Introduction
And Moctezuma quickly sends several principals.
Tzihuacpopocatzin leads them, and very numerous other representatives of
his. They went to find them (the Spaniards), in the immediacy of
Popocatépetl, of the Iztactépetl (Iztaccihuatl), there in the "Pass of
the Eagle".
They gave the Spanish gold flags, flags of quetzal feathers, and gold
necklaces. And when they had given them this, their faces were smiling,
they were very glad (the Spaniards), they were delighted. As if they
were monkeys they picked up gold, because they seated in such gesture,
as if their hearts were renewed and illuminated.
Because true it is that that is what they yearn for with great thirst.
Their chests widen, they are furiously hungry for it. Like hungry pigs
they crave gold.
And they snatch the gold flags anxiously, they wave them, they see them
from this side and the other. They are like those who speak a wild
language; all that they say, in wild language is, garbled.
Then when they saw Tzihuacpopoca, they said:
- Perhaps that one is Moctezuma?
They said to those that walked with them, their aggregates, opportunists
from Tlaxcala and Cempoala, that astutely and slyly accompany them.
They said to them:
- That is not him, our Lords. That is Tzihuacpopoca: he comes in
representation of Moctezuma.
They said to him (to Tzihuacpopoca):
- Perhaps you are Moctezuma?
He said:
- Yes, I am your servant. I am Moctezuma.
But they said to him:
"Get out of here... Why you deceive to us? Who you think that we are?
You will not deceive us, you will not make fun of us.
You will not intimidate us, you will not blind our eyes.
You will not throw the evil eye at us, you will not twist our face.
You will not enchant our eyes, you will not twist them either.
You not numb our eyes, you will not hurt them.
You will not throw mud to our eyes, you will not fill them of mud.
You are not he... There is Moctezuma! He will not be able to hide, will
not be able to hide from us.
To where will he go?
Will he become a bird and fly? In the Earth will he make his way?
Perhaps in some place he will dig a hill to hide in its interior?
We have to see it. There will be no way of not seeing his face.
We will hear his word, from his lips we will hear it."
Just like that they did scorn him, as nothing they reputed him. And
again this welcome donation failed, this embassy of greeting.
Because of this from that moment they went in a straight way to Mexico.
Then another series of envoys: they were these
wizards, magicians, and even priests. They also went to their encounter.
But nothing could they do there, they could not give them the evil eye,
could not dominate them; in fact did not dominate them. They did not
even arrived there.
It was just that a certain drunkard encountered them in their way. He
came to their encounter, suddenly they found him. The form in which they
saw him: like a man of Chalco was he dressed; Chalca in the dressing,
Chalca in the fiction. He was like a drunkard, was pretending to be
drunk, simulated to be a drunk. He had his chest tied with eight cords
of red.
He suddenly stepped in front of them when they were
close to the Spaniards, when they were on the verge of meeting them. And
he came to the Mexicans and he said to them:
"Why, by your reason, come you here? What thing is it that you want?
What is it that tries Moctezuma?
Is it that he has not recovered his sense yet? Is it that even now he is
a scared poor devil?
He has committed errors: he has taken too far his there servants, has
destroyed the people.
Each other they strike; each other they bury.
Against each other they revolt, each other they deceive."
And when such things they heard; when his speech they listened, to him
in vain tried to approach. They tried to answer him, hurriedly prepared
for him a portable altar and a precious chair. But then, no longer they
saw him.
Although in vain they tried to minister him, although in vain they put
his portable altar, no longer they see his mouth. There it frightens
them, reprimands them harshly, as if from a distant spot it spoke to
them. It said to them:
"Why did you have come to stand here in vain? Mexico will not exist
more! With this, it is finished for ever.
Go away from here: here no more... You return there, you turn your eyes
to Mexico.
What happens, has already happened!"
And they saw, they stared with wild eyes. Burning all are the temples,
and the communal houses, and the priests' schools, and all houses in
Mexico. And everything looked as if there was battle.
And when the wizards saw all this, it was as if their hearts had left to
who knows where. No longer they spoke clearly. As if they had swallowed
something bad. They said:
"It was not for us to see this: it was for Moctezuma to see it; all that
we have seen!
It was not just anyone, that one... that one was the young
Tezcatlipoca... "
He disappeared suddenly; no longer they saw him.
And the envoys no longer went to their planned encounter, they did no
more walk towards them. Instead the wizards and priests returned and
went to tell it to Moctezuma. They returned with those they had left
with, with those of Tzioacpopoca.
And when these envoys returned, they reported to
Moctezuma how it happened, how they saw it. And when Moctezuma heard, he
did nothing more than to lower his head, he was with his head inclined.
He did not speak a word. He just stopped talking. A long time he was
crestfallen this way. All that was said and everything with which he
responded was this:
"What remedy, my strong ones? Then with this we are in the past... With
this occurred to us what we deserved... Perhaps there is some mount
where we can climb? Or perhaps we have to flee? We are Mexican: will
that in truth give glory to the Mexican nation?
Worthy of compassion are the poor old man, the poor old woman, and the
little children that do not yet reason. Where could they be put in
safety? But... there is no remedy... What to do... Nothing left? What to
do and where... The deserved thing already occurred to us. Whatever and
whenever it is, we will have to see it with astonishment."
Any questions, comments or suggestions, please send to Email: [email protected]
This page hosted by
Get your own Free Home Page