_How a tyrant rose up in Cuzco, and of the disturbance he caused. Of the
chastisement of certain Mamaconas for having, contrary to their
religion, used their bodies uncleanly; and how Viracocha returned to
Cuzco._
The news was received at Cuzco of everything that happened to Viracocha;
and when an account was given in the city of the operations against
those of Caitomarca, they say that a tyrant rose up in the person of a
brother of the late Inca Yupanqui, who, being much annoyed because the
lordship and sovereignty had been given to Viracocha and not to him, was
watching for an opportunity to seize the supreme power. He entertained
this design because he had formed a party among some of the Orejones and
principal persons of the lineage of Orin-Cuzcos. On receiving the news
of this war which the Inca was engaged in, and it seeming likely that he
would find a difficulty in bringing it to a successful end, the
conspirator resolved to kill him who had been left as governor of the
city, and to take possession.
Capac, for such was his name, eager for the command, assembled his party
on a day when all the rest of the Orejones were in the temple of the
Sun, and among them Inca Rocca, the governor of the Inca Viracocha, and
took up arms. He declared that Viracocha could not retain the
sovereignty, and he killed the governor, with many others, whose blood
stained the altars and sanctuaries, and the figure of the Sun. The
_mamaconas_ and priests ran out with much noise, cursing the murderers
and declaring that so great a crime deserved a great punishment. A crowd
came forth from the city to see what had happened. Some approving of the
rebellion, joined with Capac; others, deploring the murders, took up
arms, and there was thus a division, many being killed both on one side
and on the other. The city resounded with such noise and shouts, that
men could not hear their own voices. In this confusion the tyrant got
possession, killing many of the women of the Inca. Some fled from the
city, and escaped to the camp of Viracocha, who, concealing what he
felt, ordered his troops to march towards Cuzco.
To return to the tyrant Capac. When he had got possession of the city,
he wanted to appear in public with the fringe, that all might receive
him as king. But when the first excitement was over, during which many
had lost their judgment and committed great crimes, the very same who
had incited the usurper to rise, now upbraided him, went out to meet the
Inca, and sought pardon for what they had done.
Capac had no lack of courage to carry through the affair, but he was
much disturbed to see how small was the number of those who adhered to
him. He cursed those who had deceived and deserted him, and, that he
might not behold the return of the Inca, he took poison and died. His
women and children, with other relations, imitated his example.
The news of all this came to the royal camp, and the Inca, when he
reached the city, went straight to the temple of the Sun to offer up
sacrifices. The bodies of Capac and of the others who had died with him,
were ordered to be cast forth into the fields, to be devoured by birds
of prey; and those who aided the treason were condemned to death.
The allies and confederates of Viracocha Inca, when they heard what had
happened, sent many embassies with presents and offerings of
congratulation, and to these embassies he made joyful replies.
At this time, the Orejones say that there were many virgins of rank in
the temple of the Sun, who were honored and esteemed, as has been
explained in many parts of this history. And they further add that four
of them used their bodies uncleanly with certain servants who guarded
them, and being discovered they were taken, both the men and the women,
and the high priest ordered that they should be judged, and punished.
The Inca had determined to invade Condesuyo, but, feeling tired and old,
he gave up the plan. He then ordered that palaces, to be used by him for
recreation, should be built in the valley of Xaquixaguana. As he had
many sons, and as he knew that the eldest, who was named Inca Urco, to
whom the sovereignty would descend, was a man of vicious habits and very
cowardly, he desired to deprive him of the inheritance, in order to give
it to another who was younger and more worthy, named Inca Yupanqui.