captives to be immolated to the Gods are taken." The _xochimique_,
"those destined to a flowery death" were the captives who were
reserved for sacrifice to the gods. See Joan Bautista, _Sermonario en
Lengua Mexicana_, p. 180.

4. _yaoxochimiquiztica_, "pertaining to the slaughter of the flowery
war." This adjective refers to the peculiar institution of the
"flowery war," _guerra florida_, which obtained among the ancient
Mexicans. It appears to have been a contest without provocation, and
merely for the display of prowess and to take captives to supply the
demand for human sacrifices in the religious rites. On this see
Tezozomoc, _Cronica Mexicana_, cap. 96.

NOTES FOR SONG XVII.

In this long fragment--the closing strophes are missing in my
MS.--the bard represents himself as a stranger appearing before the
nobles of Huexotzinco at some festival. The first two verses appear
to be addressed to him by the nobles. They ask him to bring forth his
drum and sing. He begins with a laudation of the power of music,
proceeds to praise the noble company present, and touches those
regretful chords, so common in the Nahuatl poetry, which hint at the
ephemeral nature of all joy and the certainty of death and oblivion.
An appeal is made to the Master of Life who inspires the soul of the
poet, and whose praises should be ever in mind.

The words _Dios_ and _angelotin_, in verse 26th, indicate that the
poem has received some "recension" by the Spanish copyist; but the
general tone impresses me as quite aboriginal in character.

2. _quauhtlocelotl_, see note to I, 5.

3. In this verse, as frequently elsewhere, the syllable ya is
introduced merely to complete the metre. Ordinarily it is the sign of
the imperfect tense, and has other meanings (see the Vocabulary), but
in many instances does not admit of translation.

8. _noncoati_, for _ni-on-coatl_, I am a guest.

18. The references in this verse are obscure, and I doubt if I have
solved them.

20. "The house of spring;" compare the expression in v. 1, of
Nezahualcoyotl's song, p. 42.

21. A long oration of Xicontecatl, lord of Tizatlan, may be found in
Clavigero, _Hist. Antica di Messico_, Tom. III, p. 40. The expression
in _camaxochitzin_, from _camatl_, mouth, _xochitl_, rose, flower,
and the reverential _tzin_, is noteworthy.

24. _petlacoatl_, the centipede or scolopender; from _petlatl_, mat,
and _coatl_, serpent, as they are said to intertwine with each other,
l