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The Battle by Chuü Yüan "We grasp our battle-spears: we don our breast-plates of hide

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The Battle by Chuü Yüan "We grasp our battle-spears: we don our breast-plates of hide. The axles of our chariots touch: our short swords meet. Standards obscure the sun: the foe roll up like clouds. Arrows fall thick: the warriors press forward. They menace our ranks: they break our line. The left-hand trace-horse is dead: the one on the right is smitten. The fallen horses block our wheels: they impede the yoke-horses!" They grasp their jade drum-sticks: they beat the sounding drums. Heaven decrees their fall: the dread Powers are angry. The warriors are all dead: they lie on the moor-field. They issued but shall not enter: they went but shall not return. The plains are flat and wide: the way home is long. Their swords lie beside them: their black bows, in their hand. Though their limbs were torn, their hearts could not be repressed. They were more than brave: they were inspired with the spirit of "Wu." Steadfast to the end, they could not be daunted. Their bodies were stricken, but their souls have taken Immortality— Captains among the ghosts, heroes among the dead. QUESTION 1. What situation is portrayed in Lines 2-3? What images are present in the following lines: 2. Line 4 3. Line 10 4. Line 14 5. To whom does the word Power in Line 9 refer? 6. How would you describe the emotions or state of mind communicated by the poem? 7. What does the line: Their bodies were stricken, but their souls have taken Immortality—reveal? 8. What point of view does Chuü Yüan apparently have of war? Of after life? 9. To what extent do you think that Chuü Yüan might have participated in military activities? On what might you base your assumptions? 10. What value can be derived from the text?