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Show 2.26 BOOK V. '--"'V---' ::,J<cT . X. ExJ.>rdi 1ion agatn ll At· JiJ<CO a)ld other ph1ccs. SJl C To XI. l'rcf<1gcs of the war with the Spani·, ard1. H I' S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. .. The Atlixchcfc, who had rebelled againft the crown, met with a very different fate; they were defeated by the Mexicans, and mnny of them made prifoners. This happened prccifdy in the month of February, o6 when on account of the termination of the ce~1 tu y, the great fIeSf tiva' l of the' renewal of the fire was celebrated wl. t I1 [t1'l l greater pomp and folemnity than under the reign of Montezuma I. or in other fcc~lar years. This, which was the moil: folemn, was alfo the 1 ll: .fefl:~val of the kind celebrated by the Mexicans. A grc::tt number of pnfoners were facrificed at it; a great many alfo were refcrvcd for the feftival of the dedication of :fzompant/i, which, as we have obferved above, was an edifice clofe to the greater temple, where the ikulls of the victims were fl:rung together and preferved. This fecular year appears to have pafi without war; but in I 507, the Mexicans made an expedition againft Tzollan and Mietlan, two .ftates of the Mixtecas, whofe inhabitants fled to the mountains, and left the Mexicans no other advantage than that of making a few prifoners of thofe who remained in their houfes. From thence tht:y proceeded to fubdue ~auhquechollan which was in rebellion, in which war the prince Cuitlahuilc the .general of the army, made a difplny of his courage. Some brave Mexican officers fell in this expedition ; ut the rebels were reduced under the yoke, and three thoufand two hundred taken prifoners, who were facrificed, one part of them at the fe!l:ival TlacaxipehuaHztli, which took place in the fecond Mexican month ; and another part of them at the dedication of the fanetuary Zomolli, which was rebuilt after the burning of it before mentioned, with greater magnificence than it was at .fidl:. In the year following the royal army of the Mexicans, Tezcucnns, and Tepanecas, fet out againft the difiant provit1ce of Amat1a. On their ·march, which lay over a very lofty mountain, they were attacked by a furious north wind, accompanied with fnow, which made great havoc in the army, as fome of them who were accuftorned to a mild climate, and travelling almofl: without cloathing, peri!hed with cold, and others were beat down by the trees which were rooted up by the wind. Of the remainder of the army which continued their journey but feebly, to Amatla, the greater part died in battle. Thefe and other calamities together with the appearance of a comet at that time, threw all the princes of Anahuac into the utmoft ,or> '' ~rna- "1!1, I H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. tion. Montezuma, who was too fuper!l:itious to look with indifference on fo uncommon a phenomenon, confulted his aftrologers upon it; but they being unable to divine its meaning, applied to the king of Atolhuacan, who was reputed able in afirology, and in the art of divination. Thefe kings, although they were rel ated to, and perpetual allies of, each other, did not live in much harmony toge ther, the king of Acolhuacan having put to death his fon Huexotzincatzin, as we Dull fee prefently, paying no regard to the prayers of Montezuma, who, as the uncle of that prin .e, had interfered in his behalf. For a long time. pall: they had neither met with their ufual frequency, nor confidence; but on this occafion the myih:rious dread which feized the mind of Montezuma incited him to profit by the knowledge of the king N ezahualpilli, fur • which reafon he intreated him to come to Mexico to confult with him upon an event which appeared equally to concern them both. Nezahualp illi went, and after having conferred, at length, with Montezuma, was of opinion, according to the account of hiftorians, that the comet prediCt d the future difafl:crs of thofe kingdoms, by the arrival of a new p ... oplc. This interpretation, however, being unfati fitCl:ory to Mon tczumn, N ezah ur.ll pilli challenged 11im at the game of foot- ball, which was fr<.:quently played at even by thofe kin s th ~mfclvcs; and it 'Was agreed between them that if the king of Mexico gained the plrty, the king of Acolhuacan {hould renounce his interpretation, adjudging it to be fulie; but if Nezahualpilli came offvicror, Montezuma !hould :~c k.now ledge and admit it to be true: a folly though truly ridiculous in thofe men, to b..:licvc the truth of a predietion could <;Jepend on th~ dexterity of the player, or the fo rtune of. the game; but 1efs pernicious, however than th nt of · the :1ncient E uropeans, who decided on tru th, · innocence, and honour, by a barba;·ous duel and the fortune of arms. Nezahualpilli rem:1ined vitl:or in the game, and Montezuma difconfolate at the lo(~ and the confi rmat ion of fo fatal a prognoil:ic: he wa willing, however, to try other methods, hoping to find fame more fit vourable interpretation which might ..:onnterbalancc th~t of the king: 0f AcolhLl::tcan, aml the difgrace he had fuffered at plAy: he conlultcd. therefore a very f.'lmous aftrologer who was much verfe l in the fuperfiitious art of divination, by which he had rendered his name io celchmted in that !nod, and acquired fo great a refpeet, that without ever fl:irring abroad from his houie he was confidered and confulted .by th~ king. . ' G g 2 · them- 227 BOOK V. ~ |