More presents sent and the appearence of Tezcatlipoca near the Popocatepetl

Introduction

The following text of the indigenous informants of Sahagún, preserved in the florentino Codex, relates two anecdotes of special interest. The conquerors, after the slaughter of Cholula, continue their march accompanied by the tlaxcaltecas towards the Valley of Mexico. Being in the environs of the volcanoes, which the Mexicas called "Pass of the eagle", new envoys of Moctezuma, headed by Tzihuacpopocatzin, meet them to give to the numerous Spaniards gold objects, the Mexicas are pleased in painting to us which was the reaction of the strangers:
"Their faces were smiling... as if they were monkeys they picked up the gold... as hungry pigs they longed for gold..."

Next the deceit of Tzihuacpopocatzin is related, who tried to pass for Moctezuma. Failed his attempt, we see another group of envoys. They are more wizards that try to prevent the march of the conquerors. But these do not stop.

The mysterious presence of a false drunk forestalls the wizards predicting the ruin Mexico and making prodigies, causes the magicians to withdraw. They think that Tezcatlipoca has appeared to them. Of return already in Mexico-Tenochtitlan, they narrate to Moctezuma what they had seen. The great Mexica Tlahtoani (king of the Mexicas) was still more discouraged. Fatally he accepted whatever would come.

The reaction of the conquerors
when receiving the gold

And Moctezuma quickly sends several principals. Tzihuacpopocatzin leads them, and very numerous other representatives of his. They went to find them (the Spaniards), in the immediacy of Popocatépetl, of the Iztactépetl (Iztaccihuatl), there in the "Pass of the Eagle".

They gave the Spanish gold flags, flags of quetzal feathers, and gold necklaces. And when they had given them this, their faces were smiling, they were very glad (the Spaniards), they were delighted. As if they were monkeys they picked up gold, because they seated in such gesture, as if their hearts were renewed and illuminated.

Because true it is that that is what they yearn for with great thirst. Their chests widen, they are furiously hungry for it. Like hungry pigs they crave gold.

And they snatch the gold flags anxiously, they wave them, they see them from this side and the other. They are like those who speak a wild language; all that they say, in wild language is, garbled.

Tzihuacpopoca pretends to be Moctezuma

Then when they saw Tzihuacpopoca, they said:
- Perhaps that one is Moctezuma?

They said to those that walked with them, their aggregates, opportunists from Tlaxcala and Cempoala, that astutely and slyly accompany them. They said to them:
- That is not him, our Lords. That is Tzihuacpopoca: he comes in representation of Moctezuma.

They said to him (to Tzihuacpopoca):
- Perhaps you are Moctezuma?

He said:
- Yes, I am your servant. I am Moctezuma.

But they said to him:
"Get out of here... Why you deceive to us? Who you think that we are?
You will not deceive us, you will not make fun of us.
You will not intimidate us, you will not blind our eyes.
You will not throw the evil eye at us, you will not twist our face.
You will not enchant our eyes, you will not twist them either.
You not numb our eyes, you will not hurt them.
You will not throw mud to our eyes, you will not fill them of mud.
You are not he... There is Moctezuma! He will not be able to hide, will not be able to hide from us.
To where will he go?
Will he become a bird and fly? In the Earth will he make his way?
Perhaps in some place he will dig a hill to hide in its interior?
We have to see it. There will be no way of not seeing his face.
We will hear his word, from his lips we will hear it."

Just like that they did scorn him, as nothing they reputed him. And again this welcome donation failed, this embassy of greeting.
Because of this from that moment they went in a straight way to Mexico.

Moctezuma sends more wizards

Then another series of envoys: they were these wizards, magicians, and even priests. They also went to their encounter. But nothing could they do there, they could not give them the evil eye, could not dominate them; in fact did not dominate them. They did not even arrived there.

It was just that a certain drunkard encountered them in their way. He came to their encounter, suddenly they found him. The form in which they saw him: like a man of Chalco was he dressed; Chalca in the dressing, Chalca in the fiction. He was like a drunkard, was pretending to be drunk, simulated to be a drunk. He had his chest tied with eight cords of red.

The appearance of Tezcatlipoca

He suddenly stepped in front of them when they were close to the Spaniards, when they were on the verge of meeting them. And he came to the Mexicans and he said to them:

"Why, by your reason, come you here? What thing is it that you want? What is it that tries Moctezuma?
Is it that he has not recovered his sense yet? Is it that even now he is a scared poor devil?
He has committed errors: he has taken too far his there servants, has destroyed the people.
Each other they strike; each other they bury.
Against each other they revolt, each other they deceive."

And when such things they heard; when his speech they listened, to him in vain tried to approach. They tried to answer him, hurriedly prepared for him a portable altar and a precious chair. But then, no longer they saw him.

Although in vain they tried to minister him, although in vain they put his portable altar, no longer they see his mouth. There it frightens them, reprimands them harshly, as if from a distant spot it spoke to them. It said to them:

"Why did you have come to stand here in vain? Mexico will not exist more! With this, it is finished for ever.
Go away from here: here no more... You return there, you turn your eyes to Mexico.
What happens, has already happened!"

And they saw, they stared with wild eyes. Burning all are the temples, and the communal houses, and the priests' schools, and all houses in Mexico. And everything looked as if there was battle.

And when the wizards saw all this, it was as if their hearts had left to who knows where. No longer they spoke clearly. As if they had swallowed something bad. They said:

"It was not for us to see this: it was for Moctezuma to see it; all that we have seen!
It was not just anyone, that one... that one was the young Tezcatlipoca... "

He disappeared suddenly; no longer they saw him.

And the envoys no longer went to their planned encounter, they did no more walk towards them. Instead the wizards and priests returned and went to tell it to Moctezuma. They returned with those they had left with, with those of Tzioacpopoca.

Discouragement of Moctezuma

And when these envoys returned, they reported to Moctezuma how it happened, how they saw it. And when Moctezuma heard, he did nothing more than to lower his head, he was with his head inclined. He did not speak a word. He just stopped talking. A long time he was crestfallen this way. All that was said and everything with which he responded was this:

"What remedy, my strong ones? Then with this we are in the past... With this occurred to us what we deserved... Perhaps there is some mount where we can climb? Or perhaps we have to flee? We are Mexican: will that in truth give glory to the Mexican nation?
Worthy of compassion are the poor old man, the poor old woman, and the little children that do not yet reason. Where could they be put in safety? But... there is no remedy... What to do... Nothing left? What to do and where... The deserved thing already occurred to us. Whatever and whenever it is, we will have to see it with astonishment."

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