An Annotated Translation of a Colonial Yucatec Manuscript:
On Religious and Cosmological Topics by a Native Author

(About the Heavens)
ms. p.178-189

It is interesting to consider the impact of European cosmology on a Maya audience, given the level of astronomical expertise represented in the surviving Maya codices. By the sixteenth century, European astronomical theories had become highly convoluted in an attempt to reconcile scripture with the teachings of Aristotle and Ptolemy, as well as inaccurate in predicting planetary positions.¹⁸⁷ However, here our author attempts to explain the eleven layers of the heavens as they have been described by the Church fathers and by the astrologers at the court of King Alfonso X of Castile.¹⁸⁸

He begins with the highest level, the Empyrean, the brilliant, unmoving heaven which is the seat of God. Below it, the tenth layer is called the Prime Mover, in which is seated kin, the day. God created this unit of time on the first day, and placed it in the Prime Mover, which turns once in every twenty four hours, because of an angel (ms. p.181).¹⁸⁹ The layer below the Prime Mover, the ninth layer, is called the Crystalline, to which the author gives extended attention.

On the second day, according to Genesis 1:6-9, God created the Firmament, and divided the waters, and placed some waters above it and some below it. Here the Firmament is understood to be the eighth layer of the heavens, the one that is set with stars. The "waters" above the Firmament become the Crystalline layer of the heavens. Because water is mutable, and according to Aristotle there is nothing mutable in the heavens, these "waters" must be transubstantiated. The author compares them to Moses’ staff which becomes a snake, and to consecrated bread which becomes the blessed sacrament. Hence the Crystalline is like molten water, or like the glass on a mirror, and it protects man’s sight from the blinding brilliance of the Empyrean (ms. p.183-4). Below the Firmament are the planets, each in a layer of its own, divided up into movements and epicycles which are called acentric and concentric "in the Romance language" (ms. p.182).

Next, the author proceeds through each day of the creation described in Genesis, and links that which is created with its appropriate place in the heavens. Thus, on the fourth day God created the sun and the moon, and placed the sun in the fourth layer, while the moon is "close by above us" (ms. p.187). The author explains that the form of the luminaries was created first, before they began to give light, all of which came from lightning within a cloud, an argument which he attributes to St. Thomas (ms. p.179). The starting point of God’s cycle of days is Sunday. However, because Lunes, Monday, is the day on which Lucifer fell from heaven, it remains a day of ill omen (ms. p.185).

Throughout his explanation, the author stresses the sources of these teachings, both in the truth of sacred scripture and in the speculations of the astrologers. It seems likely that he relied upon a chart of the eleven layers of the heavens as he presented this material, an illustration like the one which appears in the Chilam Balam of Ixil.

[p. 175-177 are missing]

caan. yt. luum.              [p.178]
sky and earth.

tu yax chunhii U meyah cu than.
When He first began His work, He spoke.

he lume hohochil = hanpiken.¹⁹⁰ mayx bal yan yokol = ti hun lukul =
As for the earth it is completely empty, swept clean, and there is nothing on it anywhere,

heuache caane = ma bay loe
but as for the sky, it is not like that,

yoklal bay licil V canticob = bolon miatzob = doctoresob. ti lic yalicob.
because this is how they describe it, the sages, the doctors, in that which they say.

he caan lae -
As for these heavens,

licitac U nak U Dzocol U sihsabal. tumen ca yumil ti Dios
as soon as the horizon had been created by our lord God,

caytac chupsabi¹⁹¹ = U pictannil angelesobij = U hach cichcelemtacil sihsabilob -
then it was filled with the multitude of angels, the most beautiful of His creations,

yxma xulumteix. cuxtal Dzaantiob = tumenel Dios. ah tepal =
and endless life was given to them by God, the ruler.

ti Dzocan tun U sihil. angelesobe =
When the birth of the angels was finished,

bay licil u cantic = yt = u yalic. yunnil. miatz = Consilio = u Kabae yt. doctoresob =
as they describe and relate it, their book of wisdom called Council and the doctors,

bayx licil. u cantic = yt. yalic ah bolon pixan. San Ju^o. damaseno u kabae =
and as he describes and relates it, the blessed saint named John of Damascus,

heklay caan. enpileo = u kabae U yax chun caan = yan hach canalil =
which is that the heaven called Empyrean is the first, beginning heaven that is highest,

heklay. yanil. u kanche = yt. culic ca yumil ti Dios ah tepale              [p.179]
which is where He has His bench and where He sits, our lord God, the ruler,

yt. u lak caan = primer mouil = u kabae =
and there is another heaven named Prime Mover.

ti mayto yanac sasilil = ekhochenito cuchie = Ca u kabatah akbilil =
Back before there was light, when there was darkness back then, He named it night;

hex sasilil xane = Ca yalah okinil = Cayx u Dzaah u sashal = yt. u thubul =
as for this light also, He called it evening, and He placed its dawning and its setting;

bay tun. Dzoclukanhic =yt. cumlahic = U yax chun kin loe = he sasilil lae =
so when it had been completed and seated in the first, beginning day,¹⁹² this light here,

Cu than = santo thomas = hunppel muyal - lembanachij =
Saint Thomas says that a cloud gave forth lightning;

yutzcinnah Dios = hex muyal lae = lay oci = yt. Utzcinnabcij = kin =
but as for this cloud, God created it; here He entered, and from it was created the day.

ca Dzocie = ti Dzabi = y. ti culcinnabi = ti primero mouil =
When it was completed, then it was placed and then it was seated in Prime Mover,

U yax chun caan cu sut = ti calahe =
the first, beginning heaven that returns, as we said.

ca tun yilah ca yumil ti Dios cici Dzoclukanil tulacal = u sihsah = babalile =
Then when our lord God saw the perfection of all His created things,

ca tun yoltah = u cumcin u chun u kinil = heklay Domingo Loe =
thereupon He wished to seat the starting point of His days, which is Sunday, then.

tu cappelhij tun. u kinil = yutzcinnah Dios = caan firmamento =
When it became the second one of His days, then God created the heaven Firmament,

heklay caan yahebal = yt. taklahebal. tulacal hijbahun u sihsahbabalile = tulacale =              [p.180]
which is the heaven filled and set with all His many created things, all of them.

Lay u uaxactas caan = esperas - u kabae =
This is the eighth layer of heaven called Spheres,

hek lay uohaan = Lay tatak licil . ekob = tulacal loe =
of which it has been written that this one is really studded with the stars, all of them,

hex uchebal. u hach lemba = yt. u potchicanhal tulacal babal loe.
so that they can really shine, and everything there becomes clearly visible.

Lay hach yan U uilal = coheltic = hij bicil tzolanil = tumenelob -
This is really necessary that we know, just how it is explained by them,¹⁹³

U yah miatzilob = astra rogosob¹⁹⁴ = hach canaltac u miatzob =
the wise men - astrologers - of really high wisdom,

bay u cah Rey. Dⁿ. alon^o. = yan Castillae = ah miatz yalabal =
associated with King Don Alfonso¹⁹⁵ who is in Castile, a wise man it is said.

He caan nob lae. buluc tasili = tu baob = onse sielos =
As for these heavens, there are eleven layers there among them, eleven heavens,

hex U nohol yan hach canalile = Lay empileo = U Kabae =
and the greatest is really high; this is the one called Empyrean,

hex oc ti empileo. lae = U babalil. kak = ci oci = yoklal hach lembanac =
and it entered into this Empyrean, the element of fire, that entered so it really shone,

u saspoennil. kak = yanie =
the brightness of fire, that is there,

yoklal. U silla = U kanche = ah bolon pixanob. yanie = santosob =
because the chairs, the benches of the blessed ones, the saints, are there,

tijx lic U paclam pacticob = U groriaylob = U bolon pixanilobe =
and there they are face-to-face in their glory, their sanctity,

hex caan empileoe = chich eDzlic = hach chicaan =
and as for this heaven, the Empyrean, it is strongly established, really fixed;

matech. U pec = mayxtan u sut = ti hun lukul =
never does it move, nor does it turn ever.

hex tun. U lahuntas caan = yan yalan empile^o lae =
But then the tenth layer of heaven, which is under the Empyrean;

lay primer mouil = u yax chun sut. u kabae =              [p.181]
this is the Prime Mover; the first origin of return is its name,

yoklal lay cu sut = tumen huntul angel = tuba tuhunal =
because this one turns because of an angel, by himself, alone;

tal ti lakin - kuchic ti chikin =
he came from the east, then he arrived in the west,¹⁹⁶

hunppel u kinil - ti cantuckal = oras = kintzil¹⁹⁷ = yalabale = tilic u sutob. tu pach =
one day in twenty four hours, hours as it is said, in which it returns behind him.

Laobi esperas = u kabaobe = hex caan. lae = manan ekobi =
These are Spheres, that is their name, but as for this heaven, there are no stars in it,

bayx yan yalan xane = mayxbal yanie =
as in the one below also, there is nothing in it.

Lay tun U bolon tas caan = christalino¹⁹⁸ = u kabae =
This, then is the ninth layer of heaven, Crystalline is its name,

hex U uaxactas caan - lae - firmamento¹⁹⁹ = u kabae =
and as for the eighth layer of heaven, Firmament is its name.

Lay tun yanilob = tatak tacil ekob =
It is here, then that they are, fastened all over it, the stars,

ti bay tatak licob = Dzipit Kab - te tu uiche =
just as there are rings fastened there on their faces,

lemlemnac²⁰⁰ U sasilil U uich - yanilobie =======================
really shining, the light of the faces of those who are there.

Heuac hetun franetasobe²⁰¹ = ma ti yan ychil ekob =
But as for the planets, they are not there among the stars.

Calah lae = yoklal hun hun tzuc caan yanilob = tubatzilob =
We said this since there is only one in each part of the sky where they are, each by itself,

bay licil. ca tzolicob = ti hun tzol u binel Lae =
as we explain, in an order that goes like this:

hex franetas saaturnoe = tu Uuctas caan yan =
as for the planet Saturn, it is in the seventh layer of heaven;

hex franeta = Jupitere = tu Vactas caan yan =
as for the planet Jupiter, it is in the sixth layer of heaven;

hex franeta = marte lae tu hotas caan = yan              [p.182]
as for the planet Mars, here it is in the fifth layer of heaven;

hetun Kine = ti yan tu cantas caane =
but as for the sun; it belongs in the fourth layer of heaven,

hex franeta - Venuse = tu yoxtas caan =
and this planet, Venus, in the third layer of heaven,

hetun franeta = mericurio = te yan tu catas caane =
but the planet Mercury, there it is in the second layer of heaven;

bala hetun. U franetail = Luna =V. e - ti yan naDzpul cokol.
this one, however, the planet of Luna, the moon, there it is close by above us,

tu huntas caan lae tix yantac Uchi yan =
in the first level of heaven here, where it has been since long ago,

U sihsah kakil Diose²⁰² = U sihnalil kak =
when the fire of God gave birth to it; it is the birthplace of fire.

bay licil u cantic = ASTRA. Logosob²⁰³ ti caanob. hatzantacob = ti mouimientosob =
Thus the astrologers describe them, the heavens divided up into Movements,

yoklal licil U nana olticob²⁰⁴ = ti ekob = yt. franetasob =
because of how they imagine them, the stars and the planets,

ti lic u hatzlamticob = caanob =
by which they divide up the heavens;

asentricosob = consetricosob = u kabaob = ychil = romanseil thanil =
Acentric, Concentric is their name in the Romance language,

sutbesabcij = thanloe = ti maya thanil =
that language that was translated into the Maya language,

yanix = espiçielos = V kabaob xane = bay u cah esperasob =
and there are Epicycles also, so-named; these pertain to the Spheres;

mehentacob = eDzecnac²⁰⁵ u ximbalobe =
as for the small ones, their travels are slowed down,

yannix u sebhal. u ximbalobe =              [p.183]
and so their travels must become faster,

bayx Uabic yalahilobe = ==============================
and this is how they have said it.

Bala oheltabac helel lae = hijbal lic yalic kulem Dzib =
So this has been known now, this which the Sacred Scripture says,

U sihsah Dios = tu cappelil = u kinil = lay firmamento =
that God created on the second one of His days, this Firmament,

eDzaannil tulacal = u sihsah babalil =
having put in place all His created things,

Ca u Dzaah tu tan chumuc haa = kaknab ykabe²⁰⁶ =
then He placed it²⁰⁷ in between, in the middle of the waters; notice thus, the oceans,

hex haa lae = lay christalino = christal u kaba =
but as for this water here, it is the Crystalline; Crystal is its name;

ha yalabal = yoklal bay hach yibyibnacil hae =
it is called water, because it is like really molten water.²⁰⁸

lay christal lae = yoklal ha cuchi =
This Crystal here, because it was water formerly,

bay tachil yalabal = ychil kulem Dzib = U kaba = ti bayli cuchie =
thus its name is said in Holy Scripture, still as it was before.

bay u caah = u serpiente = moysene = Vala²⁰⁹ yalabal = yoklal barail²¹⁰ = cuchie =
Thus it is like the serpent of Moses, said to be a staff because it was a staff before.

bay u cah u cilich sacramentoyl altale²¹¹ = Uaah yalabal = yoklal uahil cuchi =
Thus it is like the blessed sacrament of the altar, called bread because it was bread before,

heuac hetun tu yalabal. cicithan yokole = lay consagraçion = u kabae              [p.184]
but whenever a blessing is said over it, the name of this is Consecration,

manan u booc Uahij =
it no longer has the scent of bread.

bala mayx tan u mananhal. mac alic haa =
Therefore, neither is there no one who would call it water,²¹²

lic yalic kulem Dzib lae = ti yan ti molcab = tu uactas²¹³ caan lae =
as this Holy Scripture says, that is there, gathered in this sixth layer of heaven.

bay nen yilabale = bay bidroe = bay promoe = pixic -
Like a mirror it is seen, like vidrio - the glass - like plomo - the lead - that it covers,

yt. balpahebal = ca pacat = ca maac u potchicanhal = tac pacat =
and our sight becomes covered, so that it may not become clearly visible to our gaze,

hijbal yantac tu tanne = hex yayax u pactabale =
whatever may be in front of it, just as it is seen right at first,

lic cilic loe = bay yolahmayl. Dios =
which we see, then, as God has wished,

U beeltic = yoklal ca ti ac U xulel - U lemba caan = empileo =
which He does so that there may be the limit to the brilliance of the heaven Empyrean,²¹⁴

yt. U lemba U pacat = U cilich Uinicil = Ca yumil ti Jhesu christo =
and the brilliance of the gaze, the holy form of our lord Jesus Christ,

yt. U lemba U pacat = U cilich Uinicil = ca cilich colel - suhuy santa maria =
and the brilliance of the gaze, the holy form of our blessed lady, virgin Saint Mary,

yt. U. chayan santosob = santasobe = cicithannan U cilich Uinicilobe =
and the rest of the saints, the saints whose blessed bodies are holy.

bay u cah San Ju^o- euangelista = Uucten lembanacil = ti ma bay u chayanil =              [p.185]
According to Saint John the evangelist, seven times it lightninged before the rest of it;²¹⁵

he tulacal Dziban ychil kulem Dzib lae = hach hah = hach tohix = tulacal =
all this that has been written in Sacred Scripture is really true, really correct, all of it.

bay licil yalic = bolon pixan = San Agustin = he cilich kulem Dzibobe =
As blessed Saint Augustine says, "As for these blessed Sacred Writings,

lauacix U nat Uinic = bin kuchucie = ma kuchan U hach nateob²¹⁶
whether people understand it, it will come; they have not come to really understand it,

yoklal hach hah = tohij xan =
because it is really true, and correct also."

bay licil yalicob = astrarogosob = lic u potchicancunnicob =
Thus it is that the astrologers tell it, which they publish clearly,

ti mahancenil = ti tan sasilil = ti bay lae =====
publicly, before the light, like this.²¹⁷

he kine = tu cantas caan yan =
As for the sun, it is in the fourth layer of heaven,

hex .V. lae Luna = naDzpul cokol =
but this moon - Luna - is close by above us,

lic yalic yah miatzil = anumal = yetel pectzil lae =
about which their wise men tell this story and prognostication:

tihij tu kin Lunes lae = haac Dzaah hij = yt. lubi = Lusifer = likul ti caan =
since it was on this day, Lunes, Monday, when Lucifer slipped and fell from heaven,

ca lubi tu Dzu lum = Ca tohlabij =
when he fell to the center of the earth, when he was cast out,

yt. U chayan. U lakob = thuliob U pache =
and the rest of his comrades followed behind him,

bayx u than xane = he u kinil Lunes lae = ma yutzil kini =
thus they say also, this Lunes is his day now; it is not a good day,

tumenel layl u kinil = sipcij = yt. yutzcincij = ma tibil = Lusifer =
because it is still his day, (the day) on which Lucifer sinned and created iniquity,

yt. U chayan U lobil. angelob = lubiob tu pache²¹⁸ =              [p.186]
and the rest of the bad angels fell behind him.

tu yoxppel kin - chacanhi luum = tumen Dios =
On the third day, the earth became visible because of God,

yoklal pixan ti haa = yokol cuchi =
because it had been covered over with the water above it formerly;

ca huDzbanij haa = nachil = ca u tzucaah u ba = heklay kaknab = u kaba lae =
then the water withdrew far away, then it separated itself, into that which is called ocean,

ca ticinhij luume = uchebal u hokol xiuob = yt. u hoklahal. cheob =
then the land became dry for the plants to come forth, and all the trees to come forth,

yt. u chayanil. u yanal babale = hoklahiob - yokol luume = bay yanil helel lae =
and the rest of the other things all to come forth on earth, as they are today.

Cayx cicithantabi luum. tumenel. Ca yumil ti Dios =
And when the earth was blessed by our lord God,

hunsuthix tac u pixchahal ti xiuob = yt. ti cheob =
it instantly became covered with plants and with trees,

yt. ti nicteob = yt. chahuctacobe = ti helan helan nix = tulacal xane =
and with flowers and things that are sweet, all of them different also,

heuac manan u yuchilob = ti baytac lae =
but lacking the power to have been like another,

tihijx tun tu yoxpel u kinil lae = yutzcinnah Dios = parayso = terenal ========
and finally then on the third day, God created the Earthly Paradise.

tu canppel u kinil tun = yutzcinnah Dios = cappel. luminaria =
On His fourth day then, God created the two luminaries,

heklay kin = yt.= .V =              [p.187]
which are the sun and the moon;

ca u takcunnah ti caan = kin = yt. Ve =
then He fastened in the heavens the sun and the moon.

he kin lae = luminaria = ^mayol²¹⁹ = yalabal = lay oc lae = U hach nohol ah tichkak =
As for the sun, Luminaria Mayor it is called; this entered here, the greatest fire-bearer,

yoklal lay tichkaktic = yt = sascunnic = Uay yokol cab lae =
because this sheds light and makes it bright here on this earth.

hex tun .Ve = Luminaria = menor = yalabal U DzeDzil tichkak =
However, the moon is called Luminaria Menor, the lesser fire-bearer,

yoklal lay tichkaktic = yt. sascunnic akab =
because it is this that sheds light and illuminates the night.

bayx yutzcinnah ekob = cayx u Dzaahob. tu Uaxactas caan =
Thus also He created the stars, and then He placed them in the eighth layer of heaven,

heuac he Ve. = lay tac naDzpul cokol = yanil lae =
but as for the moon, it is close by above us where we are here;

hetun kine = tu cantas caan = Dzaan = tix yanhij U uilal. U cutalie =
however, the sun has been placed in the fourth layer of heaven, and there must be its seat,

yoklal. tiyl. yam sihsabi = ti lay muyal = lembanac =
because there it was first created from this cloud that lightninged;

lay oci - tu cucutil kin loe = ena tibilix cuchi= ca ti ac = tu chumuc caane =
this entered into the form of the sun afterwards, to be right there in the middle of the sky,

Vchbal U yanhal U sasilil tiob = tulacal cuchie =
so that its light comes into being for them all back then.

heuac ma yoltah Diosi = Va ma tij yam sihi = yt. yam toppie²²⁰ = tix culhi xani =
But God did not wish it, neither first born there, nor first opened, nor seated either,

licix yalic huntul = doctor =              [p.188]
which one of the doctors says,

he kin.yt. V = ca sihsabiobe = ma yam thabij =yt. mayx yam hoppi = u pacatobij =
the sun and moon when they were created, were not first lit nor did their gazes first begin,

heuac tu canppelhi tun U kinil = sihsabac = cuchi =
but then on the fourth of His days, when they already had been created before,

ca hoppi = yt. ca lembani = U pacatoob =
then their gazes began and then they shone forth,

tijx U chaah U lembaob = yt. U sasililob = ti hunppel muyal = yam sihsabcie =
and then they took their brilliance and their light from a cloud, where it was first created,

tumen bay ta uuyceex. ti manic yn xoc same =
because as you heard, which I read already in passing,

tij tun likul sasilil = tulacal = ti ekob = yt. franetasob = ti kin loe =
it is there from which comes light, all of it, for the stars and the planets and for the sun.

tu hoppelhij tun U kinil = U sihsah Dios chichoob =
Then on the fifth one of His days, God created the birds;

ychil haa = hij tubsihi cayob xane = nuctacob = yt. chichantacobe -
within the water he submerged the fishes also, the big ones and the little ones,

hex cayob lae = U tianhobi = ychil haae = ca emoob - tu hach tamil yit haa =
so these fishes there in the water, then they descended to the deepest bottom of the water;

hetun chichobe = ca top hokiob = ti xikbil = canal = ti yk =
however, the birds quickly came forth in flight high above in the air,

cayx cicithantabiob tumen Dios.              [p.189]
and then they were blessed by God,

ca utzac U Dzaachalob. yt U yabtalob = U pimhalobe =
so that they could survive and become many, multiply;

hach yanhi U uilal. U sihilob = ychil hunppel U kinil -
really His purpose came to pass, their birth within one of His days,

yoklal yonel U batanbaob = tu xikbilob = yt. U babtic U baobe = tu xikobe =
so that each according to its kind, they fly and they swim.²²¹

tu Vacppel tun U kinil = U sihsah Dios = balcheob = tij lume =
Then on the sixth one of His days, God created the beasts there on the earth,

yt. U chayan babalob = tulacale =
and the rest of His things, all of them.

ti bay U nahmayle = tu pachi.tun = tu Dzochix = xulci u meyahe =
When He was satisfied, finally at the end when He had finished His work,

ca yoltah U mente = yt. yutzcinte. Uinic =
then He wished to make and to create man,

bala ylex to = hunkul ma yoltah Dios = ah tepal = U xules = U meyah =
so you see then, God the ruler never wished to end His work,

heuac ti u Dzoc V meyah = tuba tuhunale =
but at the completion of His work (to be) by Himself alone,

bacix Dzocannac. U sihsic U bal Caane = yt. U bal Luume =
even when He had finished creating the contents of heaven and the contents of the earth,

yt. tulacal babal = U sihsah cuchie = heuac ma ti heli yoli =
and all the things He created before, still He did not wish to rest . . . .²²²

[p. 190-193 are missing]

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