A Prince of Anahuac: A Histori-traditional Story Antedating the Aztec Empire
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INTRODUCTION.
The great valley of Anahuac--the valley of Mexico--if not now, was oncea grand and beautiful spot, such as is rarely found upon the face ofour terraqueous globe. When nearest its natural state, in the time whenits inhabitants directed their efforts to beautifying and not tomarring it, it might well have been denominated an Eden. We refer tothat period in its transition which covered a century or two prior tothe fall of Montezuma.
The majority of the people of Anahuac were not, strictly speaking,Aztecs, but became so by centralization: the Montezumas and theirimmediate predecessors becoming, by the trend of events, masters of thesituation.
The great Aztec empire had scarcely a half century of existence, andwas preceded by a condition of things in which tribal distinctionprevailed, the Aztec being only one of many tribes, and not greatlysuperior, if superior at all, to some of its neighbors. In fact, theAztecs, prior to the overthrow of the Tepanec empire, unquestionablyoccupied a position of inferiority. From this time on, however, theirpower and influence may be said to have rapidly increased, until theirsupremacy was assured in the formation of an empire with their rulingprince at its head.
That the reader, who is not informed with respect to the Anahuacans andthe conditions which prevailed among them, may be better prepared foran intelligent perusal of our story, the following brief account ofthem is presented.
They were a remarkable people, in many respects; and, when the lack ofopportunities which hindered, and the peculiar conditions whichinfluenced them, are taken into account, were wonderfully intelligentand well advanced in civilization. Although of the Indian race, theyhad nothing in common with their red brethren of the north in theirhabits and manners.
Their religion was based on an incongruous and exaggerated mythology,which, through the influence of superstition and the machinations of aperniciously insinuating priesthood, resulted in idol worship and theterribly vitiating practice of human sacrifice. They believed in asupreme being, whom they supplicated, but in an indirect way. They wereunable to conceive of a personal unity so comprehensive in attributesof perfection as is the Great Creator and Savior of man, and,therefore, supplicated through inferior ministers--presiding deities,represented in great images set up in their teocallis--temples.
They had a system of education, which embraced a traditional history,astronomy, mechanics, arithmetic, and a means of communicating ideas bywritten signs, designated hieroglyphical painting, which was impartedto the youth through the medium of a public school, under themanagement of the priesthood.
Their domestic habits, and the rules regulating intercourse between thesexes, were most advantageous for the women. They, unlike their redsisters of the north, and, we might add, some of the whiter ones ofEurope, were required to do no labor that was counted the man's, butwere left strictly to the performance of their domestic duties. Theywere treated with the greatest consideration, especially by theirhusbands; and, when sought after in marriage, were courted in a mannertruly chivalrous.
Of their young women we quote from a well-known and authentic writer:"The Aztec maiden was treated by her parents with a tenderness fromwhich all reserve was banished.... They conjured her to preservesimplicity in her manners and conversation, uniform neatness in herattire, with strict attention to personal cleanliness. They inculcatedmodesty as the great ornament of a woman, and implicit reverence forher husband a duty."
When circumstances would allow of it the women beguiled the time in thelighter work of adornment; or, not infrequently, passed it in quietindolence. It is said of them that they were quite pretty, not at alllike what may be seen to-day in their miserable descendants. Their longand profuse black hair was usually confined by a web of some kind, oradorned with wreaths of flowers, or strings of glittering beads, formedfrom the precious metals and the richer gems of stone and pearl. Ascarf was sometimes worn upon the head, the fashion or design of whichwe will not attempt to describe. There is scarcely anything said bywriters of their dress. We may infer, however, that it was worn with aview to convenience, neatness, and show. The prevailing skirt, we daresay, was of a length which did not hamper the movement, but was,nevertheless, a work of art, as were the jackets and leggings whichwere worn by the higher classes, in which elaboration and richness ofdecoration were often indulged to a degree approaching gorgeousness.
The sexes shared alike in occasions of festivity. They indulged inbanqueting and other social gatherings, which were conducted withelegance and a remarkable degree of refinement. We quote briefly onthis point: "The halls were scented with perfumes and the courtsstrewed with odoriferous flowers, which were distributed in profusionamong the guests as they arrived. Cotton napkins and ewers of waterwere placed before them as they took their seats at the board; forthe venerable ceremony of ablution before and after eating waspunctiliously observed." Here is evidence of an elevated socialcondition, and certainly would indicate the obtaining of a high regardfor forms in which love of the beautiful is shown and a commendabledecency inculcated.
They smoked tobacco and indulged in intoxicants--marks of civilization,but to become drunken was a disgrace, which was punishable in theyoung.
The governments were in some instances republican in the manner ofoperating them, though subject to the rule of a prince whose positionand rights were inherited, and who was surrounded by a class of personsdignified as nobles. However, the disposition of the king had much todo with restricting or extending the privileges of his subjects, whichoccasionally resulted in despotism, as in the case of the Tepanecs.
The people were encouraged to become producers, especially in thematter of agriculture. This branch of industry was closely studied,and, considering the disadvantages labored under by the farmer in theabsence of draft animals, was very successfully conducted. Theyappeared to understand the management of the ground, the dryness ofwhich was relieved by irrigation.
The principal products of the farm were maize, cacao (chocolate), and avariety of garden vegetables--the food supply--while cotton and magueyfurnished the material from which various kinds of cloth and paper wereproduced, and we are told the land teemed with an abundance thereof.
Slavery existed in various phases, the conditions being fixed accordingto the circumstances governing the case. Much of the labor was, ofcourse, done by this class of persons.
The forests were carefully preserved and heavy penalties imposed toprevent their destruction.
The men were not permitted to pass their time in idleness, but werefurnished employment by the government in the promotion of publicimprovements, such as the building of great aqueducts and highways, andexpansive public edifices, palaces and temples, an example of publiceconomy worthy of imitation by the more enlightened people of theworld.
Polygamy was practiced according to the means and inclination of theindividual. It was mostly confined to the nobility, however.
With all their severity the laws protected a man completely in hispersonal rights, not only as a proprietor and master, but as a slave.
The marriage relation was regarded with the greatest reverence andadhered to with fidelity.
The sovereign was especially protected in his marital affairs, deathbeing visited upon the man who in the least degree usurped his place inthe affections of a wife or one chosen to be a wife, and the womanconcerned, we infer, was not held guiltless, but on the other hand wascounted _particeps criminis_.
With these few references and the information with which the narrativeabounds, the reader, we feel, will be enabled to proceed intelligentlyand with satisfaction in its perusal.
A PRINCE OF ANAHUAC.