Part 3

Cihuacoatl was the mythical mother of the human race. Her name, generally translated "serpent woman," should be rendered "woman of twins" or "bearing twins," as the myth related that such was her fertility that she always bore two children at one lying-in. (Torquemada, _Monarquia Indiana_, Lib. VI., cap. 31.) She was also known by the title _Tonan_ or _Tonantzin_, "our mother," as in v. 5 and 6. Still another of her appellations was _Quilaztli_, which is given her in v. 1. (Comp. Sahagun, _Historia_, Lib. VI., cap. 27.) She was essentially a goddess of fertility and reproduction. The name _cihuacoatl_ was also applied to one of the higher magistrates and war chiefs in the Aztec army (Sahagun). Reference is made to this in v. 6. As a goddess of venerable antiquity, she is spoken of as coming from Colhuacan, "the place of the old men," or of the ancestors of the tribe. This name is derived from _coloa_, to bend down, as an aged person, _colli_, an old man. (See my _Ancient Nahuatl Poetry_, pp. 172-3).

XIV. _Izcatqui yn cuicatl chicuexiuhtica meuaya iniquac atamalqualoya._

1. Xochitl noyollo cuepontimania ye tlacoyoalle, oaya, oouayaye.

2. Yecoc ye tonan, yecoc ye teutl tlacolteutla, oaya, ooayaya.

3. Otlacatqui çenteutl tamiyoanichan ni xochitlicacani. Çey xochitli yantala, yantata, ayyao, ayyaue, tilili yao, ayaue, oayyaue.

4. Otlacatqui çenteutl, atl, yayaui cani tlaca pillachiualoya chalchimichuacan, yyao, yantala, yatanta, a yyao, ayyaue tilili yao, ayyaue, oayyaue.

5. Oya tlatonazqui tlauizcalleuaya inan tlachinaya nepapan quechol, xochitlacacan y yantala, yantata, ayyao, ayyaue, tilili yao, ayyaue, oayyayaue.

6. Tlalpa timoquetzca, tianquiz nauaquia nitlacatla, ni quetzalcoatla, yyao, yantala, yantata, ayyao, ayyaue, tilili yao ayyaue, oayyayue.

7. Ma ya auiallo xochinquauitl itlani nepapan quecholli ma ya in quecholli xicaquiya tlatoaya y toteuh, xicaquiya tlatoaya y quechol amach yeua tonicauh tlapitza amach ychan tlacaluaz, ouao.

8. Aye oho, yyayya, ça miquiyecauiz ça noxocha tonaca xochitli ye izqui xochitla, xochitlicacan, yyaa.

9. Ollama, ollama uiue xolutl nauallachic, ollama ya xolutl chalchiuecatl xiquitta mach, oya moteca piltzintecutli yoanchan, yoanchan.

10. Piltzintle, piltzintle toçuitica timopotonia tlachco, timotlalli yoanchan, yoanchan.

11. Oztomecatla yyaue, oztomecatla xochiquetzal quimama, ontlatca cholola, ayye, ayyo, oye maui noyol, oye maui noyol, aoya yecoc centeutl, matiuia obispo, oztomecatl chacalhoa, xiuhnacochtla, yteamic ximaquiztla yteamico, ayye, ayye.

12. Cochina, cochina, cocochi ye nicmaololo, ni cani ye çiuatl ni cochina yyeo, ouayeo, yho, yya, yya.

_Var._ 3. Çenteuteutl. 4. Uillachiualoia. 5. Oya tonazqui. 6. Tlapan. 10. Timotlalia. 11. Suchiquetzal. Ontlatoa cholollan.

_This is the Hymn which they sang every eight years when they fasted on bread and water._

1. The flower in my heart blossoms and spreads abroad in the middle of the night.

2. Tonan has satisfied her passion, the goddess Tlazolteotl has satisfied her passion.

3. I, Cinteotl, was born in Paradise, I come from the place of flowers. I am the only flower, the new, the glorious one.

4. Cinteotl was born from the water; he came born as a mortal, as a youth, from the cerulean home of the fishes, a new, a glorious god.

5. He shone forth as the sun; his mother dwelt in the house of the dawn, varied in hue as the quechol bird, a new, a glorious flower.

6. I came forth on the earth, even to the market place like a mortal, even I, Quetzalcoatl, great and glorious.

7. Be ye happy under the flower-bush varied in hue as the quetzal bird; listen to the quechol singing to the gods; listen to the singing of the quechol along the river; hear its flute along the river in the house of the reeds.

8. Alas! would that my flowers would cease from dying; our flesh is as flowers, even as flowers in the place of flowers.

9. He plays at ball, he plays at ball, the servant of marvellous skill; he plays at ball, the precious servant; look at him; even the ruler of the nobles follows him to his house.

10. O youths! O youths! follow the example of your ancestors; make yourselves equal to them in the ball count; establish yourselves in your houses.

11. She goes to the mart, they carry Xochiquetzal to the mart; she speaks at Cholula; she startles my heart; she startles my heart; she has not finished, the priest knows her; where the merchants sell green jade earrings she is to be seen, in the place of wonders she is to be seen.

12. Sleep, sleep, sleep, I fold my hands to sleep, I, O woman, sleep.

_Notes._

In default of a Gloss to this hymn, the indispensable Sahagun again comes to our aid. He informs us in the Appendix to the second book of his _Historia_ that "When the Indians celebrated the festival called _atamalqualiztli_, which took place every eight years, certain natives called Mazateca swallowed living serpents and frogs, and received garments as a recompense for their daring." We are not informed as to the purpose of the festival, and its name, which signifies "eating bread made with water," is merely that of one of the regular systems of fasting in vogue in ancient Mexico. (See Sahagun, Lib. III., cap. 8.) The song before us appears to be a recitation calling on a number of the Nahua divinities.

1. "The flower in my heart" is a metaphorical expression for song.

2. _Tonan_, "Our Mother"; _Tlazolteotl_, the goddess of lascivious love, _Venus impudica_. The verb _yecoa_ appears to have its early signification, expressing carnal connection.

3. _Centeotl_, god of maize and fertility.

8. The flowers referred to are the youths and maidens who die young.

9. The house of the ball player is the tomb.

11. This verse is very obscure and is obviously corrupt. It contains the only Spanish word in the text of these hymns--_obispo_--a word including two letters, _b_ and _s_, not in the Nahuatl alphabet.

12. The woman referred to is Xochiquetzal. See Hymn IX.

XV. _Xippe icuic, Totec, yoallauana._

1. Yoalli tlauana, iztleican nimonenequia xiyaqui mitlatia teocuitlaquemitl, xicmoquenti quetlauia.

2. Noteua chalchimamatlaco, apana, y temoya ay quetzallaueuetl, ay quetzalxiuicoatl, nechiya iqui nocauhquetl, ouiya.

3. Maniyauia, nia nia poliuiz, ni yoatzin achalchiuhtla noyollo, ateucuitlatl nocoyaitaz, noyolceuizqui tlacatl achtoquetl tlaquauaya, otlacatqui yautlatoaquetl ouiya.

4. Noteua ce in tlaco xayailiuiz çonoa y yoatzin motepeyocpa mitzualitta moteua, noyolceuizquin tlacatl achtoquetl tlaquauaya, otlacatqui yautlatoaquetl, ouiya.

_Var._ 1. Quetloujia. 2. Noteuhoa chalchimmama tlacoapana itemoia. 3. Achalchiuhtla. 4. Centlaco, mitzualitla.

_Gloss._

1. _Q.n._, yn ti yoallauana, ti xipe, totec, tleica in ti monequi in timoçuma, in timotlatia, _id est_, tleica in amo quiauiteocuitlaquemitl, xicmoquenti, _q.n._, ma quiaui, ma ualauh yn atl.

2. _Q.n._, yn ti noteuh, otemoc in mauhoualla yn mauh; ay quetzalla ueuetl, _id est_, ye tlaquetzalpatia ye tlaxoxouia, ye xopantla. Ay quetzal xiuhcoatl nechia iqui no cauhquetl, _id est_, ca ye otechcauh yn mayanaliztli.

3. _Q.n._, ma mauh, ma nipoliui yn ni yoatzin, _id est_, in catleuatl, yuhquin chalchiuitl noyollo. A teocuitlatl nocoyaitaz, _q.n._, in catleuatl achtomochiuaz ninoyolceuiz.

4. _Q.n._, yn oteuh cequi tlatlacotyan in mochiua initonacayouh, auh in tlein tlatlacotyan achto mochiua mochi tlacatl achto mitzualmaca, auh iniquac ye omochimochiuh occeppa nomochi tlacatl mitzualmaca yn motonacayuh.

_Hymn of the High Priest of Xipe Totec._

1. The nightly drinking, why should I oppose it? Go forth and array yourselves in the golden garments, clothe yourselves in the glittering vestments.

2. My god descended upon the water, into the beautiful glistening surface; he was as a lovely water cypress, as a beauteous green serpent; now I have left behind me my suffering.

3. I go forth, I go forth about to destroy, I, Yoatzin; my soul is in the cerulean water; I am seen in the golden water; I shall appear unto mortals; I shall strengthen them for the words of war!

4. My god appears as a mortal; O Yoatzin, thou art seen upon the mountains; I shall appear unto mortals; I shall strengthen them for the words of war.

_Notes._

There is slight mention of the deity Xipe Totec in the Spanish writers. He was the patron divinity of the silversmiths, and his festival, attended with peculiarly bloody rites, was celebrated in the first month of the calendar. (Duran, _Historia_, cap. 87; Sahagun, Lib. I., cap. 18, Lib. II., cap. 21, etc.) Totec is named as one of the companions of Quetzalcoatl, and an ancient divinity whose temple stood on the _Tzatzitepec_ (see the _Codex Vaticanus_; Tab. XII., in Kingsborough's _Mexico_). His high priest was called _Youallauan_, "the nocturnal tippler" (_youalli_, night, and _tlauana_, to drink to slight intoxication), and it was his duty to tear out the hearts of the human victims (Sahagun, _u.s._). The epithet _Yoatzin_, "noble night-god," bears some relation to the celebration of his rites at night.

XVI. _Chicomecoatl icuic._

1. Chicomollotzin xayameua, ximiçotica aca tona titech icnocauazqui tiyauia mochan tlallocan nouia.

2. Xayameua ximiçotica aca tonan titech icnocauazqui tiyauian mochan tlallocan nouiya.

_Var._ 1. Xaia mehoa.

_Gloss._

1. _Q.n._, yn ti chicomolotl, _id est_, in ti centli ximeua, xiça, xixoa, ca otimouicaya in mochan tlallocan.

2. _Q.n._, xayameua, _id est_, ximeua, xixua, xiça, ca otimouicaya in mochantzinco in tlallocan ca yuhquin ti tonatzon.

_Hymn to Chicomecoatl._

1. O noble Chicomolotl, arise, awake, leave us not unprotected on the way, conduct us to the home of Tlaloc.

2. Arise, awake, leave us not unprotected on the way, conduct us to the home of Tlaloc.

_Notes._

The goddess Chicomecoatl, "seven guests," was the deity who presided over food and drink. Hence in the first verse she is referred to as Chicomolotl, "seven ears of corn," and is spoken of as a guide to Tlalocan, or the home of abundance.

Father Duran, who gives a long chapter on this goddess (_Historia_, cap. 92), translates her name "serpent of seven heads," and adds that she was also called _Chalciucihuatl_, "Lady of the Emerald," and _Xilonen_, "goddess of the tender ears of maize." Every kind of seed and vegetable which served for food was under her guardianship, and hence her festival, held about the middle of September, was particularly solemn. Her statue represented her as a girl of about twelve years old.

XVII. _Totochtin incuic Tezcatzoncatl._

1. Yyaha, yya yya, yya ayya, ayya ouiya, ayya yya, ayya yya, yyauiyya, ayya ayya, yya ayya, yya yya yye.

2. Coliuacan mauizpan atlacatl ichana, yya ayya, yyayyo.

3. Tezcatzonco tecpan teutl, macoc ye chocaya, auia, macaiui, macayui teutl, macoc yye chocaya.

4. Auia axalaco tecpanteutl, macoc yye chocaya, macayui, macayui teutl, macoc yye chocaya.

_Var._ 3. Tezcatzoncatl tepan. 4. Axalaca.

_Gloss._

1. Y tlauelcuic, tlauelcuica.

2. Coliuacan mauizpa tlacatlichana, _q.n._, in tlacatl, _id est_, octli ompa ichan ni colhoacan. Mauizpa, _q.n._, temamauhtican.

3. Tezcatzonco tecpanteutl, _q.n._, ye choca in omacoc teutl tezcatzonco tecpan, _id est_, octli. Quimonacayotia in teutl. Macaiui teutl, _q.n._, macamo omatoni in teutl, _id est_, octli, ye choca cayamo ynemac.

4. Aia axalaco tecpanteutl, _q.n._, axala in tecpanteutl. Ye choca yn omacoc, _id est_, octli axalatecpan, ye choca in omacoc, macamo omaco ni ye choca cayamo ynemac.

_Hymn to Tezcatzoncatl Totochtin._

1. Alas! alas! alas! alas! alas! alas!

2. In the home of our ancestors this creature was a fearful thing.

3. In the temple of Tezcatzoncatl he aids those who cry to him, he gives them to drink; the god gives to drink to those who cry to him.

4. In the temple by the water-reeds the god aids those who call upon him, he gives them to drink; the god aids those who cry unto him.

_Notes._

Tezcatzoncatl was one of the chief gods of the native inebriating liquor, the pulque. Its effects were recognized as most disastrous, as is seen from his other names, _Tequechmecaniani_, "he who hangs people," and _Teatlahuiani_, "he who drowns people." Sahagun remarks, "They always regarded the pulque as a bad and dangerous article." The word _Totochtin_, plural of _tochtli_, rabbit, was applied to drunkards, and also to some of the deities of special forms of drunkenness.

The first verse is merely a series of lamentations. The second speaks of the sad effects of the pulque in ancient times. (On Colhuacan see Notes to Hymn XIII.)

XVIII. _Atlaua Icuic._

1. Auia nichalmecatl, nichalmecatl, neçaualcautla, neçaualcautla, olya quatonalla olya.

2. Ueya, ueya, macxoyauh quilazteutl y tlapani macxoyauh.

3. Nimitz acatecunotzaya, chimalticpao moneçoya nimitzacatecunotzaya.

4. Ayac nomiuh timalla aytolloca nacatl nomiuh aca xeliui timalla.

5. Tetoma amo yolcana tlamacazquinte tometl, açan axcan ye quetzaltototl, nic ya izcaltiquetla.

6. Y yopuchi noteuh atlauaquetl, aça naxcan ye quetzaltototl, nic ya izcaltiquetla.

1. Neçaualcactla. 2. Itlamani. 4. Aitollaca acatl. Timalli. 5. Tetonac amo yolcana tlamacaz quin tetometl.

_Gloss._

1. _Q.n._, ynichalmecatl, yn ineçaualac oqixicauhteuac y nioholti, y nioya, ixquatechimal iquatunal.

2. _Q.n._, ma xiyauh ti quilazteutl, momactemi in macxoyauh.

3. _Q.n._, iniquac onimitznotz, mochimalticpac timiçoya.

4. _Q.n._, atle nomiuh yc notimaloa, ca uel itoloc in acatl nomiuh, yn acatl xeliui yc ninotimaloa.

5. _Q.n._, oncan euac in tetuman nitlacochtetumetl. Auh inaxcan ye quetzaltotol inic ni tlazcaltia.

6. _Q.n._, tiacauh in oteuh in atlaua, auh inaxcan yuhqui quetzaltotol in nitlazcaltia.

_The Hymn of Atlaua._

1. I Chalmecatl, I Chalmecatl, I leave behind my sandles, I leave my sandles and my helmet.

2. Go ye forth and follow the goddess Quilaztli, follow her

3. I shall call upon thee to arise when among the shields, I shall call upon thee to arise.

4. I boast of my arrows, even my reed arrows, I boast of my arrows, not to be broken.

5. Arrayed in priestly garb, take the arrow in thy hand, for even now I shall arise and come forth like the quetzal bird.

6. Mighty is my god Atlaua; truly I shall arise and come forth like the quetzal bird.

_Notes._

_Atlaua_, mentioned by Olmos, who translates the word "Master of waters," is a divinity of whom little is known. The derivation from _atlatl_, arrow, would seem more appropriate to the words of this hymn. _Chalmecatl_, used as a synonym in v. 1, appears to be from _chalania_, to beat, to strike, as a drum.

On _Quilaztli_ see notes to Hymn XIII.

XIX. _Macuilxochitl Icuic._

1. Ayya, yao, xochitlycaca umpan iuitza tlamacazecatla tlamocoyoalca.

2. Ayya, yao, ayo intinotzicaya teumechaue oya, yao, tlauizcalac yacallea tlamacazecatlo tlamocoyoualca.

3. Tetzauhteutla notecuyo tezcatlipuca quinanquilican çinteutla, oay.

4. Tezcatzonco moyolca ayyaquetl yya tochin quiyocuxquia noteuh, niquiyatlacaz, niquiyamamaliz, mixcoatepetl colhoacan.

5. Tozquixaya, nictzotzoniyao, yn tezcatzintli tezcatzintli tezcaxocoyeua, tzoniztapaliati tlaoc xoconoctlia ho, a.

1. Tlamocoioaleua. 5. Tozquiuaia. Tzoniztapalatiati.

_Gloss._

1. _Q.n._, ompa nochan in xochitlicacan in itlamacazqui ni macuilxochitl.

2. _Q.n._, motilinia in tinoçi in ompa titlaecoltilozque umpa tochan ez.

3. _Q.n._, yn tetzauitl in tezcatlipoca ca oyaque auh ynic tiui umpa titlananquilizque in centeotl.

4. Tezcatzonco moyolcan, _q.n._, tezcatzonco oyol in tochtli ynic yaz, oquiyocux, oquipic, y noteuh oquito nittlaçaz, nicmamaliz, in mixcoatepetl colhoacan, _id est_, nictepeuaz.

5. Tozquixaya nictzotzomiao, _q.n._, nictzotzona, in tezcatzintli oncan nexa in tezcatzonco, oncan oyol tzoniztapalatiati ocxoni ni octli.

_Hymn to Macuilxochitl._

1. Yes, I shall go there to-night, to the house of flowers; I shall exercise the priestly office to-night.

2. We labor in thy house, our mother, from dawn unto night, fulfilling the priestly office, laboring in the night.

3. A dreadful god is our god Tezcatlipoca, he is the only god, he will answer us.

4. His heart is in the Tezcatzontli; my god is not timid like a hare nor is he peaceable; I shall overturn, I shall penetrate the Mixcoatepec in Colhuacan.

5. I sing, I play on an instrument, I am the noble instrument, the mirror; I am he who lifts the mirror; I cry aloud, intoxicated with the wine of the tuna.

_Notes._

As before stated (Notes to Hymn VIII), Macuilxochitl is another title of the flower-god Xochipilli.

XX. _Yacatecutli icuic._

1. Anomatia aytoloc, anomatia aytoloc, tzocotzontla aytoloc, tzocotzontla anomatia aytoloc.

2. Pipitla aytoloc, pipitla anomatia aytoloc, cholotla aytoloc, pipitla anomatia aytoloc.

3. Tonacayutl nicmaceuh aça naxcan noquacuillo atliyollo, nechualyauicatiaque xalli itepeuhya.

4. Chalchiuhpetlacalco ni naxcan aça naxcan noquacuillo, atliyollo nechualyauicatiaque xalli itepeuhya.

_Gloss._

1. Anomatia, _q.n._, amo nixpan in omito yauyutl inic otepeualoc tzocotzontla, amo nomatia in omito yauyutl.

2. Pipitla aytoloc, _q.n._, ynic tepeualoc pipitla amo nicmati inic omito yauyutl, in cholotla ic otepeualloc amo nixpan ynic oyautlatolloc.

3. Tonacayutl nicmaceuh, _q.n._, yn tonacayutl inic onicmaçeuh ayaxcan, onechualhuicaque in oquacuiloan in xochayutl, in çoqniayutl in teuelteca, quimilhui in iquintonaz tlatuiz anoquacuiloan ayezque. Xalli tepeuhya, _id est_, tlalocan. Quilmach chalchiuhpetlacalli in quitepeuh inic tepeuh.

4. Chalchiuhpetlacalco ninaxcan, _q.n._, onca ninotlati in chalchiuh petlacalco. Ayaxcan ynechualhuicatiaque yn oquacuiloan atliyoloa in umpa tlallocan.

_Hymn to Yacatecutli._

1. I know not what is said, I know not what is said, what is said about Tzocotzontlan, I know not what is said about Tzocotzontlan.

2. I know not what is said of Pipitlan, what is said of Pipitlan, nor what is said of Cholollan, what of Pipitlan, of Pipitlan.

3. Now I seek our food, proceeding to eat it and to drink of the water, going to where the sand begins.

4. Now I go to my beautiful house, there to eat my food, and to drink of the water, going to where the sand begins.

_Notes._

The god Yacatecutli, whose name means "lord of travelers," or "the lord who guides," was the divinity of the merchants. Sahagun (_Historia_, Lib. I, cap. 19) and Duran (_Historia_, cap. 90) furnish us many particulars of his worship.

The hymn is extremely obscure, containing a number of archaic words, and my rendering is very doubtful. The writer of the Gloss is, I think, also at fault in his paraphrase. The general purpose of the hymn seems to be that of a death-song, chanted probably by the victims about to be sacrificed. They were given the sacred food to eat, as described by Duran, and then prepared themselves to undergo death, hoping to go to "the beautiful house," which the Gloss explains as Tlalocan, the Terrestrial Paradise.

GLOSSARY.

A

A, prefix, negative, or positive prefix, = _atl_, water. Acatecunotzaya, XVIII, 3. Equivalent, according to the Gloss, to _onimitznotz_. Acatona, XVI, 1, 2. For _ac a tonan_. _See_ v. 2. Acatonalaya, III, 5. From _acatl_, reed (?). Achalchiuhtla, XV, 3. Comp. of _atl_, and _chalchiuitl_. Achtoquetl, XV, 3, 4. In the first place, first. Acxolma, XIII, 2. Apparently related to _acxoyatl_, wild laurel. Açan, XIII, 3. Much, many times. Aça naxcan, XVIII, 5, 6; XX, 3, 4. Only now, for _çan axcan_. Ahuia, II, 1. An interjection. Amanteca, I, 5. Workers in mechanic arts (Molina), especially feathers (Sahagun). Amapanitl, III, 1. _Panitl_, banner, flag, with possessive pronoun. Amo, _adv._, no, not, negative; _pron._, your. Anauhcampa, III, 1. "To all four quarters of the water," i.e., in all directions. Anneuaya, III, 2. Poetic for _in nehuatl_, "ego ipse." Annotata, III, 4. Poetic for _in no-tauan_, my forefathers. Annotequina, III, 3. According to the Gloss, equivalent to _in tino teuh_, thou my god. Annoteua, III, 2. Poetic for _in no-teuh_, my lord. Anomatia, XX, 1. Not to know, to be ignorant of. Aoyequene, III, 1. For _aoc yequene_, "and also no one." Apana, XV, 2. Comp. of _atl_, water, and _pani_, upon, postpos. Aquamotla, III, 5. From _quammomotla_, to play ball (?). Aquitoloc, II, 1. A negative, _itoa_, to say, to tell, in the passive preterit. Ateucuitlatl, XV, 3. Golden water. Comp. of _atl_, and _teocuitlatl_. Atilili, VIII, 2. _Atilia_, to become clear or light. Atl, XIV, 4. Water. In composition, _a_. Atliyollo, XX, 3, 4. From _atli_, to drink water. (?) Aua, III, 7. An interjection (?). Auatic, IV, 6. Mistress of the waters (_atl_, water). A-uetztini, XI, 2. From _uetzi_, to fall; "your fall," "your destruction." Auiallo, XIV, 7. From _auia_, to be content, to rejoice. Axalaco, XVII, 4. From _axalli_, a water plant, and loc. term. _co_. Ayac, I, 1, _et sæpe_. Nobody, no one. Ayauh, III, 6. Fog, mist; compound form of _ayauitl_. Ayauhcalcatl, VI, 6. One who has charge of the mist. Compare _tepancalcatl_, a gardener. Ayailicalo, III, 6. From _ayauh_, _calli_, the house of mist, but the Gloss renders it by _auicalo_, the fresh, dewy house (cf. Sah., p. 150). Aylhuiçolla, III, 2. Derived by the Gloss from _ilhuice_, more, hence, to make to grow, to increase. Ayouica, VI, 5. For _ayaic_, never. Aytoloc, XVIII, 4; XX, 1, 2. From _itoa_, to say, to tell, with negative prefix. Ayya, I, 1, _et sæpe_; also in the forms _yya_, _ya_, _yyo_, _yye_, _aya_, _ayyo_, etc. An interjection, or shout.

C