At this portion of the MS. several poems are preceded by a line of
syllables indicating their accompaniment on the teponaztli (see
Introduction, p. 32).
The present number is one of the most noteworthy songs of the
collection. It belongs to the ancient cyclus of Quetzalcoatl myths,
and gives a brief relation of the destruction of Tollan and the
departure and disappearance of the Light God, Quetzalcoatl Ce Acatl.
As I have elsewhere collated this typical myth at length, and
interpreted it according to the tenets of modern mythologic science,
I shall not dwell upon it here (see D.G. Brinton, _American Hero
Myths_, Phila., 1882).
The text of the poem is quite archaic, and presents many
difficulties. But my translation, I think, gives the general sense
correctly.
1. _huapalcalli_; literally, "the house constructed of beams." This
name was applied to the chief temple of the Toltecs; the ruins of an
ancient structure at Tollantzinco were pointed out at the time of the
Conquest as those of this building (see Sahagun, _Hist. de la Nueva
España_, Lib. X, cap. 29).
_coatlaquetzalli_; this edifice, said to have been left incomplete by
Quetzalcoatl, when he forsook Tollan, had pillars in the form of a
serpent, the head at the base, the tail at the top of the pillar.
(See Orozco y Berra, _Hist. Antigua de Mexico_, Tom. III, pp. 30 and
46.) The structure is mentioned as follows in the _Anales de
Cuauhtitlan_:--
_Auh iniquac nemia Quetzalcoatl quitzintica, quipeuahtica iteocal
quimaman coatlaquetzali ihuan amo quitzonquixti, amo quipantlaz."_
"And when Quetzalcoatl was living, he began and commenced the temple
of his which is the Coatlaquetzali (Serpent Plumes), and he did not
finish it, he did not fully erect it."
_Nacxitl Topiltzin_, "Our Lord the four-footed." _Nacxitl_ appears to
have been the name of Quetzalcoatl, in his position as lord of the
merchants. Compare Sahagun, ubi supra, Lib. I, cap. 19.
2. _Poyauhtecatl_, a volcano near Orizaba, mentioned by Sahagun.
_Acallan_, a province bordering on the Laguna de los Terminos. The
myth reported that Quetzalcoatl journeyed to the shores of the Gulf
about the isthmus of Tehuantepec and there disappeared.
3. _Nonohualco_; the reference is to the _cerro de Nonoalco_, which
plays a part in the Quetzalcoatl myth. The words of the song are
almost those of Tezcatlipoca when he is introduced to Quetzalcoatl.
Asked whence he came, he replied, "Nihuitz in Nonohualcatepetl
itzintla, etc." (_Anales de Cuauhtitlan_).
4. The occurrences alluded to are the marvels performed by
Quetzalcoatl on his journey from Tulan. See my American Hero Myths,
p. 115.
5. The departure of Quetzalcoatl was because he was ordered to repair
to Tlapallan, supposed to be beyond Xicalanco.
8. _quinti_, for _iquintia_; the reference is to the magic draught
given Quetzalcoatl by Tezcatlipoca.
9. _In tetl, in quahuitl_; literally, "stone and stick;" a very
common phrase in Nahautl, to signify misfortunes.