the Lord of Pei for the king of Han; now that the Lord of Pei is in urgent trouble, to run away would be unrighteous, and I cannot but tell him." Liang then went in and told the Lord of Pei everything. The Lord of Pei was greatly alarmed and said, "What is to be done?" Zhang Liang said, "Who made this plan for Your Majesty?" He said, "A petty fellow urged me, saying, 'Hold the Pass and do not admit the lords, and you may be king over all the lands of Qin.' So I listened to him." Liang said, "Do you reckon that your soldiers are enough to withstand King Xiang?" The Lord of Pei was silent, then said, "Certainly they are not. What then is to be done?" Zhang Liang said, "Let me go and tell Xiang Bo that the Lord of Pei does not dare turn against King Xiang." The Lord of Pei said, "How do you come to be an old acquaintance of Xiang Bo?" Zhang Liang said: "In the time of Qin he travelled with me; Xiang Bo killed a man and I saved his life. Now that matters are urgent, he has kindly come to tell me." The Lord of Pei said, "Which of you is the elder?" Liang said, "He is older than I." The Lord of Pei said, "Call him in for me; I will treat him as an elder brother." Zhang Liang went out and invited Xiang Bo. Xiang Bo at once came in to see the Lord of Pei. The Lord of Pei offered him a cup of wine to drink his health and made an agreement of marriage with him, saying: "Since I entered the Pass I have not dared touch so much as an autumn hair; I have registered the officers and people and sealed the storehouses and treasuries, waiting for the general. The reason I sent generals to guard the pass was to guard against other bandits coming in and out and against emergencies. Day and night I have hoped for the general's coming; how should I dare rebel? I beg you to tell him fully that I do not dare turn my back on his kindness." Xiang Bo agreed. He said to the Lord of Pei, "Tomorrow you must come early yourself to apologise to King Xiang." The Lord of Pei said, "Very well." Thereupon Xiang Bo went off again by night, reached the camp and reported the Lord of Pei's words fully to King Xiang. And he said: "Had the Lord of Pei not first broken within the Pass, would you have dared to enter? Now that a man has done a great service and you strike at him, it is unrighteous; better to treat him well on this account." King Xiang agreed.
The next day the Lord of Pei came with a hundred and more horsemen to see King Xiang. Reaching Hongmen he apologised, saying: "I and the general joined strength to attack Qin; the general fought north of the He and I fought south of the He. Yet without expecting it I was able to enter the Pass first and break Qin, and so to see the general here again. Now there has been the talk of a small man, and it has made a rift between the general and me." King Xiang said: "It was your Major of the Left, Cao Wushang, who said it; otherwise how should I have come to this?" King Xiang that very day kept the Lord of Pei and drank with him. King Xiang and Xiang Bo sat facing east. The Second Father sat facing south — the Second Father was Fan Zeng. The Lord of Pei sat facing north, and Zhang Liang attended facing west. Fan Zeng repeatedly gave King Xiang a look and three times raised the jade ring he wore to show him, and King Xiang was silent and did not respond. Fan Zeng rose, went out and called in Xiang Zhuang, and said to him: "Our king is a man who cannot bring himself to it. Go in and drink his health, and when you have done, ask to dance with the sword, and strike the Lord of Pei where he sits and kill him. If you do not, you and yours will all be his captives." Zhuang then went in and drank his health, and having done, said, "Our king is drinking with the Lord of Pei, and there is nothing in the camp for entertainment; I beg leave to dance with the sword." King Xiang said, "Very well." Xiang Zhuang drew his sword and rose to dance, and Xiang Bo too drew his sword and rose to dance, constantly shielding the Lord of Pei with his own body, so that Zhuang could not strike. Thereupon Zhang Liang went to the camp gate and saw Fan Kuai. Fan Kuai said, "How goes today's business?" Liang said, "It is most urgent. Just now Xiang Zhuang drew his sword and danced, and his intent was always on the Lord of Pei." Kuai said, "This is pressing; let me go in and share his fate." Kuai at once girded on his sword, took up his shield and entered the camp gate. The guards with crossed halberds wished to stop him and not let him in; Fan Kuai turned his shield and knocked them down, and the guards fell to the ground, and Kuai went in, lifted the curtain and stood facing west, glaring at King Xiang, his hair standing on end and the corners of his eyes bursting. King Xiang laid his hand on his sword and rose to a kneeling posture and said, "What is this guest?" Zhang Liang said, "He is the Lord of Pei's trace-rider, Fan Kuai." King Xiang said, "A stout fellow — give him a cup of wine." So they gave him a large cup of wine. Kuai bowed his thanks, rose, and drank it standing. King Xiang said, "Give him a shoulder of pork." So they gave him a raw shoulder of pork. Fan Kuai laid his shield upside down on the ground, put the shoulder on it, drew his sword, cut it and ate it. King Xiang said, "A stout fellow — can you drink again?" Fan Kuai said: "I do not shrink even from death; what is a cup of wine to refuse? The king of Qin had the heart of a tiger or wolf; he killed men as though he could not finish them and punished men as though he feared he could not do enough, and the whole world turned against him. King Huai made an agreement with his generals: 'He who first breaks Qin and enters Xianyang shall be king there.' Now the Lord of Pei first broke Qin and entered Xianyang, and did not dare touch so much as a hair; he sealed up the palaces and chambers and went back to camp at Bashang to wait for Your Majesty's coming. The reason he sent generals to guard the pass was to guard against other bandits coming in and out and against emergencies. With such toil and such high merit, he has had no reward of a marquisate, and you listen to trifling talk and wish to put to death a man of merit. This is only to carry on where the fallen Qin left off; I venture to think Your Majesty should not do it." King Xiang had nothing to answer and said, "Sit." Fan Kuai sat next to Liang. After sitting a little while the Lord of Pei rose to go to the privy, and beckoned Fan Kuai out.
The Lord of Pei having gone out, King Xiang sent the Commandant Chen Ping to summon him. The Lord of Pei said, "I have come out just now without taking leave; what is to be done?" Fan Kuai said: "In great actions one does not mind small scruples; in great ceremony one does not decline small courtesies. As things are now, they are the chopper and the block and we are the fish and the meat — what is there to take leave for?" So he went off at once, leaving Zhang Liang to make his excuses. Liang asked, "What did Your Majesty bring?" He said: "I brought a pair of white jade discs to present to King Xiang, and a pair of jade cups to give to the Second Father; but meeting with his anger I did not dare present them. Present them for me." Zhang Liang said, "I shall do so." At this time King Xiang's army was below Hongmen and the Lord of Pei's at Bashang, forty li apart. The Lord of Pei then left his carriage and riders and slipped away alone on horseback, with Fan Kuai, Xiahou Ying, Jin Qiang and Ji Xin — four men — going on foot with swords and shields, from below Mount Li and by the Zhiyang road across country. The Lord of Pei said to Zhang Liang: "By this road it is no more than twenty li to my camp. Reckon that I have reached the camp, and then go in." The Lord of Pei having gone and reached his camp by the by-road, Zhang Liang went in to make his excuses, saying: "The Lord of Pei cannot hold his wine and could not take leave. He respectfully sent me, Liang, to present a pair of white jade discs, bowing twice before Your Majesty, and a pair of jade cups, bowing twice before the great general." King Xiang said, "Where is the Lord of Pei?" Liang said, "Hearing that Your Majesty meant to reprove his faults, he slipped away alone and has already reached his camp." King Xiang then accepted the discs and set them on his seat. The Second Father accepted the jade cups, set them on the ground, drew his sword and smashed them, saying: "Faugh! This stripling is not worth plotting with. He who will take King Xiang's empire from him will surely be the Lord of Pei; we and ours will now be his captives." The Lord of Pei reached his camp and at once put Cao Wushang to death.
After some days Xiang Yu led his troops west, massacred Xianyang, killed Ziying, the surrendered king of Qin, and burned the Qin palaces, and the fire was not out for three months; he gathered their goods, treasures and women and went east. Someone urged King Xiang: "Within the Pass is barred by mountains and the He and walled on four sides, and the land is rich and fertile; you may make your capital there and be hegemon." King Xiang saw that the Qin palaces were all burned and ruined, and his heart moreover longed to go home east, and he said, "To be rich and honoured and not go home is like wearing embroidery and walking at night — who is to know of it?" The one who had urged him said, "Men say that the men of Chu are monkeys in caps, and it is true." King Xiang heard of it and boiled the man.
King Xiang sent a man to report to King Huai. King Huai said, "As agreed." So he honoured King Huai as the Righteous Emperor. King Xiang wished to be king himself, and first made his generals and ministers kings. He said to them: "When the world first rose in difficulty, we provisionally set up descendants of the lords in order to attack Qin. But those who put on armour and grasped weapons and first raised the matter, who lay exposed in the field three years, destroyed Qin and settled the world, were all of you generals and ministers and myself. The Righteous Emperor, though he has no merit, should of course have a share of the land and be king there." The generals all said, "Good." So he divided the world and set up his generals as marquises and kings. King Xiang and Fan Zeng suspected that the Lord of Pei would have the world; but peace had already been made, and they also disliked breaking the agreement and feared that the lords would revolt, so they plotted secretly, saying: "The roads of Ba and Shu are difficult, and all the men Qin banished dwelt in Shu." So they said, "Ba and Shu too are lands within the Pass." Therefore they set up the Lord of Pei as king of Han, king over Ba, Shu and Hanzhong, with his capital at Nanzheng. And they divided the region within the Pass in three and made the surrendered Qin generals kings there, to block the king of Han. King Xiang then set up Zhang Han as king of Yong, king over the lands west of Xianyang, with his capital at Feiqiu. The Chief Clerk Xin had formerly been prison clerk at Yueyang and had once shown kindness to Xiang Liang; the Commandant Dong Yi had originally urged Zhang Han to surrender to Chu. Therefore he set up Sima Xin as king of Sai, king over the lands from east of Xianyang to the He, with his capital at Yueyang; and set up Dong Yi as king of Di, king over Shangjun, with his capital at Gaonu. He moved Bao, king of Wei, to be king of Western Wei, king over Hedong, with his capital at Pingyang. Shen Yang of Xiaqiu was a favoured retainer of Zhang Er; he had first taken Henan and welcomed Chu on the He, and therefore Shen Yang was set up as king of Henan, with his capital at Luoyang. Cheng, king of Han, kept his old capital at Yangdi. The Zhao general Sima Ang had settled Henei and repeatedly had merit, and therefore Ang was set up as king of Yin, king over Henei, with his capital at Zhaoge. Xie, king of Zhao, was moved to be king of Dai. The Zhao chief minister Zhang Er had always been thought worthy and had moreover followed him into the Pass, and therefore Er was set up as king of Changshan, king over the lands of Zhao, with his capital at Xiangguo. The Lord of Dangyang, Ying Bu, was a general of Chu and constantly first among the army, and therefore Bu was set up as king of Jiujiang, with his capital at Liu. Lord Po, Wu Rui, had led the Hundred Yue to assist the lords and had moreover followed him into the Pass, and therefore Rui was set up as king of Hengshan, with his capital at Zhu. The Righteous Emperor's Pillar of State, Gong Ao, had led troops to strike the commandery of Nan and had much merit, and so Ao was set up as king of Linjiang, with his capital at Jiangling. Han Guang, king of Yan, was moved to be king of Liaodong. The Yan general Zang Tu had followed Chu in relieving Zhao and had moreover followed him into the Pass, and therefore Tu was set up as king of Yan, with his capital at Ji. Tian Shi, king of Qi, was moved to be king of Jiaodong. The Qi general Tian Du had joined in relieving Zhao and had moreover followed him into the Pass, and therefore Du was set up as king of Qi, with his capital at Linzi. Tian An, grandson of Jian, the king of Qi whom Qin had destroyed, had, while Xiang Yu was crossing the He to relieve Zhao, taken several cities of Jibei and led his troops to surrender to Xiang Yu, and therefore An was set up as king of Jibei, with his capital at Boyang. Tian Rong had repeatedly gone against Xiang Liang and moreover would not lead troops to follow Chu in striking Qin, and for this reason was not enfeoffed. Chen Yu, the Lord of Cheng'an, had thrown away his general's seal and departed and had not followed him into the Pass; yet his worth had always been heard of and he had merit in Zhao, and hearing that he was at Nanpi, three counties round about were enfeoffed on him. Mei Xuan, a general of Lord Po, had much merit, and therefore was enfeoffed as a marquis of a hundred thousand households. King Xiang set himself up as Hegemon King of Western Chu, king over nine commanderies, with his capital at Pengcheng.
In the fourth month of the first year of Han the lords left their camps below Xi and each went to his state. King Xiang went out to his state and sent men to move the Righteous Emperor, saying, "The emperors of antiquity had a thousand li square of territory and always dwelt upstream." So he sent envoys to move the Righteous Emperor to Chen county in Changsha. They urged the Righteous Emperor to go, and his ministers gradually turned against him, and Xiang then secretly ordered the kings of Hengshan and Linjiang to strike and kill him in the middle of the Jiang. Cheng, king of Han, had no military merit, and King Xiang did not send him to his state but took him along to Pengcheng, degraded him to marquis, and afterwards killed him too. When Zang Tu reached his state he drove Han Guang to Liaodong; Guang would not obey, and Tu struck and killed Guang at Wuzhong and made himself king over his lands as well.
Tian Rong, hearing that Xiang Yu had moved Shi, king of Qi, to Jiaodong and set up the Qi general Tian Du as king of Qi, was greatly angered and would not send the king of Qi to Jiaodong, but with Qi rebelled and met and struck Tian Du. Tian Du fled to Chu. Shi, king of Qi, feared King Xiang and so fled to Jiaodong to take up his state. Tian Rong was angry, pursued and killed him at Jimo. Rong then set himself up as king of Qi, and went west and struck and killed Tian An, king of Jibei, and made himself king over all the Three Qi. Rong gave Peng Yue a general's seal and ordered him to revolt in the lands of Liang. Chen Yu secretly sent Zhang Tong and Xia Shuo to urge Tian Rong, king of Qi: "Xiang Yu is master of the world and is not fair. Now he has made all the former kings kings in poor lands and made his own ministers and generals kings in good lands, driving out their former masters, so that the king of Zhao now dwells north in Dai. I hold that this will not do. I hear that Your Majesty has raised troops and moreover will not obey what is unrighteous. I wish Your Majesty would furnish me with troops, and I beg to strike Changshan and restore the king of Zhao, and I beg to make our state your shield and screen." The king of Qi agreed and accordingly sent troops to Zhao. Chen Yu called out all the troops of his three counties and joined strength with Qi to strike Changshan, and utterly broke it. Zhang Er fled and went over to Han. Chen Yu welcomed the former king of Zhao, Xie, from Dai and brought him back to Zhao. The king of Zhao thereupon set up Chen Yu as king of Dai.
At this time Han turned back and settled the Three Qin. Xiang Yu, hearing that the king of Han had annexed the whole region within the Pass and was about to go east, and that Qi and Zhao had revolted from him, was greatly angered. He then made Zheng Chang, formerly prefect of Wu, king of Han to resist Han, and ordered Lord Xiao Jiao and others to strike Peng Yue. Peng Yue defeated Lord Xiao Jiao and the rest. Han sent Zhang Liang to overrun Han, and he sent King Xiang a letter saying, "The king of Han has lost what was his due and wishes to get the region within the Pass; if the agreement is kept he will stop and will not dare go east." He also sent King Xiang the letters about the revolt of Qi and Liang, saying, "Qi wishes to join with Zhao to destroy Chu." For this reason Chu had no mind to go west, and struck Qi in the north. He levied troops from Ying Bu, king of Jiujiang. Bu pleaded illness and did not go, but sent a general with a few thousand men. From this King Xiang bore Bu a grudge. In the winter of the second year of Han, Xiang Yu went north to Chengyang, and Tian Rong also led troops and gave battle. Tian Rong did not win and fled to Pingyuan, and the people of Pingyuan killed him. Then Xiang went north and burned and levelled the walls and houses of Qi, buried alive all Tian Rong's surrendered soldiers, and bound and carried off their old and weak and their women. He overran Qi as far as Beihai, destroying and wiping out much. The men of Qi gathered together and revolted from him. Thereupon Tian Rong's younger brother Tian Heng collected the scattered soldiers of Qi and got several tens of thousands, and turned against him at Chengyang. King Xiang therefore stayed on, and fought battle after battle without being able to take it.
In spring the king of Han marshalled the troops of five of the lords, five hundred and sixty thousand in all, and attacked Chu in the east. King Xiang heard of it and at once ordered his generals to strike Qi, while he himself with thirty thousand picked troops went south from Lu and out by Huling. In the fourth month Han had all entered Pengcheng, gathered its goods, treasures and beauties, and feasted and drank lavishly day after day. King Xiang then went west by way of Xiao, struck the Han army at dawn and moved east, reaching Pengcheng; by midday he had utterly broken the Han army. The Han army all fled and followed one another into the Gu and the Si, and he killed more than a hundred thousand Han soldiers. The Han soldiers all fled south into the hills, and Chu pursued and struck them again east of Lingbi on the Sui River. The Han army fell back and, pressed by Chu, many were killed; more than a hundred thousand Han soldiers all went into the Sui, and the Sui did not flow for them. They surrounded the king of Han three deep. Thereupon a great wind rose from the northwest, breaking trees and tearing off roofs and raising sand and stones; it was dark as night and blew full in the face of the Chu army. The Chu army was thrown into great disorder and broke apart, and the king of Han was able to slip away with a few dozen horsemen. He meant to pass by Pei and gather his household and go west; but Chu too sent men after him to Pei to take the king of Han's household, and the household had all fled and did not meet the king of Han. On the road the king of Han happened to find Xiaohui and Luyuan and took them up in his carriage. The Chu horsemen pursued the king of Han, and the king of Han in his haste pushed Xiaohui and Luyuan down out of the carriage, and Lord Teng always got down and took them up again. This happened three times. He said, "Though we are in haste we cannot drive faster; how can you abandon them?" And so they got away. He sought the Grand Duke and the Empress Lü and did not meet them. Shen Yiji went with the Grand Duke and the Empress Lü by by-roads seeking the king of Han, and instead met the Chu army. The Chu army then took them back and reported to King Xiang, and King Xiang always kept them in his camp.
At this time the Empress Lü's elder brother, the Marquis of Zhoulü, was commanding troops for Han at Xiayi, and the king of Han went by by-roads to join him, and little by little gathered in his soldiers. When he reached Xingyang all the defeated armies met there, and Xiao He also called out all the old and weak within the Pass who were not yet on the registers and sent them to Xingyang, and they revived greatly. Chu, having risen from Pengcheng, constantly took advantage of victory to pursue the routed; they fought Han between Jing and Suo south of Xingyang, and Han defeated Chu, and for this reason Chu could not pass Xingyang and go west.
When King Xiang relieved Pengcheng and pursued the king of Han to Xingyang, Tian Heng was also able to recover Qi and set up Tian Rong's son Guang as king of Qi. When the king of Han was defeated at Pengcheng, the lords all went over to Chu again and turned their backs on Han. The Han army camped at Xingyang and built a walled road joining it to the He, in order to take the grain of the Ao granary. In the third year of Han, King Xiang repeatedly raided and cut the Han walled road, and the king of Han was short of food and afraid, and asked for peace, ceding the lands west of Xingyang to Han.
King Xiang wished to agree. The Marquis of Liyang, Fan Zeng, said, "Han is easy to deal with; if you let him go now and do not take him, you will certainly regret it later." King Xiang then with Fan Zeng pressed the siege of Xingyang. The king of Han was troubled by it, and so used Chen Ping's plan to estrange King Xiang. When King Xiang's envoy came, they prepared the full set of sacrificial meats and lifted them as if to present them; then, seeing the envoy, they feigned astonishment and said, "We thought this was the Second Father's envoy, and it is King Xiang's envoy after all." They carried them off again and served King Xiang's envoy with poor food. The envoy went back and reported to King Xiang, and King Xiang then suspected that Fan Zeng had private dealings with Han, and gradually took away his power. Fan Zeng was greatly angered and said: "The affairs of the world are largely settled; let Your Majesty manage for yourself. I beg leave to have my bones granted me and to go back to the ranks." King Xiang allowed it. Before he had got as far as Pengcheng, an abscess broke out on his back and he died.
The Han general Ji Xin urged the king of Han: "Matters are now urgent; let me deceive Chu by acting the king for Your Majesty, and Your Majesty may slip out." Thereupon the king of Han by night sent out of the east gate of Xingyang two thousand women in armour, and the Chu troops struck at them on all four sides. Ji Xin rode in a yellow-canopied carriage with a plume on the left, saying, "The food in the city is finished; the king of Han surrenders." The Chu army all shouted, "Long live the king!" The king of Han also went out of the west gate with a few dozen horsemen and fled to Chenggao. King Xiang saw Ji Xin and asked, "Where is the king of Han?" He said, "The king of Han has already gone out." King Xiang burned Ji Xin to death.
The king of Han had left the Grandee Secretary Zhou Ke, Lord Cong and Wei Bao to hold Xingyang. Zhou Ke and Lord Cong plotted together, saying, "A king of a state that has rebelled is hard to hold a city with." So together they killed Wei Bao. When Chu took the city of Xingyang, they took Zhou Ke alive. King Xiang said to Zhou Ke, "Be my general, and I will make you supreme general and enfeoff you with thirty thousand households." Zhou Ke cursed him, saying, "If you do not quickly surrender to Han, Han will now take you captive; you are no match for Han." King Xiang was angry and boiled Zhou Ke, and killed Lord Cong as well.
When the king of Han came out of Xingyang, he fled south to Wan and Ye, got Ying Bu, king of Jiujiang, gathered troops as he went, and went back to hold Chenggao. In the fourth year of Han, King Xiang advanced his troops and besieged Chenggao. The king of Han fled, going out of the north gate of Chenggao with Lord Teng alone, crossed the He and fled to Xiuwu, and joined the army of Zhang Er and Han Xin. The generals gradually got out of Chenggao and followed the king of Han. Chu then took Chenggao and meant to go west. Han sent troops to block them at Gong and kept them from going west.
At this time Peng Yue crossed the He and struck Chu at Dong'e, killing the Chu general Lord Xue. King Xiang then went east himself to strike Peng Yue. The king of Han got the troops of the Marquis of Huaiyin and wished to cross the He southward. Zheng Zhong urged the king of Han, and so he halted and fortified himself in Henei. He sent Liu Jia with troops to assist Peng Yue and burn Chu's stores. King Xiang went east, broke them and drove off Peng Yue. The king of Han then led his troops across the He, retook Chenggao, camped at Guangwu and drew food from the Ao granary. King Xiang, having settled the eastern sea region, came west and camped with Han at Guangwu, and they held each other off for several months.
At this time Peng Yue repeatedly rebelled in the lands of Liang and cut off Chu's food, and King Xiang was troubled by it. He made a high chopping block, set the Grand Duke upon it, and told the king of Han, "If you do not surrender at once, I will boil the Grand Duke." The king of Han said: "I and Xiang Yu both faced north and received our commission from King Huai, who said, 'Let us be as brothers.' My father is your father; if you must boil your own father, then be so good as to share out to me a cup of the broth." King Xiang was angry and wished to kill him. Xiang Bo said: "The affairs of the world cannot yet be known; moreover, one who would rule the world does not regard his family. Though you kill him it will do no good, and will only increase the trouble." King Xiang followed him.
Chu and Han held each other off a long while without decision; the able-bodied suffered from campaigning and the old and weak were worn out with transport. King Xiang said to the king of Han: "That the world has been in turmoil these several years is only because of us two. I wish to challenge Your Majesty to single combat to decide who is the man, and not go on making the fathers and sons of the world suffer for nothing." The king of Han laughed and declined, saying, "I would rather fight with wits; I cannot fight with strength." King Xiang ordered a stout fellow to come out and challenge. Han had a good mounted archer of the Loufan, and when Chu challenged three times, the Loufan shot each one dead. King Xiang was greatly angered and put on armour himself, took a halberd and challenged. The Loufan meant to shoot him, but King Xiang glared and shouted at him, and the Loufan dared not look at him with his eyes nor loose with his hand, and fled back into the rampart and dared not come out again. The king of Han sent men secretly to ask about it, and it was King Xiang. The king of Han was greatly astonished. Thereupon King Xiang came up to the king of Han, and they talked across the ravine at Guangwu. The king of Han enumerated his faults, and King Xiang was angry and wished to fight it out. The king of Han would not, and King Xiang shot the king of Han with a hidden crossbow and hit him. The king of Han was wounded and fled into Chenggao.
King Xiang heard that the Marquis of Huaiyin had taken the lands north of the He and broken Qi and Zhao and moreover meant to strike Chu, and so sent Long Ju to strike him. The Marquis of Huaiyin fought him, and the cavalry general Guan Ying struck him and utterly broke the Chu army and killed Long Ju. Han Xin thereupon set himself up as king of Qi. King Xiang, hearing that Long Ju's army was broken, was afraid, and sent Wu She, a man of Xutai, to go and persuade the Marquis of Huaiyin. The Marquis of Huaiyin would not listen. At this time Peng Yue rebelled again, took the lands of Liang and cut off Chu's food. King Xiang then said to the Marquis of Haichun, the Grand Marshal Cao Jiu, and the others: "Hold Chenggao carefully. If Han wishes to challenge you to battle, take care not to fight, but only keep them from getting east. In fifteen days I shall certainly have put Peng Yue to death and settled the lands of Liang, and shall rejoin you, general." So he went east and marched to strike Chenliu and Waihuang.
Waihuang did not fall. After some days it surrendered, and King Xiang was angry and ordered all the males of fifteen and upward to go to the east of the city, meaning to bury them alive. A retainer's son of the prefect of Waihuang, thirteen years old, went and urged King Xiang: "Peng Yue forced Waihuang by violence; Waihuang was afraid and so surrendered for the time being, waiting for Your Majesty. Your Majesty has come, and now you would bury them all alive — how should the people have any heart to turn to you? From here eastward the ten and more cities of the lands of Liang will all be afraid and none will be willing to submit." King Xiang thought his words right, and pardoned those of Waihuang who were to have been buried alive. Going east as far as Suiyang, they heard of it and all vied to submit to King Xiang.
Han did indeed repeatedly challenge the Chu army to battle, and the Chu army would not come out. They sent men to insult them, and after five or six days the Grand Marshal was angry and sent his troops across the Si River. When the soldiers were halfway across, Han struck them and utterly broke the Chu army, and got all the goods and valuables of the state of Chu. The Grand Marshal Jiu, the Chief Clerk Yi and Xin, king of Sai, all cut their own throats on the Si River. The Grand Marshal Jiu had formerly been prison clerk of Qi, and the Chief Clerk Xin had also formerly been a prison officer of Yueyang; the two men had once shown kindness to Xiang Liang, and for this reason King Xiang trusted them. At this time King Xiang was at Suiyang; hearing that the Marquis of Haichun's army was defeated, he led his troops back. The Han army was then besieging Zhongli Mo east of Xingyang, and when King Xiang arrived the Han army feared Chu and all fled to the difficult ground.
At this time the Han troops were numerous and their food ample, while King Xiang's troops were worn out and their food gone. Han sent Lu Jia to persuade King Xiang and ask for the Grand Duke, and King Xiang would not listen. The king of Han sent Lord Hou again to persuade King Xiang, and King Xiang then made an agreement with Han to divide the world in the middle, the lands west of the Hong Canal to be Han and those east of the Hong Canal to be Chu. King Xiang agreed, and at once returned the king of Han's parents, wife and children. The armies all shouted, "Long live the king!" The king of Han then enfeoffed Lord Hou as Lord Pingguo. He hid himself and would not see him again, saying, "This is the world's most persuasive man; wherever he stays he overturns a state, and so he is styled Lord Pingguo, the Overturner of States." King Xiang, the agreement made, led his troops away and went home east.
Han wished to go west and home, but Zhang Liang and Chen Ping urged him: "Han has the greater part of the world and the lords are all attached to it. The Chu troops are worn out and their food is gone; this is the time when Heaven destroys Chu. It would be better to take the opportunity and seize them now. If you let them go now and do not strike, this is what is called 'rearing a tiger to leave trouble for yourself.'" The king of Han listened to them. In the fifth year of Han, the king of Han pursued King Xiang as far as south of Yangxia and halted his army, appointing a meeting with Han Xin, Marquis of Huaiyin, and Peng Yue, Marquis of Jiancheng, to strike the Chu army together. He reached Guling, and the troops of Xin and Yue did not come to the meeting. Chu struck the Han army and utterly broke it. The king of Han went back into his rampart, dug his moat deep and held it. He said to Zhang Zifang, "The lords do not keep the agreement; what is to be done?" He answered: "The Chu troops are about to be broken, and Xin and Yue have no lands allotted them; that they do not come is only proper. If Your Majesty can share the world with them, they may be brought at once. If you cannot, matters cannot be known. If Your Majesty can give Han Xin all the land from Chen eastward to the sea, and Peng Yue all from Suiyang north to Gucheng, so that each fights for himself, then Chu will be easy to defeat." The king of Han said, "Good." Thereupon he sent envoys to tell Han Xin and Peng Yue: "Join strength to strike Chu. When Chu is broken, from Chen eastward to the sea goes to the king of Qi, and from Suiyang north to Gucheng to Chief Minister Peng." When the envoys arrived, Han Xin and Peng Yue both replied, "We beg to advance our troops at once." Han Xin then came from Qi, and Liu Jia's army came alongside from Shouchun; they massacred Chengfu and reached Gaixia. The Grand Marshal Zhou Yin turned against Chu, and with the men of Shu massacred Liu, raised the troops of Jiujiang, and followed Liu Jia and Peng Yue, all meeting at Gaixia and coming against King Xiang.
King Xiang's army was walled in at Gaixia; his soldiers were few and his food gone, and the Han army and the troops of the lords surrounded him several deep. At night he heard the Han army on all four sides singing the songs of Chu, and King Xiang was greatly alarmed and said, "Has Han then got the whole of Chu? How many men of Chu there are!" King Xiang rose in the night and drank in his tent. He had a beautiful woman named Yu, who was always favoured and went with him, and a fine horse named Zhui, which he always rode. Thereupon King Xiang sang, sorrowful and impassioned, and made a poem himself: "My strength could pull up mountains, my spirit overtopped the age; the times are against me and Zhui runs no more. Zhui runs no more — what can be done? Yu, my Yu, what is to become of you?" He sang it several times over and the lady sang with him. King Xiang's tears fell in streams, and all about him wept, and none could lift his eyes to look at him.
Thereupon King Xiang mounted his horse, and the stout fellows of his command who rode after him were more than eight hundred; in the dead of night they broke through the encirclement, went out to the south and galloped away. At first light the Han army became aware of it and ordered the cavalry general Guan Ying with five thousand horse to pursue him. King Xiang crossed the Huai, and of the horsemen able to keep up there were only a hundred or so. King Xiang reached Yinling, lost his way and asked a farmer, and the farmer misled him, saying "Left." Going left, he sank into a great marsh, and for this reason Han caught up with him. King Xiang then led his troops east again and reached Dongcheng, where he had but twenty-eight horsemen. The Han pursuers were several thousand. King Xiang reckoned that he could not escape, and said to his horsemen: "It is eight years since I raised troops; I have fought more than seventy battles in person, and whoever stood against me was broken and whoever I struck submitted; I never suffered defeat, and so became hegemon and held the world. Yet now at last I am hemmed in here; this is Heaven destroying me, not any fault of my fighting. Today I am resolved to die; I wish for your sakes to fight a merry fight and be sure to win three times over, to break the encirclement for you, cut down a general and hew down a standard, so that you may know it is Heaven that destroys me and no fault of my fighting." So he divided his horsemen into four bands facing four ways. The Han army surrounded them several deep. King Xiang said to his horsemen, "I will take one of their generals for you." He ordered the horsemen on all four sides to gallop down, appointing to meet at three places east of the hill. Thereupon King Xiang gave a great shout and galloped down, and the Han army all scattered before him, and he cut down one Han general. At this time the Marquis of Chiquan was a cavalry general and pursued King Xiang, and King Xiang glared and shouted at him, and the Marquis of Chiquan and his horse were both startled and fell back several li. He rejoined his horsemen in three places. The Han army did not know where King Xiang was, and so divided their army in three and surrounded them again. King Xiang galloped out and cut down one more Han commandant and killed some scores, up to a hundred; then he gathered his horsemen again and had lost only two of them. He said to his horsemen, "How was that?" The horsemen all bowed and said, "It is as Your Majesty said."
Thereupon King Xiang wished to cross the Wu River eastward. The village head of the Wu River was waiting with a boat moored and said to King Xiang: "East of the Jiang, though small, is a thousand li square with several hundred thousand people, and is enough to be king over. I beg Your Majesty to cross quickly. Now I alone have a boat; when the Han army comes there will be no way to cross." King Xiang laughed and said: "Heaven is destroying me; what should I cross for? Moreover I crossed the Jiang westward with eight thousand sons of the east of the Jiang, and now not one has returned. Even if the fathers and elder brothers east of the Jiang took pity on me and made me king, with what face could I see them? Even if they said nothing, would I alone feel no shame in my heart?" And he said to the village head: "I know you are an elder. I have ridden this horse five years, and nothing has matched him; he has gone a thousand li in a day. I cannot bear to kill him, and give him to you." He then ordered his horsemen all to dismount and go on foot and fight hand to hand with short weapons. Ji alone killed several hundred of the Han army. King Xiang himself received more than ten wounds. Looking round he saw the Han cavalry major Lü Matong and said, "Are you not my old acquaintance?" Matong faced him and, pointing him out to Wang Yi, said, "This is King Xiang." Then King Xiang said, "I hear Han has put a price on my head of a thousand in gold and a fief of ten thousand households; I will do you this favour." And he cut his own throat and died. Wang Yi took his head, and the other horsemen trampled one another in scrambling for King Xiang, and several dozen killed one another. In the end the Palace Gentleman of Cavalry Yang Xi, the cavalry major Lü Matong, and the Palace Gentlemen Lü Sheng and Yang Wu each got a part of his body. The five men brought their parts together and all matched. So his lands were divided into five: Lü Matong was enfeoffed as Marquis of Zhongshui, Wang Yi as Marquis of Duyan, Yang Xi as Marquis of Chiquan, Yang Wu as Marquis of Wufang, and Lü Sheng as Marquis of Nieyang.
King Xiang being dead, the lands of Chu all surrendered to Han; only Lu did not submit. Han then led the troops of the world meaning to massacre it; but because they kept the rites and righteousness and would die in loyalty for their lord, he took King Xiang's head and showed it to Lu, and the fathers and elders of Lu then surrendered. At the beginning King Huai of Chu had first enfeoffed Xiang Ji as Duke of Lu, and when he died Lu was the last to submit, and therefore he was buried at Gucheng with the rites of a Duke of Lu. The king of Han held mourning for him, wept for him and departed.
None of the branches and kin of the Xiang did the king of Han put to death. He enfeoffed Xiang Bo as Marquis of Sheyang. The Marquis of Tao, the Marquis of Pinggao and the Marquis of Xuanwu were all of the Xiang, and were granted the surname Liu.
The Lord Grand Astrologer says: I have heard Master Zhou say that Shun's eyes probably had double pupils, and I have heard too that Xiang Yu had double pupils. Was Yu then his descendant? How sudden was his rise! When Qin lost its government and Chen She first raised the difficulty, bold men rose up like bees and contended together beyond counting. Yet Yu had not a foot or an inch of land; he rose from the furrows on the strength of circumstance, and in three years led five of the lords and destroyed Qin, divided up the world and enfeoffed kings and marquises, and government issued from Yu, who was styled Hegemon King. Though his position did not last to the end, in recent antiquity there has never been such a thing. But when Yu turned his back on the Pass and longed for Chu, banished the Righteous Emperor and set himself up, and then resented the marquises and kings for turning against him, it was hard indeed. He boasted of his own merits in war, followed his private understanding and did not take the ancients as his teachers; he called it the enterprise of a hegemon king, and meant to manage the world by conquest, and in five years he lost his state at last and died at Dongcheng, and still did not awaken or blame himself — that was his error. And then to invoke "Heaven destroys me, it is no fault of my use of arms" — is this not absurd!