On a wave of war went swiftly floating.

Down before the flaming shields fell all the

Neighb’ring tribes; open flew the cities’ gates;

Fighting kings gave up their crowns; from the hills

The Chichimecan fled; on temple towers

The Toltec fires to scattering ashes

Died. Like a scourge upon the city, like

A fire across the plain, like storms adown

The mountain,—such was Azatlan that day

It went to battle! Like a monarch ’mid