the killed was taken after every engagement.
Nor can I see anything so very wonderful in all this; for we read in
ancient times of generals who knew every soldier personally, his name
and birthplace, though these armies were generally composed of 30,000
men. Historians have mentioned as instances of this, Mithridates, king
of Pontus, of one of the kings of Epirus, and of Alexander of Macedonia.
The renowned Carthaginian general Hannibal is also said to have known
every one of his soldiers personally. In our times we know this of
Gonzalo Hernandez de Cordoba, called the "great captain." Besides these
there are many other generals who possessed the same powerful memory.
But I go further than this, for I perfectly retain in my memory the
outward person and peculiar habits of every one of my companions in
arms, so that I should be able to sculpture or draw the very form of
their bodies, their manner of holding themselves, and the exact
expression of their countenances, as well as is mentioned of Apelles,
the celebrated painter of old, or in later times of Berruguete, Michael
Angelo, or the far-famed Burgales, who is termed the second Apelles.
Indeed I should very much like to paint each of them according to life,
with the full expression of courage which sat on their countenances the
moment they rushed into battle!

Thanks be to God and the blessed Virgin who saved me from being
sacrificed to the idols, and from so many perils, and thereby rendered
it possible for me to write this history!

CHAPTER CCVII.

_Of the great merit which is due to us, the true Conquistadores._

I have now said sufficient of every individual soldier who accompanied
Cortes, and how each one ended his life. If any one wishes to know
anything further about us, I can tell him that most of us were men of
good families; and if the lineage of some was not quite so
distinguished, we must remember that all are not born equal in this
world, neither in respect to rank nor virtues. However, by the valour of
our arms and our heroic deeds, we conquered New Spain, with the great
city of Mexico, and many other provinces, thereby rendering the most
important services to the emperor our master, though at so vast a
distance from Castile; nor had we any assistance in the terrible battles
we fought night and day, saving that of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
indeed is our true strength. What we have done is sufficient to spread
our fame throughout the wor