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 Ancient Nahuatl Poetry
ANOTHER PLAIN SONG, TO THE SAME TUNE
Translated by Daniel G. Brinton; language: english and nahuatl
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III. OCCE AL MISMO TONO TLAMELAUHCAYOTL. |
III. ANOTHER PLAIN SONG, TO THE SAME TUNE. |
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1. Xochicalco nihualcalaquia in nicuicani, oncan icac in
chalchiuhuehuetl, oncan chialon ipalnemohuani in teteuctin xochitl
tzetzeliuhtimani, tolquatectitla, xoyacaltitlan, onahuiaxtimani in
xochicopal tlenamactli huel teyolquima, cahuia ca ihuintia in toyollo
ixpan in tloque in nahuaque.
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1. I, the singer, entered into the house strewn with flowers, where
stood upright the emerald drum, where awaiting the Giver of Life the
nobles strewed flowers around, the place where the head is bowed for
lustration, the house of corrupt odors, where the burning fragrant
incense spreads and penetrates, intoxicating our souls in the
presence of the Cause of All.
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2. Ic motomб tocuic xochiahuia ca ihuinti in toyollo? Aoc ticmati
inic nepapan xochicuicatl ic ticcecemeltia in tloque nahuaque quen
ahtontlaelehuian; tinocniuh ma nohuehuetitlan ximoquetzaya nepapan
xochitl ic ximopanaya chalchiuh ocoxochitl mocpac xicmanaya
xicehuayan yectli yancuicatl ic melelquixtia in tloque in nahuaque.
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2. Where shall we obtain the fragrance which intoxicates our souls?
We do not yet know the various flower-songs with which we may rejoice
the Cause of All, however desirous we are; thou my friend, would that
thou bring to my instrument various flowers, that thou shouldst
clothe it in brilliant oco flowers, that thou shouldst offer them,
and lift thy voice in a new and worthy song to rejoice the Cause of
All.
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3. Tleymach tiquilnamiquia can mach in nemian moyollo ic timoyol
cecenmanaya ahuicpa tichuica timoyol popoloaya in tlalticpac? Ca mach
titlatiuh xihualmocuepaya xiccaquin yectli yancuicatl ximoyolciahuaya
xochiaticaya onahuiaxtimani oncan nicehuaya in yectli yancuicatl
nicuicani ic nicellelquixtia in tloque in nahuaque.
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3. Wherefore should we recall while the soul is in life that our
souls must be scattered hither and thither, and that wherever we go
we are to be destroyed on earth? Rather let us hide it, turn from it,
and listen to some worthy new song; delight thy soul with the
pervading fragrance of flowers, as I the singer lift my voice in a
new song that I may rejoice the Cause of All.
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4. Xihuallachian tinocniuh in oncan icayan xochihuehuetl tonameyo
ontotonauhtimani quetzal ecacehuazticaya on xopaleuhtimani in oncan
ic chialo ic malhuilo inipetl in icpal in tloque in nahuaque; xic
cahuaya in mixtecomatla xihualmocuepaya tohuan, xic ehua in
yancuicatl nicuicani ic niquellelquixtia in tloque in tlaneciz inic
moyollo caltitlan.
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4. Come hither, thou my friend, to where stands the drum, decked with
flowers, gleaming with brightness, green with the outspread plumes of
the quetzal bird, where are looked for and cared for the seats near
the Cause of All; leave the place of night and clouds, turn hither
with us, lift thy voice in the new song I sing so that I may rejoice
the Cause of All, as the dawn approaches in the house of thy heart.
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5. Tleзannen in nicyocoya in nitlaocolcuica inic niquimilnamiqui in
tepilhuan, in tlazomaquiztin, in tlazoteoxiuhme, in quetzaltotome, in
moteyotico, in motleyotico in tlalticpac? in ocnoma caquizti inin
tenyo, inin cahuanca, campa neltiazque? Ca zan titlacatico ca ompa
huel tochan in canin ximoayan inocapa in yolihuayan aic tlamian.
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5. Of what use is it that I frame my sad songs, that I recall to mind
the youths, the beloved children, the precious relatives, the dear
friends, famous and celebrated as they were on earth? Who now hears
their fame, their deeds? Where can they find them? All of us are but
mortal, and our home is there in the Hereafter, where there is life
without end.
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NOTES FOR SONG III.
The poet recalls a recent attendance on the obsequies of an
acquaintance, and seeks to divert his mind from the gloomy
contemplation of death and the ephemeral character of mortal joys by
urging his friend to join in the pleasure of the hour, and by
suggesting the probability of an after life.
1. xochicalco; compounded of xochitl, flower; calli, house; and
the postposition, co. The term was applied to any room decorated
with flowers; here, to the mortuary chamber, which Tezozomoc tells us
was decked with roses and brilliant feathers.
ipalnemohuani, literally "the one by whom life exists." The
composition is i, possessive pronoun, third person, singular;
pal, postposition, by; nemoani, singular of the present in ni
of the impersonal form of the verb nemi, to live, with the meaning
to do habitually that which the verb expresses. It is an ancient
epithet applied to the highest divinity, and is found in the Codex
Telleriano-Remensis, Kingsborough's Mexico, Vol. VI, p. 128, note.
tolquatectitlan, from toloa, to lower, to bow; quatequia, to
immerse the head; tlan, place ending. In the ancient funeral
ceremonies the faces of the assistants were laved with holy water. On
this rite see the note of Orozco y Berra to his edition of the
Cronica Mexicana of Tezozomoc, p. 435 (Mexico, 1878).
xoyacaltitlan; from xoyaui, to spoil, to decay, whence
xoyauhqui, rank, unpleasant, like the odor of decaying substances.
xochicopal tlenamactli, "the incense of sweet copal," which was
burned in the funeral chamber (see Tezozomoc's description of the
obsequies of Axayaca, Cron. Mex., cap. 55).
2. The translation of this verse offers some special difficulties.
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RUS ver.