A COLONIAL ERA DECIPHERMENT OF CODEX RIOS, ( BORGIA GROUP )

Rios 1 (13v) First Trecena: Tonacatecotle

This is the representation of Tonacatecotle (Tonacatecuhtli), which name signifies the Lord of our Bodies; others say that it means the First Man, or perhaps it means that the first man was so called. These are the figures which have been mentioned; and the first is that of their greatest god, Tonacatecotle. It represents the first god under whom, as they affirm, was the dominion of the world; who it appeared good to them, breathed and divided the waters of the heaven and the earth, which at first were all confused together, and disposed of them as they now are; and accordingly they called him the Lord of our Bodies, and also of Abundance, who bestowed everything upon them, and on this account they paint him alone with a crown.

They call him besides, Seven Flowers, for they say that he disposes of the principalities of the earth. He had no temple, nor did they offer sacrifices to him; for they say that he did not require them, as if on account of his superior majesty; so that even here we see how the pride of those who despised God, long ago from the beginning, has displayed itself, since the Devil has chosen to apply himself what Saint Jon says of God – that on account of his greatness no temple which our gratitude could erect would content him. They say that Tonacatecotle presided over the thirteen signs here marked. Those above denote thirteen causes or influences of the sky which are under subjection to him, and the others below are the thirteen signs of their superstition and sorcery.

This man and woman represent the first pair who existed in the world: their names are Huehue. Between them is placed a knife or razor, and an arrow above each of their heads, typifying death, as in them death originated. They called this god Tonacatecotli, and by another name Citallatonalli; and they said that he was the constellation which appears by night in the sky, named Saint James’ or the Milky Way. They paint these figures and all the other which follow each of them in its own manner; because as they considered them deities, each had its particular festival. It was necessary to wear in these festivals the habit of the god. Click to view this page.

Rios 2 (14r): Tonacacigua

Tonacaciqua was the wife of Tonacatecotle: for as we have observed above, although their gods were not as they affirm united for matrimonial purposes, still they assigned to each of them a goddess as a companion: they called her by another name Suchiquetzal (Xochiquetzal) and Chicomecoual (Chicomecoatl) which means Seven Serpents because they say that she was the cause of sterility, famine, and the miseries of this life. Click to view this page.

Rios 3 (14v) Second Trecena: Quetzalcoatle

They declare that their supreme deity, or, more properly speaking, demon Tonacatecotle, whom we have just mentioned, who by another name was called Citinatonali, when it appeared good to him, breathed and begot Quetzalcoatle, not by connection with a woman, but by his breath alone, as we have observed above, when he sent his ambassador as they say to the virgin of Tula.

They believed him to be the god of air, and he was the first to whom they built temples and churches, which they formed perfectly round, without any angles. They say that it was he who effected the reformation of the world by penance, as we have already said; since as, according to their account, his father had created the world, and men had given themselves up to vice, on which account it had been so frequently destroyed, Citinatonali sent his son into the world to reform it. We certainly must deplore the blindness of these miserable people, on whom Saint Paul says the wrath of God has to be revealed, inasmuch as his eternal truth was so long kept back by the injustice of attributing to this demon that which belonged to Him; for He being the sole Creator of the universe, and He who made the division of the waters, which these poor just now attributed to the Devil when it appeared good to Him, dispatched the heavenly ambassador to announce to the Virgin that she should be the Mother of his Eternal Word: who, when he found the world corrupt, reformed it by doing penance and by dying upon the cross for our sins; and not the wretched Quetzalcoatle, to whom these miserable people attributed his work.

They assigned to him the dominion over the other thirteen signs, which are here represented, in the same manner as they had assigned the preceding thirteen to his father. They celebrated a great festival on the arrival of his sign, as we shall see in the sign of Four Earthquakes, which is the fourth in order here, because they feared that the world would be destroyed in that sign, as he had foretold them when he disappeared in the Red Sea; which event occurred on the same sign. As they considered him their advocate, they celebrated a solemn festival, and fasted during four signs. Click to view this page.

Rios 4 (15r): Blood Sacrifice

This figure signifies that Quetzalcoatle was the first inventor of sacrifices of human blood, amongst the various other things which they offered to the gods; and this was the manner in which they pierced their tongues, that blood might flow from thence, and their ears and penis; till at last, as we shall presently mention, the custom of human sacrifices was introduced, when they tore out the hearts of the victims, to present them to the face of the idol which they considered the image of their wretched god. Click to view this page.

Rios 5 (15v) Third Trecena: Tepeyolotli (which is the same as the echo)

They considered this Tepeyolotli (Tepeyolotl) the lord of these thirteen signs, in which they celebrated his festival; during the four last of which they fasted, out of reverence, on account of the earth’s having remained after the deluge. But as its condition was disordered and filthy, they did not consider the sacrifices of these signs as good or clean, but on the contrary as unclean; and they applied to them an appellation which in common phraseology we might explain by the term of "sacrifices of filth". These last four signs in which they fasted, were likewise out of reverence and in honor of Suguiquizal (Xochiquetzal) the wife of Tonacatecotl, whose name signifies the Lifting or Raising up of Roses, for they say that the goddess caused the earth to flourish. This proper name might be written Tesciulutli, which is the Heart of the Mountain, which means that echo or reverberation of the voice which resounds in a mountain. Click to view this page.

Rios 6 (16r): (Seven Reed Festival)

This figure has no name; for it only shows how, after the disappearance of Topiltzin Quetzalcoatle, men invented sacrifices of children, with the intention of honoring his festival, which was on the day Seven Canes (Reed). They say that he was born on that sign; and accordingly a very great festival was celebrated on that sign in Chululan (Cholula) to which they came from all parts of the country, and brought offerings and presents to the lords, Papas, and priests of the temples. And they celebrated a similar festival and solemnity on the sign in which he disappeared, which was that of One Cane (Reed). These solemnities or festivals occurred at the expiration of every fifty-two years. Click to view this page.

Rios 7 (17v) Fourth Trecena: Chalchiutlicue

Chalchiutlicue is the Woman whose dress is adorned with precious stones. They painted her with a spinning-wheel in one hand, and in the other a kind of weaver’s comb, which is a wooden instrument with which the Indians of that country weave; intending thereby to show that, of the sons which women bring forth, some are slaves, some are merchants, some die in war, others are rich, and others poor. And to show that finally all perish, they paint a stream carrying them away. She presided over these thirteen signs; and when the war commenced on the sign of One Cane (Reed), they celebrated a great festival in Chululan (Cholula) to Quetzalcoatle, for they say that he was their first Papa or priest. Click to view this page.

Rios 8 (18r): Tlazolteutl (Tlazolteotl)

They say that this representation of a head signifies the commencement of sin, which began with time, and that such is the termination of its commencement which is allotted to sin. Click to view this page.

Rios 9 (16v) Fifth Trecena: Quequecoyotl (Huehuecoyotl)

They say that the Otomies worshipped Quequecoyotl as their god. He was the Lord of these thirteen signs, in which they celebrated his festival, during the four last of which they fasted, in honor of the other Quetzalcoatle of Tula. They called them the festival of discord. He who was born on the sign of One Rose (Flower) they believed would become a musician, a physician, a weaver, or a principal person. When the sign of Rabbit arrived, they fasted on account of the fall of the first man. Click to view this page.

Rios 10 (17r): Isnextli (Blinded with Ashes)

We certainly ought to deplore the blindness of these people and the cunning of Satan, who in this manner has persevered in counterfeiting the Holy Scriptures; since he communicated to these poor people the knowledge of the temptation of our mother Eve, and of the inconstancy of our father Adam, under the fiction of this woman, who is turned towards her husband, as God declared to our mother Eve, "et ad virum conversio ejus", (and she shall turn towards her husband); whom they call Isnextli, who is the same as Eve, who is always weeping, with her eyes dim with ashes, with a rose in her hand emblematical of her grief, being in consequence of having gathered it.

And accordingly they say that she cannot behold heaven: wherefore in recollection of the happiness which on that account, she lost, they celebrate a fast every eight years on account of this calamitous event; the fast was on bread and water. They fasted during the eight signs preceding the entrance of the Rose, and when that sign arrived they prepared themselves for the celebration of the festival. They affirm that every series of five days comprised in this calendar was dedicated to this fall, because on such a day Eve sinned; they were accordingly enjoined to bathe themselves on this night, in order to escape disease. Click to view this page.

Rios 11 (18v) Sixth Trecena: Naollin (Nahui Ollin), that is to say, the tremulous action and motions of the Sun caused by the reflection of its rays.

Naollin they say is the Sun in its tremulent action and motions, to which they attribute the production of all ordinary things. When this figure entered in the sign of One Skull (Death), they esteemed that sign as very unlucky; and they believed that whoever was born on it would be a sorcerer, and devoted to the study of a certain sort of magic in great repute amongst them, whereby they transformed themselves into the figures of various animals. This figure presided over these thirteen signs, and they believed that whoever was born on any one of them, would be a person of great consideration. Click to view this page.

Rios 12 (19r): Meztli or the Moon

They believed the Moon presided over human generation, and accordingly they always put it by the side of the sun. They placed on its head a sea snail, to denote that in the same way as this marine animal creeps from its integument or shell, so man comes from his mother’s womb. Click to view this page.

Rios 13 (19v) Seventh Trecena: Nahuiehecatli (Nahui Ehecatl)

Nahuiehecatli they believed to be the god of the four winds; his name likewise bears this signification. The merchants celebrated a great festival in his honor; but when he entered in the fifth sign they neither danced or ventured to leave their houses, for they believed that any illness which might befall them on that sign would be so dangerous in nature that none would recover from it; and therefore, although they chanced to be on a journey, they shut themselves up in the house on that day. This deity presided over these thirteen signs. Click to view this page.

Rios 14 (20r): Tlaloque (Tlaloc)

I cannot assign a different etymology for the name of Tlaloque, but can only say, that as the companion of the four winds or four seasons of the year, it signifies fine weather; and accordingly, although the serpent is an unlucky sign, when in this month Tlaloque was in the sign of Seven Serpents, they considered it fortunate for everything, but especially for marriages. Note: Codex Borgia assigns Tlaloc, the rain god as the primary ruler of this seventh trecena. Click to view this page.

Rios 15 (20v) Eighth Trecena: Mayaguil (Mayahuel)

They feign that Mayaguil was a woman with four hundred breasts, and that the gods, on account of her fruitfulness, changed her into the Maguei (Maguey plant), which is the vine of that country, from which they make wine. She presided over these thirteen signs: but whoever chanced to be born on the first sign of the Herb (Grass), it proved unlucky to him; for they say that it was applied to the Tlamatzatzguex, who were a race of demons dwelling amongst them, who according to their account wandered through the air, from whom the ministers of their temples took their denomination.

When this sign arrived, parents enjoined their children not to leave the house, lest any misfortune or unlucky accident should befall them. They believed that those who were born in Two Canes (Reed), which is the second sign, would be long lived, for they say that sign was applied to Heaven. They manufacture so many things from this plant called the Maguei, and it is so very useful in that country, that the Devil took occasion to induce them to believe that it was a god, and to worship and offer sacrifices to it. Click to view this page.

Rios 16 (21r): Tzinteotl (Centeotl)

The Holy Scripture well observes that "wine changes the heart", since it caused these people to believe that from this woman (Mayaguil) Cinteotl sprung whose name signifies the origin of the gods; giving us to understand, that from the vine which bears the grape the gods derived their origin. It properly signifies abundance, satiety, or the intoxication caused by wine. Click to view this page.

Rios 17 and 18 (21v and 22r) Ninth Trecena: Tlavizcalpantecutli (Tlahuizcalpantecutli)

Tlavizcalpantecutli was the god of the morning or of the light, when the sign of the morning twilight or the crepusculum arrives, which they say was created before the sun. Here it is apparent how allusion is made to the Scriptures; for our holy doctors say that light was created on the first day, and that it was distinct and separate from the sun.

This deity presided over these thirteen signs; they believed that those who became lame or suffered in any limb, although but slightly, in this first sign of the Serpent would lose that limb. I cannot omit to remark, that one of the arguments which persuades me to believe that this nation descends from the Hebrews, is to see what knowledge they have of the book of Genesis; for although the Devil has succeeded in mixing up so many errors, his lies are still in such a course of conformity with Catholic truth, that there is reason to believe that they have had acquaintance with this book. Since this, and the other four books which follow, which are the Pentateuch, were written by Moses, and were only found amongst the Hebrew people, there are very strong grounds for supposing that this nation proceeds from them: the manner in which they came to this country is unknown. Further proofs of this fact may be found in their frequent sacrifices and ceremonies: one amongst others was that which took place on one of the following signs of this month, called Seven Apes (Monkey). Click to view this page.

The second sign was much celebrated amongst them, on account of its being applied to nativities; and they celebrated a very great festival on it, which touches and alludes to the ceremonies of the old law: on which occasion certain old men attended in the temples like priests, whose business it was, performing some ceremonies, to baptize children. They took some Picotle (Piciete-Tobacco); and having a large vessel of water near them, they made leaves of the Picotle into a bunch, and dipped it into the water, with which they sprinkled the child; and after fumigating it with incense they gave it a name, taken from the sign on which it was born; and they put into its hand a shield and an arrow, if it was a boy, which is what the figure of Xiuatlatl (Xiuhtecuhtli) denotes, who here represents the god of war: they also uttered over the child certain prayers in the manner of deprecations, that he might become a brave, intrepid, and courageous man.

The offering, which his parents carried to the temple, the elder priests took and divided with the other children who were in the temple, who ran it through the whole city. They say that this offering resembled the purification of the mother and her son mentioned in Leviticus. This ceremony took place four signs after the birth of the child, if the sign was fortunate; for if this was not the case, or if any other unlucky sign ruled in this sign, they waited till it had passed by, and performed the ceremony on the next sign. At the time in which this offering or purification was made, one of the old men held the child in his arms; whence it is plain, that either these people descend from the Hebrews, or that the Devil gave them these rites and ceremonies, to imitate those with which God was honored by his people. Certain however, that greater would have been the triumph of the accursed demon, if he had selected out of the same people a chosen people to sacrifice to him. This short digression from our narration for which the occasion was furnished by this figure, respecting which nothing more remains to be observed. Click to view this page.

Rios 19 (22v) Tenth Trecena: Tonatiuh

They paint in this manner the substance of the Sun, after having before painted its motions. A figure is represented with the earth beneath its feet, which it illuminates with this image of its rays. It was Tonatiuh, as they affirm, who conducted to heaven with acclamations the souls of those alone who died in war; and on this account they paint him with these arms in his hands. He sits as a conqueror exactly opposite to the other who is near him, who is the god of hell. They allege that the cause of winter being so disagreeable is the absence of the Sun, and that summer is so delightful on account of its presence; and that the return of the Sun from our zenith is nothing more than the approach of their god to confer his favors on them. He presided over these thirteen signs. They believed that those who were born on the first sign of Flint would be expert huntsmen and very illustrious persons, and that he who was born on the fifth sign of Air (Wind) would be an excellent jester. Click to view this page.

Rios 20 (23r): Miquitlantecotli (Mictlantecuhtli)

Miquitlantecotli signifies the great lord of the dead below in hell, who alone after Tonacatecotle was painted with a crown, which kind of crown was used in war even after the arrival of the Christians in those countries, and was seen in the war of Coatlan, as the person who copied these paintings relates, who was a brother of the order of Saint Dominic, named Peter de los Rios. They painted this demon near the sun: for in the same way as they believed that the one conducted souls to heaven, so they supposed that the other carried them to hell. He is here represented with his hands open and stretched towards the sun, to seize on any soul which might escape from him. Click to view this page.

Rios 21 (23v) Eleventh Trecena: Patecatle (Patecatl)

Patecatle, who was the husband of Mayaguil (Mayahuel), the woman with four hundred breasts, who was metamorphosed into the maguei plant or vine, was properly the root which they put into the water or wine which distils from the maguei in order to make it ferment: and the unhappy man to whose industry the invention of the art of making wine by causing fermentation by means of this root was due, was afterwards worshipped as a god, and became the lord of these thirteen signs; all of which they considered fortunate, because the god of wine ruled over them. Note: Patecatl is substituted for a red version of Tlazolteotl in Codex Borgia. Both deities share the lunar nose ornament however. Click to view this page.

Rios 22 (24r): The Eagle and the Tiger (Jaguar)

These figures represent their sons, on whom they conferred these signs of the Eagle and the Tiger, which are the fiercest of all animals and birds, because drunken persons possess a certain degree of ferocity and courage: and accordingly, whoever received these insignia for his arms, it was a sign that he was very valiant in war, and a captain and chief of great reputation. Click to view this page.

Rios 23 (24v) Twelfth Trecena: Yztlacoliuhqui (Iztlacoliuhqui)

Yztlacoliuhqui signifies The Lord of sin or of blindness, and for this reason they paint him with his eyes bandaged. They say that he committed sin in a place of the highest enjoyment and delight, and that he remained naked; on which account his first sign was a lizard, which is an animal of the ground, naked and miserable. Hence it is apparent that the same Devil who tempted our first father Adam with the Woman, and the woman Eve with the Serpent, wished to counterfeit our first father who was the origin of our blindness and misery.

He presided over these thirteen signs, which were all unlucky. They said likewise that if false evidence should be adduced on any one of these signs, it would be impossible to make the truth manifest. They put to death those who were taken in adultery before his image, if the parties were married; as this not being the case, it was unlawful for them to keep as many women or concubines as they pleased. Yztlacoliuhqui is a star in heaven which, as they pretend, proceeds in a reverse course; they considered it a most portentous sign, both as connected with nativities and with war. The star is situated at the south. Click to view this page.

Rios 24 (25r): (Punishment for Adultery)

This painting explains what we have mentioned above, that all those who committed adultery were stoned. The women were first strangled; they were afterwards thrown into some place before the image of this god or demon, where they stoned their naked bodies. Note: Codex Borgia adds Tezcatlipoca as a patron of this trecena together with Iztlacoliuhqui. Click to view this page.

Rios 25 (25v) Thirteenth Trecena: Yxcuina (Ixcuina)

They say that Yxcuina, who was the goddess of Shame, protected adulterers. She was the goddess of salt, of dirt, and of immodesty: they painted her with two faces, or with two different colors on the face. She was the wife of Miquitlantecotli, the god of hell: she was also the goddess of prostitutes; and she presided over these thirteen signs, which were unlucky, and accordingly they believed that those who were born in these signs would be rogues or prostitutes. Click to view this page.

Rios 26 (26r): Tezcatlipoca

They paint Tezcatlipoca with the feet of a man and of a cock, as they say his name bears allusion to this circumstance. He is clothed with a fowl, which seems to cry in laughing accents; and when it crows O‡, O‡, O‡, they say that it deceived the first woman who committed sin; and accordingly they paint him near the goddess of pollution, to signify that in the same way as Satan is in expectation of all sinners, so pollution is the cause of them. Click to view this page.

Rios 27 (26v) Fourteenth Trecena: Thipetotec (Xipe Totec)

Thipetotec is he whom we have mentioned above as performing penance, like another Quetzalcoatle, on the mountain of thorns. They named him The Mournful Combatant: they celebrated a great festival in his honor, which they called Tlaxipehualiztli (Tlacaxipehualiztli).

He was one of the gods of the Tzapotecas (Zapotecs). They dressed themselves on his festival in human skins taken from those whom they had slain in war; because they say that he was the first who clothed himself in this manner. They fasted on the three first signs of his festival, during which they only ate at noon. The priests, on the signs in which they celebrated the fast, proceeded begging alms through the city, and ate nothing more than that which they received, whether it was little or much. On every sign dedicated to fasting the men separated themselves from their wives. On this sign of Four Canes (Reed) they conferred dignities on the princes of the people; but they esteemed the three preceding signs, which are One Cane (Reed), Two Apes (Monkey), Three Herbs (Grass), as unlucky omens. The remainder of the thirteen signs were all good. Click to view this page.

Rios 28 (27r): Quetzalcoatle

This is the figure of Quetzalcoatle, the companion of Totec. They paint him in this manner to signify that this was a festival of great fear, which is the reason why they paint this serpent in the act of devouring a man alive. Click to view this page.

Rios 29 (27v) Fifteenth Trecena: Yxpapalotl (Itzpapalotl)

Yxpapalotl signifies a Knife of Butterflies (Obsidian Butterfly). He (She) was one of those gods who, as they affirm, were expelled from heaven; and on this account they paint him (her) surrounded with knives, and wings of butterflies. They represent him with the feet of an eagle; because they say that he (she) occasionally appears to them, and that they only see the feet of an eagle. They further add, that being in a garden of delight he (she) pulled some roses, but that suddenly the tree broke, and blood streamed from it; and that in consequence of this they were deprived of that place of enjoyment, and were cast into this world, because Tonacatecutli and his wife became incensed; and accordingly they came some of them to the earth, and others went to hell.

He (she) presided over these thirteen signs; the first of which, the House, they considered unfortunate, because they said that demons came through the air on that sign, in the figure of women such as we designate witches, who usually went to the highways where they met in the form of a cross, and to solitary places; and accordingly, that when any bad woman wished to absolve herself or her sins and to do penance, she went alone by night to these places, and took off her garments, and sacrificed there with her tongue, and left the clothes which she carried, and returned home naked, as a sign of the confession of her sins. He was called, before he sinned Xomunco, and afterwards, Yxpapalotl, which signifies a knife of razors. Click to view this page.

Rios 30 (28r): Xuitlicastan

This is the rose-tree called Xuitlicastan. As they intended to show that this was a feast rather of fear than of love, they painted this tree distilling blood. The gods who were cast from that place were those alone, as they declare, who inspired them with fear. Click to view this page.

Rios 31 (29v) Sixteenth Trecena: Xolotle (Xolotl)

They believed that Xolotle to be the god of monstrous productions and of twins, which are such things as grow double. He was one of the seven who remained after the deluge; and he presided over these thirteen signs, which they usually considered unlucky: but they said that he who was born on the seventh sign of Air (Wind) would be rich, but that those who were born on the other signs would be spies and imposters. Click to view this page.

Rios 32 (30r): Tlaclitonatio (Tlachitonatiuh), or light

The signification of this name is Fiat Lux, Let there be light, and darkness, which we call the crepusculum: accordingly they represent the rotundity of the earth by the symbol of a man, with the sun over his shoulders and darkness and death beneath his feet; denoting that when the sun sets, it goes to warm and give light to the dead. Click to view this page.

Rios 33 (28v) Seventeenth Trecena: Chalchiuhtottoli (Chalchiuhtototl) the same as Tezcatlipoca.

The picture represents Tezcatlipoca, the meaning of whose name is Mirror which casts forth smoke. They paint him in this manner; but whenever the Devil appears to them, they only see the feet of an eagle or a cock. He presided over these thirteen signs. They believed that he who was born on the sign Five Canes (Reed) would be afflicted with pains in the heart, which would be incurable. This sign was applied to the moon, and women in certain indispositions sacrifices on this sign to it. Click to view this page.

Rios 34 (29r): (Sacrifice)

This painting represents the sacrifice which they performed to the Devil with human blood; and the bag of incense, and other things requisite for the sacrifice. Click to view this page.

Rios 35 (30v) Eighteenth Trecena: Cantico (Chantico)

Cantico they say was the first who offered sacrifice after having eaten a fried fish; and that in consequence of the presumption of offering sacrifice without having fasted, Tonacatecuhtli became incensed, and pronounced a curse against him (her), that he (she) should be changed into a dog, which is an animal of a very voracious nature; and accordingly they named him (her) Nine Dogs. He (she) presided over these thirteen signs. They said that he who was born on the first sign of Air (Wind) would be healthy by his nativity; but that if he grew ill of pains or cancer, that his disease would be incurable. He who was born on the ninth sign they believed would be unfortunate, because that sign was dedicated to sorcerers and necromancers, who transformed themselves into the shapes of various animals. Click to view this page.

Rios 36 (31r): Quetzalcoatl

Opposite to Cantico they placed Quetzalcoatl, in a golden house, arrayed in precious gems, and seated as a pontiff, with a bag of incense in his hand; intending to show that as the other had been punished for his gluttony, so he was honored for his abstinence and sacrifices. Click to view this page.

Rios 37 (31v) Nineteenth Trecena: Suchiquecal (Xochiquetzal)

Suchiquecal was the wife of Tzinteutl. She was the goddess of pregnant women, and of those who knew how to work and weave, for they say that she invented those two occupations. Women in a state of pregnancy offered sacrifices to her, in order not to give birth to girls; because they believed that those who were born on the first sign of the eagle would be bad, but if they bore sons on that sign they would be very brave and valiant in war, and would animate others with courage to die in battle, which was that which they desired above all other things: since we have already said that those alone who died in war went to heaven, from whence many eagles came and changed themselves into the figures of boys. She presided over these thirteen signs; on the seventh of which, named the First Day, they celebrated a special festival. This was the greater festival, because they celebrated on this sign the coming of the eagles. Click to view this page.

Rios 38 (32r): Tezcatlipoca

They paint the Devil Tezcatlipoca opposite this woman, as if tempting her to sin; intending perhaps to signify by this, that all women who chanced to be born on the first sign (the Eagle) would be liable to temptation, since they believed that all who were born on that sign would be bad. Note: Codex Borgia substitutes an image of Ixtlilton, a black painted figure who has ash painted around his mouth and eye. By some accounts this deity is a clown and by other accounts a patron god of writing. He is also associated with gambling symbolized by the patolli board. A Mixtec deity named 4 Earthquake wears many of his attributes as well. Click to view this page.

Rios 39 (32v) Twentieth Trecena: Iztapaltotec (Itztapaltotec)

Iztapaltotec properly signifies, a large stone, or the surface of the earth, or the bloody stone of the afflicted, or placed within a razor, which is the same as a sword or fear. They represented in this manner this god with his mouth open, "ad deglutiendum hominess". He presided over these thirteen signs. They considered it fortunate to be born on the first sign of Rabbit, and that those who were born on that sign would enjoy long life, and that he who was born on Five Herbs (Grass) would be a rich merchant. Click to view this page.

Rios 40 (33r): (Xiuhtecuhtli)

The corresponding figure represents the God of Fire (Xiuhtecuhtli), who purifies the earth and renovates things; and accordingly they place him last of all. They here kept a fast commemorative of the ruin of the first of the human race. I have already mentioned the reason why they painted all these figures and images here presented to us, which are twenty, each in its peculiar style; which proceeded from the necessity which they were under of appearing habited in the same dress as the idol, on every occasion of celebrating with dances and other festivals the sign dedicated to it.

Quetzalcoatl’s Descent To Mictlan

As told by Cehualli

It was the beginning of the Fifth Sun. Newborn Tonatiuh shone His light over the earth below. His rays revealed the beauty of the recreated land and sea, yet the gods were unhappy with what They saw. Why? The world was empty of life.

The gods gathered to share Their sorrow at the absence of Their creatures. “We’ve brought the earth and sky back together and made them whole again, but what good is it all without anyone to live there? Who will worship Us? We can’t let things go on like this!”

But the humans were all dead, killed when the Fourth Sun fell in a torrent of rain. And the dead were far away, hidden deep in Mictlan, the Land of the Dead. Mictlantecuhtli and Mictlancihuatl, the Lord and Lady of that cold, dark, silent realm, now kept their bones as treasures. Without the bones, there could be no more humans.

The Teteo continued, “We must give life back to the humans, our faithful servants who We first created long ago. But We need their bones to recreate them, and they are lost in Mictlan. Someone must go down to the Land of the Dead and persuade Mictlantecuhtli and Mictlancihuatl to give them back to Us. But who among Us is best suited for this dangerous quest?”

After a few moments of deliberation, Quetzalcoatl and His twin, Xolotl, nodded to each other and stepped forward. Xolotl, the god with the serious face of a great hound, said, “I am Xolotl, the Evening Star. Every night, I lead the Sun down to Mictlan to die. I know the way to the Land of the Dead and will guide us there.”

Quetzalcoatl, His wise old face wreathed with a beard of brilliant feathers, said, “I am Quetzalcoatl, the Morning Star. Every morning, I lead the Sun back out of Mictlan to be reborn with the dawn. I know the way out of the Land of the Dead and will guide us back home to sweet Tamoanchan.”

The rest of the gods heard Their brave words and thought the plan wise. Tezcatlipoca said, “Though We may fight and compete for glory, Brother Quetzalcoatl, I too want to see the humans brought back from Mictlan. May You succeed in bringing back the bones.”

With that said, Xolotl and Quetzalcoatl set out from Tamoanchan, descending towards the Land of the Dead. The other gods watched Them go with great concern, for They knew that Mictlantecuhtli was a proud and cunning king who wouldn’t give up the bones willingly. They gathered around Tezcatlipoca’s smoking mirror, a device of wonderful power through which the god could see everything, to watch the progress of the twins and wait.

Xolotl led the way down to Mictlan and through the nine layers of the Realm of Death. They retraced the path that the Sun took every night down into the depths of the underworld, all the way to the palace of the Lord of the Dead. “We must be careful,” Quetzalcoatl said. “I know Mictlantecuhtli will not be pleased by Our request. He is a wily god and may try to trap Us.” Xolotl agreed, and They cautiously proceeded to the throne of the Lord and Lady of the Dead.

Mictlantecuhtli was waiting for Them. “Welcome to My kingdom, gods from the bright realm of Tamoanchan. What brings You so far from your home?” Scattered around the royal chamber were heaps of the bones of the humans, piled up like treasure.

Quetzalcoatl spoke respectfully, one god to another. “We have come for the precious bones of the humans. We have need of them in Tamoanchan.”

Mictlantecuhtli eyed the two gods. “And why do You need my lovely bones? It must be very important if You came all the way to the Land of the Dead.” Already He seemed to be planning something.

Quetzalcoatl replied, “The Fifth Sun has dawned, and it’s time for humans to walk the earth and bask in His rays again. We need those bones so we may bring them back to life.”

Mictlantecuhtli frowned, and the chill in the air deepened. “And how do I benefit from this? No, I don’t think I’ll give up my splendid bones. If I give them to You, I’ll never get them back and I’ll be poorer for it. No, You can’t have My bones.”

Quetzalcoatl had anticipated this. “Oh, no! You misunderstand Me. We don’t intend to keep the bones, We just want to borrow them. The humans would be mortal, and would eventually return to You, just like how everything else is born and eventually dies, even the Sun itself. Only we Teteo live forever. You wouldn’t really lose anything in the end, and in the meantime, Your fame would grow.”

Mictlancihuatl looked pleased by these words. Mictlantecuhtli considered them, then spoke. “Hmmm. An interesting idea. All right. You can have the bones…” Xolotl began to move towards the bones. “IF” continued Mictlantecuhtli. Xolotl froze. “IF You can play My conch-shell trumpet and circle My kingdom four times in honor of Me.”

“Of course,” said Quetzalcoatl. Mictlantecuhtli gave Them His trumpet and watched Them leave His throne room. He smiled, satisfied that He wouldn’t have to give up those bones after all…

Xolotl looked at the trumpet in dismay. The conch shell had no holes and couldn’t make a sound. “He’s trying to trick Us!”

“I’ve got a plan,” said Quetzalcoatl. And He called the worms and other gnawing insects, and ordered them to chew holes into the conch shell. Then He took the shell and held it up, and summoned the bees to climb inside through the holes and buzz loudly. The sound echoed through the shadowy realm like a trumpet blast.

Mictlantecuhtli hid a scowl when Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl marched proudly back into the throne room. “We’ve done what You asked, Lord of the Dead. Now, give Us the bones as You agreed!”

“Very well then,” said Mictlantecuhtli, calm again. “You can have them for now. But the humans will not be immortal. They must die again someday and return to me, just as You had said earlier.” The Morning and Evening Star agreed, gathered up the bones, and left.

Mictlancihuatl looked horrified. “Our treasure! We can’t let Them carry it off!”

“Of course We won’t. I may have said They could have the bones. I never said They could leave My kingdom with them.” And then He ordered some of his servants to dig a pit along the path that the two gods must take to escape, and others to chase after Them.

Quetzalcoatl and Xolotl saw the army of the Lord and Lady of the Dead in hot pursuit, and ran as fast as They could, up towards the way out of Mictlan. Looking back at the mob chasing them, They didn’t see the pit ahead.

Suddenly, a flock of quail burst out of hiding, surrounding the two gods and startling Them. Quetzalcoatl slipped and fell into the pit, then Xolotl heard a sickening crunch of breaking bone. “What happened?” cried Xolotl, running over to help.

Quetzalcoatl was looking in horror at the bones. They had shattered into pieces, and some of the quail were gnawing on them. He chased away the quail and sifted through the bones, weeping. “They’re ruined! Now what will We do?”

Xolotl said, “Maybe they will still work, and We can still make this turn out for the best. It’s the only thing We can do now.” And He helped Quetzalcoatl gather up the broken bones in a bundle and escape with them.

They got back to Tamoanchan and showed the rest of the Teteo the ruined bones. Cihuacoatl looked at the pieces thoughtfully, then smiled. “We can still bring the humans back to life.” Then She took the shattered bones and ground them up like corn in a clay bowl, turning them into a fine powder. Then Quetzalcoatl bled His penis into the bowl, and the rest of the gods also gave blood. The blood mixed with the ground bones, and immediately living humans formed.

The gods rejoiced. “We’ve succeeded, the macehuales (literally, “those gained by divine sacrifice”) are born! The earth will be filled with humans once again. They will worship Us, and We will be their gods.”

And that is the story of how Quetzalcoatl went to Mictlan and brought back the precious bones so that humans could be reborn into the age of the Fifth Sun.

Виж също:

Митът за Петото Слънце

Абстрактна история за Tepeyolohtli

Това е абстрактна история за въвличане. Божество защитник – Tepeyolohtli, е примамен от дивото в света на красивото. Историята е разказана в сайт на мексиканският художник Oliverio Balcells, почитател на древната история на Мексико

Това е история за най-трудната част, най-трудното усилие за въвличане, където света на многообразието се превръща в красота и хармония в структурите на онова, което са наричали Правило в културите на Мезоамерика. Правилото е рамка подобна на Заветите от Християнството. Според тези вярвания човек може да бъде привлечен ако се запознае с красотата от съчетаването на всички разнопосочни елементи на света. Според тези вярвания, това е етап, който окончателно ни въвлича в хармоничното вълшебството на света.

Преди самата история малко обяснение за културния контекст заложен в нея. За този който се докосне до него, Правилото се смята за структура на няколко нива.

Първото ниво това е социалната матрица на света и нашите взаимоотношение. Всичко свързано със социализацията ни, семейството, професията и пр., формира социалния пласт. Този пласт е базиран на една част заложена в нас която се нарича социален тонал. Благодарение на социалния тонал се приспособяваме към обществото и конкретната среда.

Втория пласт от структурите на Правилото е обусловен от нашия духовен тонал. Той е в основата на нашата духовна реализация и трайна емоционална връзка със света. Свързан е с вярата ни, и е предпоставка за религиозни нагласи. Този пласт е по-дълбок и траен. Историите свързани с този пласт са абстрактни истории на нашето духовно прозрение и укрепване, за да навлезем по-нататък.

Третия пласт, ниво, при навлизане в Правилото зависи от поведението на нашия нагуал. Нагуалът е дух на животно, което живее в нас и изпълва съществото ни. Той не зачита условностите на тоналите, защото е продукт на еволюционно развитие. Нагуалът ни носи в себе си милиони години натрупан опит който е подсигурил физическото ни оцеляване.
За да се приеме Правилото, нагуалът в нас трябва да бъде привлечен, така както диво животно, бива привлечено да влезе в клетка.

Нагуалът ни както и самите тонали притежават така наречените протектори, пазители. Протекторите са ключове, който понякога усилват и отварят определени възможности. Друг път ги ограничават без да позволят да се покажат, а в други случаи ги обагрят с нови нюанси. Всеки има своите протектори в двата си тонала и нагуала. Протекторите от своя страна са също…. тонали и нагуали.

Тази история е абстрактна и лична. Тя показва въвличането в Правилото на протектор нагуал, част от личния профил тонали и нагуал. Начинът на въвличането на протектора нагуал насочва и посочва начина за въвличане в света на Правилото.

Въвличане в Правилото става възможно на оня етап в който се види красотата от разннобразието в света, по начин сходен с този по който протектора го е видял. За всеки човек има процес на проникването от горните към долните нива. Начините на този преход са сходни чрез общ абстрактен замисъл с историите свързани с въвличането на протектора. Това е и причината, те да се наричат абстрактни.

В началото на времето от настоящата епоха нищо не е имало цвят. Tohatiuh, богът на Слънцето на настоящата епоха, изпратил сина си Piltzintecuhtili да даде на света красотата на цветовете и краските. Било му предадено да събира цветовете в глинени съдове от небесната дъга и да оцвети всичко около него с тях….
В една тъмна планинска пещера живеел Tepeyolohtli. Един ден той забелязал, че светът около него не е мрачен, а е ярък и разноцветен.
Разгневен решил да разбере каква е причината и намерил Piltzintecuhtli да си почива. Взел съдовете с разноцветните бои за да ги скрие. Piltzintecuhtli отишъл да вземе още цветове от дъгата, за да продължи да работата си по оцветяването на света. Той правил това многократно, и разгневил Tepeyolohtli, който поискал услуга от Huehueteotl, повелителят на огъня. Той трябвало да напали огньовете си в недрата на Земята и да причини изригвания, които да унищожат всичко. Но бащата на всички начала Huehueteotl си помислил и разбрал, че ще унищожи нещо красиво.
Междувреминно Piltzintecuhtli искал да разбере, защо боите му се губят и се престорил на заспал, за да наблюдава скрито боите си. Скоро той разбрал, че причината е в Tepeyolohtli и го попитал, възможно ли и да не харесва красотата.
Tepeyolohtli отговорил, че тъй като е живял в тъмнината на пещерите, той завижда на красотата в цветовете и за това краде цветните бои.
Синът на Слънцето го успокоил и посъветвал да направи вътрешността на пещерата си в красиви цветове и му показал смисълът на цветовете и тяхното съчетаване.

Tonalpohualli: Завръщането на Кецалкоатл (Кортес)

Има различни истории. Всяка от тях с различен край и водеща в различни посоки. Въпреки тяхното многообразие те могат да бъдат сведени до три типа.

Истории които умират

Това са първия вид истории. Те са свързани с утвърждаване на някакъв начин на мислене, някакъв манталитет, култура, схващане за нещата. Тези истории често са с образователна цел и имат за цел да приобщят хора за дадена цел, кауза, гледна точка и пр. Така се формира определена култура на мислене и поведение. Така се формират определени научни възгледи, създават се социални теории, извършват се обществени експерименти и се търси промяна. Крайния резултат на този тип мислене, е че времето побеждава куртурата и матрицата бива изоставена. От време на време се прави опит за реинкарнация на модела с променлив успех. Зависи кой го прави и как го обновява.

Според календара на съдбата Tonalpohualli, мястото където тези модели събират прах се нарича подземно царство. Това всъщност са девет царства на смъртта. Девет различни свята обединени от ентропията и смъртта. Тези светове от време на време възкръсват и имат своето влияние върху живота на земята. Боговете от тези царства влияят най-силно по време на нощта. Това е благоприятното време когато хората са в състояние да извадят стари и забравени знания и опитат да ги приложат в съвремието. Божеството, което има влияние в даден ден от тези девет свята се нарича Повелител на нощта.

Истории за Духа

Докато първите истории утвърждават модел, внушават определена вяра, изискват следване на поведение, то втория вид истории блокират тези модели. В края на историята човек остава без думи, без понятия… Ако това се случва често блокирания творчески заряд и вдъхновение от предишните истории започва да се отприщтва под влияние на вторите истории и въображението полита освободено. Това е магия и всеки който го е изпитал за кратко иска да го повтори. В тези състояние човек става духовен и се извисява без граници. Това са хубави истории, но и те завършват с падания. Ентропията побеждава и тях, но мястото където те се съхраняват е духовните светове. Това са тринадесет небесни свята, които пазят това състояние на свобода и творчество. Според календара на съдбата влиянието на тези светове е най-силно през деня. Тогава се смята, че небето е отворено и волята на боговете най-голяма. В календара на съдбата към всеки ден е асоциирана цифра от 1 до 13 и това отговаря на съответно влияние на дадена духовна сфера и волята на божество върху земята. Божеството, което се смята че влияе в даден ден върху живота на хората се нарича Повелител на деня.

Истории Огледала

Съществува и трети вид истории. Те не са смесеца от първите две. Не са нещо междинно. Тези истории са истории от плът и кръв. Истории в които всеки може да види това което иска да види. Това са истории които се поддават на различни интерпретации и при всяко тяхно възстановяване те изглеждат свежи и актуални. Те носят свежестта на живота и макар, че могат да бъдат забравени възкръсват с нова сила и блясък. Това са истории свързани със съдбата и знанието за променливостта на съдбата. Тези истории са от плът и кръв, защото обикновенно се повтарят като житейски и в тях се отразява като в огледало живота и съдбата на хора. Чрез тези събития-огледала бога на Дуализма се шегува, защото всеки вижда себе си в тях. Тези истории се съхраняват в периферията на духовната сфера, където вирее зоната на двойствеността.

Всяка съдба и жизнен път намира своя край в някоя от тези зони. Трите зони на вселената се явяват хранилище на всичко което се случва и става.

Каква е историята на Кецалкоатл? От кой тип е отговор, който всеки дава сам за себе си. Изследователите са единодушни, че тази история има поне три контекста – историческа личност, божество и литературен образ. В своята физическа проява той е свещенослужител-крал на Толтеките от 10-ти век, във божествената се асоциирано с напредъка на човечеството, давайки знанията заложени в календара на съдбата Tonalpohualli, и в третата е обект на засилен интерес както от страна на древните Ацтеки, така и на съвремени изследователи.

Кой е Кецалкоатл като божество

Кецал ("Quetzal") e име на красива птица с дълги пера и голям гребен. Може да се асоциира с представата ни за фазан.  Коатл ("Coatl") на езика Нахуа е дума за хищник, звяр. Асоциира се също с божественост, месианство и поддържане на морални принципи. Двете думе в едно Quetzalcoatl имат и друго значение, да издигнеш нещо, да го отгледаш, да го създадеш.
Другото име на божеството е на Перната змия (“Feathered Serpent”). Това е свързано с другия образ на божеството и с представата, за трите същности на всяко същество.

Цивилизациите почитали божеството са най-вече Микстеки, Толтеки и Ацтеки. Обявен за бог с най-голямо влияние в държавата на Толтеките. Кецалкоатл е от основните персонажи при създаването на света на Петото слънце (сегашната епоха). След създаването на Петата епоха, предприема пътуване до света на мъртвите (най-долната сфера от подземните зони) и събира кости на хора живели в други епохи. Напръсква със собствената си  кръв костите и възкресява хората, заселвайки новия свят. Дава царевицата помагайки изхранването на хората.
Кецалкоатл е носител на култура и иновации. Патрон е на изкуствата и стремежа към съвършенство. Кецалкоатл дава знанията за календара на съдбата, позволявайки на хората да виждат събития станали в миналото или очаквани да станат.

Според разбиранията за строежа на вселената, различни пластове изграждащи вселената макар и отделени в зони влияят на живота върху земята. Нещо повече живота на земята и на всяко същество е в някаква степен проекция на тези влияния, на волята на безсмъртни божества. В определени случаи божествата приемат физически образ и могат да се намесват върху живота на земята.

Земния Кецалкоатл

Исторически известният Кецалкоатл е роден в годината Една Тръстика (947 след Христа). Неговия баща, Mixcoatl, е бил водач на Толтеките. Името на Кецалкоатл е било Една Тръстика Топицин, което значи "Нашия принц Една Тръстика". Годината Една Тръстика, е началото на втората поред тринадесетица от общо 4 по 13 години в 52 годишния слънчев цикъл на календара. Тя се асоциира с посока Изток, (в изображението горната част) и влиянието на бога Кецалкоатл. (Кецалкоатл е бялата фигура в дясно от дървото на живота). От съвпадението между влиянието на бога Кецалкоатл и годината на раждането на принца Топицин не следва, автоматично проектиране на намерението и волята на дадено божество. Обикновенно се изчаква да се прояви характера на даден човек, за да започне неговото свързване с духовната сфера, както изисква календара на съдбата.

Един ден от небето започнали да падат малки неща подобни на перца. Coatlicue, богиня и майка на бъдещия Кецалкоатл, взела едно от тези пера и го поставила в долната част на корема си. Така забременяла. В тази история има християнски привкус, вероятно придаден от преразказвача.

Според друг разказвач, Сахагун, същата Coatlicue изпълнявала процедури на духовно очистване, къпейки се в планините Coatepec ежедневно. Един ден докато се къпела малка топка от пера се спуснала върху нея. Тя я взела и поставила между гърдите си и корема, под дрехата. По-късно излязла от водата поискала да я махне, но не я намерила. После разбрала, че е бременна. Тази история също е подменена и не касае раждането на Кецалкоатл, а на друг бог – Huitzilopochtli. Испанските разказвачи са подменили историята и са я представили по друг начин.

Раждането на физическия Кецалкоатл е свързано с ужасна семейна трагедия. Баща му е бил свален от престола и убит от неговия ревнив брат Ihuitmal. Бременната майката на нероденото дете, Chimalma, бяга в друго селище Tepoztlan. Преди да умре по време на раждането, Chimalma оповестява, че нейния син е заченат непорочно защото тя е погълнала парче от синьо-зелен скъпоценен камък, нефрит. Ситуацията свързана с узурпирането на властта от неговия чичо наподобява на фабулата в Шекспировия Хамлет, но тук има допълнителни елементи – налице е твърдение за непорочно зачатие и предпоставка за раждане на духовно същество.

Отгледан от своите дядо и баба, Една Тръстика Топитцин (бъдещия Кецалкоатл) бил изпратен в религиозно училище в Xochicalco. Там той толкова впечатлил учителите със своята мъдрост и вяра в учението, че му дали име Кецалкоатл (Quetzalcoatl). Това е била престижна титла давана на лице, чието поведение показва знаци на повишено съзнание, като това на божество. Връщайки се в столицата на толтеките Тула, Кецалкоатл нарушава заповедите на узурпатора на властта, своя чичо, погребвайки тленните останки на баща си официално чрез церемония. След това той поема управлението като водач на държавата на толтеките, като хвърля непопулярния си чичо Ihuitmal в жертвен огън.

Кецалкоатл се доказва като мъдър и прогресивен ръководител. В действие, което демонстрира в едно чувствителност и познаване на личния интерес, той приканва група от талантливи глухонеми известни като ноноалкос (nonoalcos) за работа като майстори в държавата. Ноноалкосите били наследници на високо квалифицирани майстори от Тетихуакан (Teotihuacan), градът в който боговете се събиран за да създадат Епохата на Петото Слънце. Благодарение на тях се дължи отличителния характер на архитектурата в Тула – колони на същества, квадратни стълбове от орнаменти с фризове и гигантските статуи на воини.

Кецалкоатл също така отменя човешките жертвоприношения и постановлява, че от сега нататък жертвоприношенията се свеждат до змии, цветя е малки птици. Това е етапът в който историческата личност, започва да се размива. Постепенно в него се виждат черти характерни за бога Кецалкоатл и започва проектирането на физическата личност в духовния свят, в бога Кецалкоатл.

Конфликта между Кецалкоатл и Тецкатлипока

Свещенослужителите не приели еднозначно въведенията за премахване на човешките жертвоприношения. Нуждата от жертвоприношения произтича от саможертвата проявена от боговете по време на създаването на света на Петата епоха. Ето защо свещенослужителите били силно обезпокоени от нововъведенията и най-вече ключовия въпрос за тях бил премахването на човешките жертвеноприношения. Според тях това ще разбалансира крехките устои на света и ще доведе до свършек на света.
Толтеките са имали развито знание за магия и водене на конфликти чрез предизвикване на противодействащи сили.
За най-силен опонент на Кецалкоатл недоволните избират неговия брат близнак, Черния Тецкатлипока, известен като “Димящото огледало”, патрон на магьосниците. За целта Тецкатлипока трябва да бъде призован да придобие реален образ и физически да победи и изгони Кецалкоатл.

Tezcatlipoca came to the Toltecs, first under the guise of a Huaxtec, selling green chiles. In the Huaxtec culture, the men wore mantels, but no loincloths underneath. When Huemac’s daughter saw Tezcatlipoca in the marketplace, she saw His manhood and was overcome with such desire for him that she became sick with it.

Huemac was forced to call Huaxtec into his palace, as his daughter told him that she would die if she could not marry him. When told that He had caused the ruler’s daughter such sickness, the crafty Tezcatlipoca told Huemac to kill him. Not knowing that he was being tricked by a god, Huemac instead ordered Tezcatlipoca to marry his daughter. Having been offered exactly what He wanted, Tezcatlipoca complied.

Now on the inside of Toltec society, Tezcatlipoca used His sorcery to trick the idle Toltecs. He played a mystical drum which mesmerized those who heard it and caused them to dance so wildly that they eventually threw themselves off of a cliff.

He caused such disorder that Huemac tried to plot His demise. He sent Tezcatlipoca to fight against the Chichimecs, accompanied only with an army of hunchbacks and dwarfs. When He returned victorious, Huemac sank deeper into despair.

Tezcatlipoca again enchanted the Toltecs by making an infant dance in His hand. The infant was really Huitzilopochtli in disguise. Some of the observers realized this and rose up against Tezcatlipoca and killed Him, but Tezcatlipoca was a god and merely assumed another body, and caused His old dead one to continuously reappear in the streets of Tollan, tormenting the Toltecs with its smell as it rotted. No matter how many times the people of the city tried to get rid of Tezcatlipoca’s old body, it would always reappear.

All this time, Quetzalcoatl had been lamenting the troubles that had beset his people. He sat in his palace engaged in his normal spiritual activities, but all that he did wasn’t helping his people. He became sick with despair, sitting on his throne and taking no visitors into his palace.

Now that He had caused chaos among the Toltec people and tormented their military commander, Tezcatlipoca set forth to trick His brother. He came to Quetzalcoatl’s palace disguised as an old man. He told the guards that He knew their ruler was sick, and that He had medicine which could cure him. The guards let Him in.

Inside Quetzalcoatl’s chambers, Tezcatlipoca produced an obsidian mirror and showed the ruler his reflection. Quetzalcoatl was immediately shocked by how old and frail he looked. Tezcatlipoca told him that He had medicine that could cure his sickness and make him look young once again. Eagerly, Quetzalcoatl drank up the potion that Tezcatlipoca gave to him. What he did not realize, however, was that the potion was actually alcoholic octli. Quetzalcoatl had never tasted alcohol, and so drank it quickly, believing it to be medicine. He became extremely inebriated and demanded that his own sister, Quetzalpetlatl, be brought into his room. As soon as she entered, Quetzalcoatl told her that she must try the fine potion that the disguised Tezcatlipoca had brought for him. As soon as she did, the drunken Feathered Serpent started to flirt with his own sister.

The next morning, Quetzalcoatl awoke next to Quetzalpetlatl, realizing not only that he had broken his vow of celibacy, but that he had slept with his own sister in doing so! He felt so shamed that he decided that he was unworthy of ruling over his people anymore.

Quetzalcoatl decided to leave Tollan with an entourage of followers, traveling towards the divine waters in the East. Once he got there, some say that he sailed across the sea on a raft made of live serpents. Others say that he built a great pyre and threw himself in it and that upon his death his heart rose into the sky as the morning star. The later is the story of how Quetzalcoatl also came to be also known as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, the Lord of the Dawn.

Some have interpretted this story as evil prevailing over good, but it is not so. The Aztecs didn’t see Tezcatlipoca’s actions as evil, but simply as the continuation of His eternal rivalry with His brother, Quetzalcoatl, and as a lesson why, even when rich and powerful, a people should never become lazy and forgetful of the gods.

Кой е Тецкатлипока

Though the priests were undoubtedly annoyed by his outlawing of human sacrifice, accounts of the actions attributed to them are obviously the work of myth makers rather than of responsible historians. According to this version, the priests summoned an ancient god named Texcatlipoca to help them get rid of Quetzalcoatl. Texcatlipoca was an evil god, and he and the pro-human sacrifice priests obviously looked on Quetzalcoatl as some sort of bleeding-heart liberal. (The only bleeding hearts they wanted to see were the ones torn out of victims and laid on altars.)

Deciding on a ruse, Texcatlipoca crept into Quetzalcoatl’s sanctuary with two minor gods, also evil, and frightened him by demonstrating a new invention: the mirror. Feigning friendliness, they disguised him by covering his body with red paint, feathers and a mask. They served him a delicious meal and Texcatlipoca persuaded Quetzalcoatl to drink a beverage of pulque mixed with honey. The concoction made him drunk and the conspirators then slipped a beautiful dancing girl into his room. He awoke the next morning with a hangover and the horrible realization that he had broken his priestly vow of chastity.

Tormented with remorse, Quetzalcoatl wandered in self-imposed exile for twenty years and then ended up near what is today the Gulf port of Coatzocoalcos. There he said goodbye to a loyal band of weeping disciples, promising to return at some future time. He sailed for Yucatan, where he became equally admired by the Maya, who called him Kulkulcan. Finally, some thirty years later, he died by immolating himself on a self-made funeral pyre.

В този момент легендата си проправя път в литературата. Францисканския летописец Бернардино де Сахагун (Bernardino de Sahagun) идва в Мексико през 1529 година. Той научава езика на Ацтеките Нахуатл и става учител в мисионерско училище създадено за елита. Неговата книга “Обща История на Събитията в Нова Испания” излиза 200 години по-късно в 1829 година.

Ето част една от древна поема, която ни е оставил преведена:

Цялата слава на боговете
има пророкът Кецалкоатл:
Цялата чест на хората
чисто и осветено име:
И отправяха молитви към него
в дните на древна Тула.

Puzzling to some is how Quetzalcoatl apparently evolved into a white man. When Cortes’s small force landed in Mexico, the Aztecs could surely have crushed it by sheer weight of numbers. But Moctezuma II fatally hesitated: Quetzalcoatl, like Douglas MacArthur, had promised to return and it would be an act of extreme impiety to take arms against beings who might be revenants of their ancestral dieties. Yet how could the copper-skinned Meso-Americans possibly believe that these hairy, white-skinned invaders were in any way connected with them either on the human or divine level?

"The consensus of opinion among anthropologists," writes Native American scholar Todd Downing, "is that Quetzalcoatl is the embodiment of a solar myth, hence his association with the east coast or the Atlantic. Yellow was the sacred color of the sun, so as its messenger he was given a beard like the rays of the sun." This theory points up one of the cruelest ironies of the Conquest. Where most of the Spaniards were dark-haired Mediterranean types, one obviously descended from blond Visigoths was Cortes’s second in command, the fair-skinned, yellow-bearded Pedro de Alvarado. If the Aztecs saw Alvarado as an embodiment of their lost god, they selected the conquistador who was by far the most notorious for his cruelty toward Mexico’s Indian population.

Historian Jim Tuck is founder of the only chapter of Americans for Democratic Action outside the U.S., now named in his honor. Adelante ("Forward" in Spanish) is the chapter’s official publication.

Тя приключва с прогонването на бога на толтеките Кецалкоатл. Според разказите Кецалкоатл отплавал на вълшебен сал в Мексиканския залив някъде около бреговете на Табаско в неизвестна посока. Преди да си отиде изрекъл следното предсказание:
- Ще се върна в годината Една Тръстика и ще възстановя царствуването си. Тогава ще настане време на големи изпитания за народа.

Тези думи се тълкували, че щял да унищожи бога закрилник на Мексиканската империя, (Ляворъкото Колибри, богът на войната Уицилопощли, Южния Тецкатлипока) и ще накаже хората, загдето са позволили да бъде изпъден.

В очакване на завръщането

След обещанието започва напрегнато чакане на събитието.

Годината Една Тръстика се случва през определени интервали съгласно 52 годишния слънчев цикъл по Свещения календар на съдбата.
В изображението на календара по-долу годината Една Тръстика е точно в горната част. Тя е над посоката Изток, в трецената на Кецалкуатл. Това е възможно най-благоприятното време за завръщане на Кецалкоатл и подновяване на неговото влияние.

Първата година Една Тръстика след заминаването на Кецалкоатл е била 1363. Кецалкоатл не се появил.
Понеже цикъла се редува през 52 години, следващата възможна година на завръщането на Кецалкоатл е била 1415. Кецалкоатл не се появил и при тази възможност. Чакали появата на Кецалкоатл и през 1467 година. Отново Кецалкоатл не се завърнал.
 
Следващата възможна година Една Тръстика била 1519. Тогава императора Монтесума щял да бъде вече 17 години начело на империята на ацтеките.

Монтесума и неговите съветници не знаели как точно ще се завърне Кецалкоатл, но предполагали, че щом е заминал с вълшебен сал на Изток в Мексиканския залив, той ще се завърне пак по същия начин и ще пристигне по същия начин със странна лодка от Изток, неговата силна посока.

Кецалкоатл трябвало да дойде от Изток и да бъде бял, щял да носи брада и да бъде облечен в черно. Облекло нетипично за този край.

Като подготовка за неочаквани събития преди настъпването на годината Една Тръстика (1519) Монтесума наредил да се следи за всяко нетипично явление, което се случвало в страната. Всеки необикновен сън или видение трябвало да бъде докладвано на съвет от астролози, магьосници, свещенослужители и пр. и да бъде тълкувано съгласно прогнозите на календара.

Поличбите предвестници на завръщането на Кецалкоатл

Увереността на Монтесума, че този път прогнозата за завръщането на Кецалкоатл ще се сбъдне, започнала след поредица от неочаквани и странни събития.

Във Florentine Codex са записани редица предназнаменования съпътстващи събитията от 1519 година. Записките са направени от Бернардино де Сахагун (Bernadino de Sahagun).

1 Триъгълният огън

Това събитие се случва две години преди годината Една Тръстика. Огромен огън се появява от земята към небето в източна посока. Огнения стълб е бил широк в основата и стесняващ се към небето. Появявал се след полунощ и светел като Слънце. Горната му част достигала средата на небето, а основата му започвала от хоризонта. Преди изгрев изчезвал. Хората, които са го наблюдавали изпитвали голямо безпокойство, защото смятали, че предвещава зло. Огненият стълб се появявал всяка нощ в продължение на годината 12 Къщи (1517).

2 Пожар в храм

Втория знак станал на върха на един от храмовете на Ляворъкото колибри (Huitzilopochtli) наречен Tlacateccan. Храмът внезапно избухнал в пламъци. Огънят тръгнал от дървена част на колона и изпепелил всичко за кратко време. Докато храмът горял свещенослужителите викали за помощ хора да дойдат и помогнат за потушаването на пожара. Когато се изливала вода пламъците не гаснели, а ставали по-силни. Храмът се превърнал в пушек от тъмни развалини.

3 Удар на светкавица

Ефекта от третата поличба бил подобен на втората. Светкавица поразила храма на бога на огъня Xiuhtecuhtli. Храмът на божеството (наречен Tzummulco), бил направен от слама и леко валяло. Дъждът не бил от този който причинява подобен род светкавици. Храмът изгорял. Свидетелите били шокирани, защото не чули гръм и казвали, че слънцето ‘докоснало’ храма.

4 Метеори

Един ден в който времето било слънчево, се появило огнено кълбо от Запаo. То се трансформирало в три метеора, които се движели на Изток. Метеорите оставяли следа от искри и дълга опашка. Тези които ги забелязали били крайно развълнувани и изтълкували явлението като знак за лош късмет.

5 Езерото Tetzcoco

Петия знак е свързан с огромно вълнение в езерото, където е разположена столицата на империята, днешния град Мексико. Вълненията се обясняват с вулканична активност. Според очевидци водата в езерото е била като вряща и вълните се разбивали от въздуха. Не е имало никакъв вятър. Вълните били толкова големи, че достигали до къщите на хората и ги помитали, разрушавайки основите и заливали всичко наоколо.

6 Скърбящата жена

Шестия знак бил гласът на жена който вятърът носел през нощта. Гласът жалел изпълнен със скръб “О, деца мои, сега трябва да идете далеч”. Понякога гласът казвал “О, деца мои, къде ще ви заведа?”.

7 Монтесума и огледалото Moctezuma and the Mirror

В столицата на мексиканската империя Tenochtitlan (днешно Мексико сити) било обичайно да се ловуват птици живеещи покрай езерото it was the custom to hunt birds that lived on the surrounding Lake Tetzcoco. An ash coloured
crane was caught one day and taken before the emperor Moctezuma, who was in his palace hall. It was midday and the sun was high in the sky. The reason this bird was shown to the Aztec leader was because it had a special marking: a round mirror on its head that displayed the sky and the stars. As Moctezuma peered at its reflection he became fearful, averting his gaze. When he looked a second time, he saw a great multitude of men, moving hastily forwards, fighting with other men along the way. Moctezuma called together his wise men and seers, asking "what is it that I saw?", "many people were fighting each other". When the wise men tried to look into the mirror the bird disappeared, leaving them unable to answer him.

8 Now they’re here, now they’re not…

One day many deformed and monstrous bodies started to appear. Some even had two heads. The Aztecs took them to Moctezuma’s palace and the second he looked at them, they would disappear.

Karl Taube, in his book "The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya", tells us that omens and symbolic signs were extremely important throughout all the cultural areas of Mesoamerica. Special occurrences sent to the earth could be interpreted
as messages from those that lived in the heavens. Birds were especially known as carriers of warnings, perhaps because of their proximity to the sky and, therefore, the gods. So, it is not surprising that the seventh omen in our story tells of a crane with a mirror on its head, bearing images of what appears to be the Spanish marching towards Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital.
Other elements linked to the heavens include lightning bolts and comets, both of which feature in signs three and four. According to Taube the Tarascos, an indigenous people of Michoacan in mid western Mexico, witnessed similar signs before the Spanish arrived. They claim that during a period their temples kept on burning down. Even after they had been rebuilt, they would ignite again, their walls eventually reducing to cinders. The sixth of the omens involved a woman calling out on the night wind to her children. According
to experts, the Aztecs linked her to the goddess Cihuacoatl or Serpent Lady, who called out at night. She was related to fertility, the earth and the unconscious. However, the wind on which her voice was carried came from the heavens.
This story has made its way through the centuries and into contemporary Mexico.
Nowadays, the woman in the tale can be identified as La Llorona, ’she who cries’.
Munoz Camargo, writing the History of Tlaxcala, tells us that there were two main signs of bad augury for his people, the
Tlaxcaltecs, before the Spanish arrived. First, a clear haze appeared in the east in the mornings, three hours before the sun rose and, second, a huge dust cloud came up over a mountain that is now called ’Sierra la Malinche’. The cloud’s comings and goings lasted for
about a year. In appearance both the haze and the cloud of dust connected the sky to the earth.
Miguel Leon Portilla, in a comparison between the Aztec omens in the History of Tlaxcala and the Florentine Codex, suggests that it is not their similarity, but their value as interpretations of history that validates their importance as historical material.

Напускайки Хавана на 10 февруари 1519 година Ернандо Кортес е разполагал със следното въоръжение.

1. 11 кораба, най-големия от които стотонен
2. 508 меченосци
3. 100 моряка
4. 32 стрелци с арбалети
5. 13 мускетари
6.