Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Notes |
CHAPTER XXI: OF THE TEMPLES AND MOSQUES THAT IT HELD [p.69]
FOR a long time they have had in this great city many grand mosques or temples in which they housed their idols and offered sacrifice to them, but the chief mosque was a most wonderful thing to see, since it was as great as a city. It was surrounded by a high wall of masonry, and had four principal entrances, over each of which was a fortified structure, filled with all kinds of the arms which they used in their wars. The Lord of the great temple was Montezuma himself,48 and he had within the walls two thousand men, all selected for their valor, and they guarded his person and accompanied him. When there was any outbreak or rebellion in the city or the environs, they sallied forth, or at least a part of them, and if more people were necessary then the rest joined them, either in the city or its boundary. [70] Before leaving they went to the armories and armed themselves. Shortly after they offered sacrifice to the chief idol, and having been blessed departed for the war. Within the circuit of the great temple there were many habitations of different kinds, and in some a thousand persons could be lodged without annoyance. Within the enclosure more than twenty towers were located, all more or less similar to what has been described, although among the rest, there was one greater, longer, broader, and higher, because it was the lodging of the chief idol, for whom all had the greatest devotion. The deities were in the upper part of the tower [teocalli], and they looked upon them with great devotion. In the lower part were the lodgings and rooms of the priests who served in the temple, but the sacrificers were stationed elsewhere. In the mosques of other cities they sing during the night as if they were chanting matins, and they do this also at many hours of the day, divided into two choirs, one on each side, [71] and continue according to a ritual, one side intoning hymns, and the other responding49 as if they were singing vespers. Within the mosque where that is done, there are fountains and washing places for the service.50 |
