Daily Life of the Aztecs
Page 35
3. In the Spanish text of Sahagún, vol. III p. 117, the word teochichimeca is translated by the expression de todo barbados, an obvious error for del todo bárbaros, 'completely barbarous'. The prefix teo-, literally 'divine', often has the sense of 'to the highest degree' or 'pre-eminently'.
4. The exact meaning of Zacachichimeca is prairiesavages. (Zacatl = grass, prairie.)
5. Sahagún, vol. III p. 117.
6. Ibid., pp. 118-119.
7. De Natura Rerum, V. 967.
8. Crónica Mexicayotl, p. 14, 'Auh inicompa cenca huecahuaque inicompa catca onoco Chichimeca Azteca in Aztlán ontzon xihuitl ipan matlacpohual xihuitl ipan matlactli onnahui xihuitl iniuh neztica intapohual huehuetue, inic nican yehual nenemi -- for a very long time they stayed there, they lived there at Aztlán, the Aztec Chichimecs, for twice four hundred years, and
-291-
ten times twenty years, and fourteen years, according to the account of the ancients, and then they began their march hither.'
9. Ibid., p. 18.
10. Paul Kirchhoff, Los recolectores-cazadores del Norte de México, in El Norte de México y el Sur de Estados Unidos, ( Mexico 1943) pp. 133-144.
11. Xolotl is no doubt a mythical character, the symbol of various barbarous chiefs of the period. His traditional name is that of the dog-god which is one of the forms of Quetzalcoatl. When Quetzalcoatl vanished underground, into the world of death, to reappear, it was in the shape of Xototl that he did so: and as we know, the dog was also the companion of the dead. On the plane of history, the Toltec civilisation (Quetzalcoatl) vanished to be reborn in a new form (Xolotl).
12. See Ixtlilxochitil, Historia Chichimeca, particularly pp. 57 ff. and pp. 73 ff.
13. See Mapa Tlotzin, a pictographic manuscript which shows the old Chichimecs and their first contacts with the settled people, Anales del Museo Nacional de México, vol. III ( Mexico 1886) pp. 304-320 (with a reproduction of the manuscript).
14. Sahagún, vol. III p. 144. On these civilised nations of the east, see particularly Walter Krickeberg, Los Totonaca ( Mexico 1933) pp. 119, 125; and Paul Kirchhoff , "Los Pueblos de la historia Tolteca-Chichimeca: sus migraciones y parentescos", in Revista mexicana de estudios antropológicos, vol. IV, no. 1-2, ( Mexico 1940) pp. 77-104.
15. The contempt of the Aztecs for the Otomí showed in everyday phrases: '"Are you an Otomí, that you do not understand what you are told? Are you not perhaps a real Otomí?" Awkward and clumsy people were insulted thus.' Sahagún, vol. III pp. 124, 132.
16. This term was applied to various tribes, particularly those between Tehuacán and the coast of the Gulf. Popoloca, verb, means 'to speak a barbaric language': Molina, Vocabulatio de la lengua Mexicana ( 1571),
-292-
( facsimile edition, Leipzig 1880) p. 83 verso, Mexican part.
17. Sahagún, vol. III p. 133. This refers to the Yopi or Tlappanecs of the mountainous region on the borders of the present states of Guerrero and Oaxaca.
18. Codex Florentino, vol. III p. 58.
19. Sahagún, vol. II p. 137.
20. Ibid., p. 137.
21. Ibid., p. 138.
22. Ibid., pp. 138-139.
23. Ibid., p. 143.
24. Ibid., pp. 146-149.
25. Angel María K. Garibay, Historia de la Literatura Náhuatl, ( Mexico 1953), pp. 415 ff.
26. Ibid., pp. 442-443.
27. Ignacio Dávila Garibi, "Epótome de raóces nahuas", in Investigaciones lingüsticas, vol. V, no. 1-2 ( Mexico 1938), p. 187.
28. Rémi Siméon, Estudios gramaticales del idioma náhuatl ( Mexico 1902) p. 26: Garibay, Llave del Náhuatl (Otumba 1940) p. 44.
29. Sahagún, vol. II p. 154.
30. Ibid., pp. 363, 375.
31. Crónica Mexicayotl, pp. 132-133. By command of Motecuhzoma I the great dike was built to protect the city from the waters of the lake. While the masons worked, the emperor's brother ostentatiously sang and beat his drum. 'Who is it that is singing and playing like that?' asked the emperor.'It is your brother, the tlacateccatl,' they answered. 'What will the men of the shore and the men of the dry land say, since they have all come to work here, and they see this idler (literally 'dead hand' - mamiqui) covering us with shame?' cried Motecuhzoma; and he gave orders to kill Ueue Zacatzin.
32. Ixtilxochitl, Historia Chichimeca, pp. 96, 105, 119-120, etc. Tezozomoc, vol. I p. 23. The Anales de Cuauhtitlán, Codex Chimalpopoca ( Mexico 1945) pp. 44-45, give a list of the crimes ordered by Tezozomoc and his son.
-293-
33. Ixtlilxochitl, Historia Chichimeca, p. 215.
34. Pomar, Relación de Texcoco, p. 35.
35. Codex Florentino, vol. II p. 92.
36. Tezozomoc, vol. II p. 64, 'Everything was in such disorder that Auitzotl feared that he would be killed by his own subjects.'
37. Sahagún, vol. II pp. 83-92.
38. Ibid.
39. Ixtlilxochitl, Historia Chichimeca, pp. 231-234.
40. Tezozomoc, vol. II pp. 81-82.
41. There is no question here of treating Mexican art in general, nor of giving its history. The reader is referred to the work of Salvador Toscano, Arte precolombino de México y de la América Central ( Mexico 1952). See also Paul Westheim, Arte antiguo de México ( Mexico 1950) and México en el Arte ( special French edition, Mexico [ National Institute of Fine Arts] 1952).
42. As well as the preceding works, see André Malraux, Le Musée imaginaire de la Sculpture mondiale (commentary upon the Mexican sculptures by Jacques Soustelle) ( Paris 1952, [ Gallimard]); Ignacio Marquina, Arquitectura prehispánica (Mexica 1951); Alfonso Caso , Arte prehispánico, in Veinte Siglos de Arte mexicano ( Mexico 1940), pp. 26-70; C. A. Burland, Art and Life in ancient Mexico, ( Oxford 1948); Franz Feutchtwanger and Irmgard Groth Kimball, L'Art ancien du Mexique ( Paris 1954 [ Braun]); Paul Rivet and Gisèle Freund, Mexique précolombien (Neuchâtel 1954). The reader is also referred to the illustrated catalogue of the exhibition of Mexican art ( Musée d'Art Modern, Paris 1952).
43. Marshall H. Saville, "Tizoc, great lord of the Aztecs" ( 1481- 1486), in Contributions from the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, vol. VII, no. 4, ( New York 1924). Description of the statuette, p. 40. Reproduction, pl. LIV and LVIII.
44. Tezozomoc, vol. II pp. 209-210.
45. On the paintings of Teotihuacán, see Agustín Villagra, Teotihuacán, sus pinturas murales, in Anales del
-294-
Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, vol. V ( Mexico 1952) pp. 67-74. On the frescoes of Tizatlán Alfonso Caso , "Nota arqueológica sobre las ruinas de Tizatlán, Tlaxcala", in México Antiguo, vol. II, no. 11-12 ( Mexico 1927) pp. 279-280. On Malinalco José García Payón , "Los Monumentos arqueológicos de Malinalco, Estado de México", in Revista mexicana de Estudios antropológicos, vol. VIII, no. 1-2-3 ( Mexico 1946) pp. 5-64.
46. Cf. C. A. Burland, Magic Books from Mexico ( Penguin edition, 1953).
47. The craftsmen's methods are described in Seler's translation of the Aztec text in Sahagún, vol. V pp. 195-239. Cf. Vaillant, Artists and Craftsmen in ancient Central America, ( New York, National Museum of Natural History, 1935).
48. Díaz del Castillo, vol. I p. 161.
49. Sahagún, vol. IV pp. 138-139.
50. Clavigero, vol. II pp. 341-343.
51. It should be clearly understood that Nahuatl was the language common to Texcoco and Mexico, but that it was spoken more elegantly at Texcoco.
52. Muñoz Camargo, p. 25.
53. Antonio Peñafiel, Nombres geográficos de Mexico, vol. II (atlas), pl. XX and XXXI. This work also contains a large number of examples of the joint use of ideograms and phonograms.
54. 'Uel nemachtiloia in cuicatl in quilhuia teocuicatl, amoxxotoca. Ioan uel nemachtiloia in tonalpoalli, in temicamatl, ioan in xiuhamatl.' ( Codex Florentino, vol. III p. 65.) The ancient Mexicans attached great importance to warning dreams. The tyrant Tezozomoc caused Nezaualcoyotl to be murdered after he had dreamt that he was being attacked by an eagl
e, a tiger, a snake and a coyote, which made him fear the young prince's vengeance.
55. John H. Cornyn, Aztec Literature, in XXVIIe Congrès international des Américanistes ( Mexico 1939) vol. II p. 324.
-295-
56. On this subject see: Angel María K. Garibay, Historia de la Literatura Náhuatl ( Mexico 1953); La Poesía líríca azteca ( Mexico 1937); "Poema de travesuras (xochicuicatl cuecuechtli)", in Tlalocan, vol. III, no. 2, ( Mexico 1952) pp. 142-167. Daniel G. Brinton, Ancient Nahuatl Poetry ( Philadelphia 1890). John H. Cornyn, op. cit. and The Song of Quetzalcoatl, in Mexican Folkways, vol. IV, no. 2 ( Mexico 1928), pp. 78-90.
57. Garibay, Llave del Náhuatl (Otumba 1940) p. 111.
58. Ibid., p. 113.
59. Muñoz Camargo, p. 143.
60. Ixtlilxochitl, Relaciones, p. 326: Torquemada, vol. I pp. 146-147.
61. See for example the poem published by Brinton as no. XVIII in Ancient Nahuatl Poetry, p. 104.
62. Garibay, Historia de la Literatura náhuatl, p. 66.
63. Cornyn, Aztec Literature, pp. 328-331.
64. The Aztec religious poems, published without translation in the original text by Sahagún (vol. I pp. 244252) have been edited and translated in English (very faulty translation) by Daniel G. Brinton , Rig-Veda americanus, ( Philadelphia 1890): in German by Eduard Seler, "Die religiösen Gesänge der alten Mexikaner", in Gesammelte Abhandlungen, vol. II, 1904, pp. 959-1107: in English, by Anderson and Dibble, Codex Florentino, vol. II pp. 207-214. There is a Spanish version in Sahagú, vol. V pp. 13-192.
65. Hymn sung every eight years, at the feast of Atamalqualiztli. Sahagú, vol. V pp. 134 ff.: Codex Florentino, vol. II p. 212.
66. Song of Uitzilopochtli. Sahagú, vol. V p. 13: Codex Florentino, vol. II p. 207.
67. Song of the mother of the gods. Sahagú, vol. V p. 52: Codex Florentino vol. II p. 208.
-296-
68. Song of Ciuacoatl. Sahagú, vol. V p. 119: Codex Florentino, vol. II p. 211.
69. Song of Chicomecoatl. Sahagú, vol. V p. 158: Codex Florentino, vol. II p. 213.
70. Codex Florentino, vol. III pp. 13-36. Cornyn, The Song of Quetzalcoatl. It is obvious that an epicomythic cycle about the Plumed Serpent existed: fragments of it are to be found in Brinton, Ancient Nahuatl Poetry, p. 104, and in the Anales de CuauhtiTláex Chimalpopoca ( Mexico 1945) pp. 7-11.
71. Garibay, Historia de la Literatura ná pp. 331 ff.
72. Ibid., p. 377.
73. Garibay, Poesírica azteca, p. 34.
74. Garibay, Historia de la Literatura ná p. 176.
75. Ibid., pp. 184-185.
76. Ibid., p. 187.
77. Garibay, Poesírica azteca, pp. 39-40.
78. Motolinía, p. 344.
-297-
MAPS
-298-
-299-
-300-
-301-
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Many references are given in the Notes: here we refer only to the most frequently-quoted works or to those which treat some of the chief subjects of the book in a general manner. Anales de Cuauhtitlάn: facsimile of the Aztec text, with Spanish translation, in Cόdice Chimalpopoca ( Mexico 1945).
Anonymous Conqueror, Relation abréGée sur la Nouvelle Espagne: published by H. Ternaux-Compans in Voyages, relations et mémoires . . . vol. X ( Paris 1838) pp. 49-105.
Barlow R. H., The Extent of the Empire of the Culhua Mexica ( University of California Press, Berkeley, 1949).
Boban Eugène, Documents pour servir ὰ l'histoire du Mexique. Catalogue raisonné de la collection de M. Eugène Goupil (ancienne collection J. M. A. Aubin) ( Paris 1891) 2 vols., 1 atlas.
Caso Alfonso, La Religión de los Aztecas ( Mexico 1936).
Caso Alfonso, El Pueblo del Sol ( Mexico 1953).
Chimalpahin Quauhtlehuanitzin (Domingo Francisco de San Anton Muñon), Anales (6th and 7th accounts translated by Rémi Siméon) ( Paris 1889).
Clavigero Francisco Javier, Historia antigua de México. Primera ediciόn del original escrito en castellano por el autor ( Mexico [ Porrua] 1945) 4 vols.
Codex Azcatitlan. A pictorial manuscript reproduced in facsimile by the Journal de la SociéTé des Américanistes, nouvelle Série, vol. XXXVIII ( Paris 1949). Commentary in Spanish by R. H. Barlow, pp. 101-135.
Codex Borbonicus. Manuscrit mexicain de la Bibliothèque du Palais-Bourbon . . . avec un commentaire explicatif par E. T. Hamy ( Paris 1899).
Codex Florentino. Florentine Codex, General History of the Things of New Spain (by) Fray Bernardino de Sahagύn. Translated from the Aztec into English by Arthur J. O. Anderson and Charles E. Dibble. Book I, The Gods ( Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1950): Book II, The Ceremonies ( 1951): Book III, The Origin of the Gods ( 1952).
Codex of 1576, published under the title of Histoire de laNation mexicaine . . .
-302-
Nation mexicaine . . . A pictorial manuscript with Nahuatl text. ( Paris (Leroux) 1893).
Codex Magliabecchiano. Il codice Magliabecchiano XIII.3 della R. Biblioteca Nazionale di Firenze riprodotto in fotocromografia. . . ( Rome [ Stabilimento Danesi] 1904).
Codex Mendoza. Edited by J. Cooper Clark ( London 1938) 3 vol.
Codex Telleriano-Remensis. Manuscrit mexicain du cabinet de Ch.-M. Le Tellier, archeveque de Reims ὰ la Bibliothèque Nationale (MS mexicain no. 385). Reproduit en photochromographie. Introduction par le Dr. E. T. Hamy ( Paris 1899).
Cortés Hernάn, Cartas de Relaciόn. Published by Francisco Antonio Lorenzana under the title of Historia de Méjico ( New York 1828).
Crόnica Mexicayotl. (A chronicle attributed to Tezozomoc). Text in Aztec: Spanish translation by Adrián Leόn ( Mexico 1949).
Díaz del Bernal Castillo, Historia verdadera de la Conquista de la Nueva España ( Mexico 1950) 3 vols.
Durán Fr. Diego, Historia de las Indias de Nueva España y Islas de Terra firme ( Mexico 1867) 2 vols., 1 atlas.
Garibay Angel María K., Historia de la Literatura Nάhuatl, Primera parte (etapa autόnoma: de c. 1430 a 1521) ( Mexico [ Porrύa] 1953).
Historia de los Mexicanos por sus pinturas. MS published by Joaquín García Icazbalceta in Nueva Colecciόn de documentos para la historia de México, vol. III ( Mexico 1891) pp. 228-263.
Ixtlilxochitl (don Fernando de Alva), Obras histόricas, publicadas y anotadas por Alfredo Chavero: vol. I, Relaciones ( Mexico 1891), vol. II, Historia Chichimeca ( Mexico 1892).
Mapa Tlotzin. A pictorial MS published in Anales del Museo Nacional de México, vol. III ( Mexico 1886) pp. 304-320.
Marquina Ignacio, Arquitectura prehispάnica ( Mexico 1951).
Molina Fr. Alonso de, Vocabulario de la lengua mexicana ( Mexico 1571). Facsimile edition, Leipzig 1880.
-303-
Motolinía Fr. Toribio, Memoriales ( Mexico 1903).
Muñoz Diego Camargo, Historia de Tlaxcala ( Mexico 1892).
Pomar Juan Bautista, Relaciùn de Texcoco ( 1582): published by Joaquόn García Icazbalceta in Nueva Colecciόn de documentos para la historia de México, vol. III ( Mexico 1891).
Prescott William H., History of the Conquest of Mexico ( Philadelphia 1864), 3 vols.
Sahagύn Fr. Bernardino de, Historia general de las Cosas de Nueva España ( Mexico [ Pedro Robredo] 1938) 5 vols.
Seler Eduard, Gesammelte Abhandlungen zur Amerikanischen Sprach- und Alterthumskunde ( Berlin 1903- 1923) 5 vols.
Soustelle Jacques, La Pensée cosmologique des anciens Mexicains ( Paris [ Hermann] 1840).
Tapia Andrés de, Relaciόn hecha por el Sr. Andrés de Tapia sobre la Conquista de México: published by Joaquín García Icazbalceta in Colecciάn de documentos para la historia de México, vol. II ( Mexico 1866) pp. 554-594.
Tezozomoc Alvaro, Histoire du Mexique, translated from an unpublished manuscript by H. Ternaux-Compans ( Paris 1853) 2 vols.
Torquemada Fr. Juan de, Veinte i un libros rituales i Monarchía indiana ( Madrid 1723) 3 vols.
Toscano Salvador, Arte precolombino de Méx
ico y de la América central ( Mexico [ Universidad Nacional Autόnoma] 1952).
Zurita Alonso de, Breve y sumaria relaciόn de los señores y maneras y diferencias que habίa de ellos en la Nueva España . . . por el Dr Alonso de Corita, oidor que fué de la Real Audiencia que reside en la muy insigne y gran ciudad de México de la Nueva España: published by Joaquín García Icazbalceta in Nueva Colecciόn de documentos para la historia de México, vol. III ( Mexico 1891) pp. 73-228.
-304-
INDEX
Acamapichtli, Emperor, xvi, 74, 87 - 88
Acatlan ('the place of the reeds), 6
Achcacauhtin (officials), 89, 142
Achcauhcalli (official accommodation), 24
Acolman river, 32
Acuecuexatl spring, 30-31
Adultery, 185 - 186
After-life, 106 - 108, 112, 202
Agave-fibre, 132, 137
Agave-paper map, 14
Agents, secret, 209
Agriculture, 72 - 73, 79 -80, 140 - 141
Ahuilizepan province, 60
'Airs of sickness', 192, 193
Alcoholic drink, 155 -157
Altepetlalli (urban land-holding), 80
Amanalco ('the pool'), 6
Amantlan quarter, 7 ; feather-workers of, 67, 68
Amaranth, 148, 152, 154, 247
Ambassadors, 142, 206- 208
Amimitl (god), 3
Amusements, 22, 23, 24, 157- 161
Animals, 125, 127, 128, 158
Aqueducts, 10, 12, 22, 29 -31, 148