2. oppan piltihua. Compare this expression with that in v. 22, p. 44.
3. xochimicohuayan, should perhaps be translated, "where the captives to be immolated to the Gods are taken." The xochimique, "those destined to a flowery death" were the captives who were reserved for sacrifice to the gods. See Joan Bautista, Sermonario en Lengua Mexicana, p. 180.
4. yaoxochimiquiztica, "pertaining to the slaughter of the flowery war." This adjective refers to the peculiar institution of the "flowery war," guerra florida, which obtained among the ancient Mexicans. It appears to have been a contest without provocation, and merely for the display of prowess and to take captives to supply the demand for human sacrifices in the religious rites. On this see Tezozomoc, Cronica Mexicana, cap. 96.
NOTES FOR SONG XVII.
In this long fragment—the closing strophes are missing in my MS.—the bard represents himself as a stranger appearing before the nobles of Huexotzinco at some festival. The first two verses appear to be addressed to him by the nobles. They ask him to bring forth his drum and sing. He begins with a laudation of the power of music, proceeds to praise the noble company present, and touches those regretful chords, so common in the Nahuatl poetry, which hint at the ephemeral nature of all joy and the certainty of death and oblivion. An appeal is made to the Master of Life who inspires the soul of the poet, and whose praises should be ever in mind.
The words Dios and angelotin, in verse 26th, indicate that the poem has received some "recension" by the Spanish copyist; but the general tone impresses me as quite aboriginal in character.
2. quauhtlocelotl, see note to I, 5.
3. In this verse, as frequently elsewhere, the syllable ya is introduced merely to complete the metre. Ordinarily it is the sign of the imperfect tense, and has other meanings (see the Vocabulary), but in many instances does not admit of translation.
8. noncoati, for ni-on-coatl, I am a guest.