ppose it? Go forth and array
yourselves in the golden garments, clothe yourselves in the glittering
vestments.

2. My god descended upon the water, into the beautiful glistening
surface; he was as a lovely water cypress, as a beauteous green serpent;
now I have left behind me my suffering.

3. I go forth, I go forth about to destroy, I, Yoatzin; my soul is in
the cerulean water; I am seen in the golden water; I shall appear unto
mortals; I shall strengthen them for the words of war!

4. My god appears as a mortal; O Yoatzin, thou art seen upon the
mountains; I shall appear unto mortals; I shall strengthen them for the
words of war.

_Notes._

There is slight mention of the deity Xipe Totec in the Spanish writers.
He was the patron divinity of the silversmiths, and his festival,
attended with peculiarly bloody rites, was celebrated in the first month
of the calendar. (Duran, _Historia_, cap. 87; Sahagun, Lib. I., cap. 18,
Lib. II., cap. 21, etc.) Totec is named as one of the companions of
Quetzalcoatl, and an ancient divinity whose temple stood on the
_Tzatzitepec_ (see the _Codex Vaticanus_; Tab. XII., in Kingsborough's
_Mexico_). His high priest was called _Youallauan_, "the nocturnal
tippler" (_youalli_, night, and _tlauana_, to drink to slight
intoxication), and it was his duty to tear out the hearts of the human
victims (Sahagun, _u.s._). The epithet _Yoatzin_, "noble night-god,"
bears some relation to the celebration of his rites at night.

[Illustration: CHICOMECOATL, GODDESS OF FOOD AND DRINK. HYMN XVI.]

XVI. _Chicomecoatl icuic._

1. Chicomollotzin xayameua, ximicotica aca tona titech icnocauazqui
tiyauia mochan tlallocan nouia.

2. Xayameua ximicotica aca tonan titech icnocauazqui tiyauian mochan
tlallocan nouiya.

_Var._ 1. Xaia mehoa.

_Gloss._

1. _Q.n._, yn ti chicomolotl, _id est_, in ti centli ximeua, xica,
xixoa, ca otimouicaya in mochan tlallocan.

2. _Q.n._, xayameua, _id est_, ximeua, xixua, xica, ca otimouicaya in
mochantzinco in tlallocan ca yuhquin ti tonatzon.

_Hymn to Chicomecoatl._

1. O noble Chicomolotl, arise, awake, leave us not unprotected on the
way, conduct us to the home of Tlaloc.

2. Arise, awake, leave us not unprotected on the way, conduct us to
the home of Tlaloc.

_Notes._

The goddess Chicomecoatl, "seven guests," was the deity who presided
over food and drink. Hence in the first verse she is referred to as
Chicom