1. Alas! alas! alas! alas! alas! alas!
  2. In the home of our ancestors this creature was a fearful thing.
  3. In the temple of Tezcatzoncatl he aids those who cry to him, he gives them to drink; the god gives to drink to those who cry to him.
  4. In the temple by the water-reeds the god aids those who call upon him, he gives them to drink; the god aids those who cry unto him.

[Notes.]

[Tezcatzoncatl was one of the chief gods of the native inebriating liquor, the pulque.] Its effects were recognized as most disastrous, as is seen from his other names, [Tequechmecaniani], “he who hangs people,” and [Teatlahuiani], “he who drowns people.” Sahagun remarks, “They always regarded the pulque as a bad and dangerous article.” The word Totochtin, plural of [tochtli], rabbit, was applied to drunkards, and also to some of the deities of special forms of drunkenness.

The first verse is merely a series of lamentations. The second speaks of the sad effects of the pulque in ancient times. (On [Colhuacan] see [Notes to Hymn XIII].)

Atlaua, Singing and Dancing. Hymn XVIII.

[XVIII. Atlaua Icuic.]

  1. [Auia nichalmecatl, nichalmecatl, neçaualcautla, neçaualcautla, olya quatonalla olya.]
  2. [Ueya, ueya, macxoyauh quilazteutl y tlapani macxoyauh.]
  3. [Nimitz acatecunotzaya, chimalticpao moneçoya nimitzacatecunotzaya.]
  4. [Ayac nomiuh timalla aytolloca nacatl nomiuh aca xeliui timalla.]
  5. [Tetoma amo yolcana tlamacazquinte tometl, açan axcan ye quetzaltototl, nic ya izcaltiquetla.]
  6. [Y yopuchi noteuh atlauaquetl, aça naxcan ye quetzaltototl, nic ya izcaltiquetla.]

1. Neçaualcactla. 2. Itlamani. 4. Aitollaca acatl. Timalli. 5. Tetonac amo yolcana tlamacaz quin tetometl.