Chapter VI (2)

Although sanguinary rites were common, they were not usual in the worship of these highest divinities, but rather as propitiations to the demons of the darkness, or the spirits of the terrible phenomena of nature. The mild god of light did not demand them.

To appreciate the effect of all this on the mind of the race, let it be remembered that these culture-heroes were also the creators, the primal and most potent of divinities, and that usually many temples and a large corps of priests were devoted to their worship, at least in the nations of higher civilization. These votaries were engaged in keeping alive the myth, in impressing the supposed commands of the deity on the people, and in imitating him in example and precept. Thus they had formed a lofty ideal of man, and were publishing this ideal to their fellows. Certainly this could not fail of working to the good of the nation, and of elevating and purifying its moral conceptions.

That it did so we have ample evidence in the authentic accounts of the ancient society as it existed before the Europeans destroyed and corrupted it, and in the collections of laws, all distinctly stamped with the seal of religion, which have been preserved, as they were in vogue in Anahuac, Utatlan, Peru and other localities.[1] Any one who peruses these will see that the great moral principles, the radical doctrines of individual virtue, were clearly recognized and deliberately enforced as divine and civil precepts in these communities. Moreover, they were generally and cheerfully obeyed, and the people of many of these lands were industrious, peaceable, moral, and happy, far more so than they have ever been since.

[Footnote 1: The reader willing to pursue the argument further can find these collections of ancient American laws in Sahagun, _Historia de Nueva España_, for Mexico; in Geronimo Roman, _Republica de las Indias Occidentales_, for Utatlan and other nations; for Peru in the _Relacion del Origen, Descendencia, Politica, y Gobierno de los Incas, por el licenciado Fernando de Santillan_ (published at Madrid. 1879); and for the Muyscas, in Piedrahita, _Hist. Gen. del Nuevo Reyno de Granada_, Lib. ii, cap. v.]

There was also a manifest progress in the definition of the idea of God, that is, of a single infinite intelligence as the source and controlling power of phenomena. We have it on record that in Peru this was the direct fruit of the myth of Viracocha. It is related that the Inca Yupangui published to his people that to him had appeared Viracocha, with admonition that he alone was lord of the world, and creator of all things; that he had made the heavens, the sun, and man; and that it was not right that these, his works, should receive equal homage with himself. Therefore, the Inca decreed that the image of Viracocha should thereafter be assigned supremacy to those of all other divinities, and that no tribute nor sacrifice should be paid to him, for He was master of all the earth, and could take from it as he chose.[1] This was evidently a direct attempt on the part of an enlightened ruler to lift his people from a lower to a higher form of religion, from idolatry to theism. The Inca even went so far as to banish all images of Viracocha from his temples, so that this, the greatest of gods, should be worshiped as an immaterial spirit only.

[Footnote 1: P. Joseph de Acosta, _Historia Natural y Moral de las Indias_, Lib. vi, cap. 31 (Barcelona, 1591).]

A parallel instance is presented in Aztec annals. Nezahualcoyotzin, an enlightened ruler of Tezcuco, about 1450, was both a philosopher and a poet, and the songs which he left, seventy in number, some of which are still preserved, breathe a spirit of emancipation from the idolatrous superstition of his day. He announced that there was one only god, who sustained and created all things, and who dwelt above the ninth heaven, out of sight of man. No image was fitting for this divinity, nor did he ever appear bodily to the eyes of men. But he listened to their prayers and received their souls.[1]

[Footnote 1: See Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl, _Historica Chichimeca_, cap. xlix; and Joseph Joaquin Granados y Galvez, _Tardes Americanas_, p. 90 (Mexico, 1778).]

These traditions have been doubted, for no other reason than because it was assumed that such thoughts were above the level of the red race. But the proper names and titles, unquestionably ancient and genuine, which I have analyzed in the preceding pages refute this supposition.

We may safely affirm that other and stronger instances of the kind could be quoted, had the early missionaries preserved more extensively the sacred chants and prayers of the natives. In the Maya tongue of Yucatan a certain number of them have escaped destruction, and although they are open to some suspicion of having been colored for proselytizing purposes, there is direct evidence from natives who were adults at the time of the Conquest that some of their priests had predicted the time should come when the worship of one only God should prevail. This was nothing more than another instance of the monotheistic idea finding its expression, and its apparition is not more extraordinary in Yucatan or Peru than in ancient Egypt or Greece.

The actual religious and moral progress of the natives was designedly ignored and belittled by the early missionaries and conquerors. Bishop Las Casas directly charges those of his day with magnifying the vices of the Indians and the cruelties of their worship; and even such a liberal thinker as Roger Williams tells us that he would not be present at their ceremonies, "Lest I should have been partaker of Satan's Inventions and Worships."[1] This same prejudice completely blinded the first visitors to the New World, and it was only the extravagant notion that Christianity had at some former time been preached here that saved us most of the little that we have on record.

[Footnote 1: Roger Williams, _A Key Into the Language of America_, p. 152.]

Yet now and then the truth breaks through even this dense veil of prejudice. For instance, I have quoted in this chapter the evidence of the Spanish chroniclers to the purity of the teaching attributed to Bochica. The effect of such doctrines could not be lost on a people who looked upon him at once as an exemplar and a deity. Nor was it. The Spaniards have left strong testimony to the pacific and virtuous character of that nation, and its freedom from the vices so prevalent in lower races.[1]

[Footnote 1: See especially the _Noticias sobre el Nuevo Reino de Granada_, in the _Colleccion de Documentos ineditos del Archivo de Indias_, vol. v, p. 529.]

Now, as I dismiss from the domain of actual fact all these legendary instructors, the question remains, whence did these secluded tribes obtain the sentiments of justice and morality which they loved to attribute to their divine founders, and, in a measure, to practice themselves?

The question is pertinent, and with its answer I may fitly close this study in American native religions.

If the theory that I have advocated is correct, these myths had to do at first with merely natural occurrences, the advent and departure of the daylight, the winds, the storm and the rains. The beneficent and injurious results of these phenomena were attributed to their personifications. Especially was the dispersal of darkness by the light regarded as the transaction of all most favorable to man. The facilities that it gave him were imputed to the goodness of the personified Spirit of Light, and by a natural association of ideas, the benevolent emotions and affections developed by improving social intercourse were also brought into relation to this kindly Being. They came to be regarded as his behests, and, in the national mind, he grew into a teacher of the friendly relations of man to man, and an ideal of those powers which "make for righteousness." Priests and chieftains favored the acceptance of these views, because they felt their intrinsic wisdom, and hence the moral evolution of the nation proceeded steadily from its mythology. That the results achieved were similar to those taught by the best religions of the eastern world should not excite any surprise, for the basic principles of ethics are the same everywhere and in all time.

THE END.

INDEXES.

I. INDEX OF AUTHORS.

Acosta, J. de Alegre, F.X. Anales del Museo Nacional de Mejico Ancona, Eligio Angrand, L. Annals of Cuauhtitlan Antonio, G. Argoll, Capt Avila, Francisco de

Bancroft, H.H. Baraga, Frederick Basalenque, D. Becerra Beltran, de Santa Rosa Berendt, C.H. Bernal Diaz Bertonio, L. Betanzos, Juan de Bobadilla, F. de Boturini, L. Bourbourg, Brasseur de, see Brasseur. Brasseur (de Bourbourg), C. Buschmann, J.C.E. Buteux, Father

Cabrera, P.F. Campanius, Thomas Campbell, John Carriedo, J.B. Carrillo, Crescencio Charency, H. de Charlevoix, Pére Chavero, Alfredo Chaves, Gabriel de Chilan Balam, Books of Clavigero, Francesco S. Codex Borgianus Codex Telleriano-Remensis Codex Troano Codex Vaticanus Cogolludo, D.L. de Comte, Auguste Cortes, Hernan Cox, Sir George W. Cuoq, J.A. Cusic, David

Desjardins, E. D'Orbigny, A. Duran, Diego

Elder, F.X.

Fischer, Heinrich Franco, P. Fuen-Leal, Ramirez de

Gabriel de San Buenaventura Garcia, G. Garcia y Garcia, A. Gatschet, A.S. Gomara, F.L. Granados y Galvez, J.J.

Hale, Horatio Haupt, Paul Hernandez, Francisco Hernandez, M. Herrera, Antonio de Holguin, D.G. Humbolt, A.V.

Ixtlilxochitl, F.A. de

Jourdanet, M.

Keary, Charles F. Kingsborough, Lord

Lalemant, Father Landa, D. de Lang, J.D. Las Casas, B. de Lazarus, Prof. Leon, Cieza de Le Plongeon, Dr. Lizana, B. Lord, J.K. Lubbock, Sir John

Macfie, M. Mangan, Clarence Markham, C.R. Melgar, J.M. Mendieta, Geronimo de Mendoza, G. Molina, Alonso de Molina, C. de Montejo, Francisco de Motolinia, Padre Motul, Diccionario de Müller, Max

Nieremberg, E. de Nobrega, E.

Ollanta, drama of Olmos, Andre de Orozco y Berra, Señor Oviedo, G.F. de

Pachacuti, J. de Pech, Nakuk Perrot, Nicholas Petitot, P.E. Piedrahita, L.T. Pimentel, F. Pinart, A.L. Pineda, E. Pio Perez, J. Popol Vuh, the Porto Seguro, V. de Prescott, W.H.

Rau, Charles Rea, A. de la Rialle, G. de Roman, H. Roskoff, Gustav Ruiz, A.

Sagard Pére Sahagun, B. de Sanchez, Jesus Santillan, F. de Schoolcraft, H. R. Schultz-Sellack, Dr. C. Schwartz, F.L.W. Short, J.T. Simeon, Remi Simon, P. Sotomayor, J. de V. Squier, B. G. Stephens, J.L. Strachey, William

Tanner, John Taylor, S. Techo, N. de Ternaux-Compans, M Tezozomoc, A. Tiele, C.P. Tobar, Juan de Toledo, F. de Torquemada, Juan de Trumbull, J.H. Tschudi, J.J. von

Uricoechea, E.

Valera, Blas Vega, Garcillaso, de la Vega, Nuñez de la Veitia

Waitz, Th. Wiener, C. Williams, Roger

Xahila, F.E.A.

Zegarra, G.P.

II. INDEX OF SUBJECTS.

Abancay, in Peru Abstract expressions Acan, Maya god of wine Acantun, Maya deities Ages of the world Ah-kiuic, deity of the Mayas Ah-puchah, deity of the Mayas Air, gods of; see Wind Algonkins, their location " their hero-myth Amun, Egyptian deity Anahuac Animiki, the thunder god Arawack language Ares, the Greek Arnava, name of Viracocha Apotampo Arama, deity of the Moxos Arrival, the Great and Less Ataensic, an Iroquois deity Atahualpa Inca Atecpanamochco, the bath of Quetzalcoatl Athabascan myths and languages Aticsi, epithet of Viracocha Aurora, myths of; see Dawn Ayar, Ancca Ayar Cachi, a name of Viracocha Ayar Manco Ayar Uchu Aymaras, myths of " language of Aztecs, location of Aztecs in Yucatan Aztlan, meaning of

Bacabs, the four Baldur, the Norse Ball, the game of Bearded hero-god Belly, the, in symbolism Bird, symbol of Bisexual deities Bochica, hero-god of the Muyscas Borrowing in myths Butterfly, the, as a symbol of the wind

Cadmus, the myth of Cakchiquels, myths of Camaxtli, a name of Tezcatlipoca Canas tribe Canil, a name of Itzamna Cannook, deity of Dènè Carapaco, lake of Carcha, town of Cardinal points, worship of Caylla, epithet of Viracocha Ce Acatl, One Reed, a name of Quetzalcoatl Ce Acatl Inacuil Cemi, deity of Arawacks Chac, deity of the Mayas Chacamarca, river of Chac Mool, supposed idol Chalchihuitl Chalchiuitlicue, Aztec goddess Chalchihuitzli, Aztec deity Chalchiuhapan, the bath of Quetzalcoatl Chasca, Qquichua deity Chem, Egyptian deity Chibchas, see Muyscas Chibilias, a Maya goddess Chichen Itza Chichimees, the Chickaban, a festival Chicomecoatl, an Aztec deity Chicomoztoc Chimalman Chimalmatl Chimizapagua, name of Bochica Chivim, land of Chnum, Egyptian deity Choctaws, myth of Cholula Christianity, effects of Cincalco, Cave of Cipactli, in Aztec myth Cipactonal, in Aztec myth Citlatonac, an Aztec deity Citlallicue, an Aztec deity Citlaltlachtli Coatl, in Nahuatl Coatecalli, the Aztec Pantheon Coatlicue, Aztec goddess Cocoms, the Colhuacan Colla, a Peruvian deity Colors, symbolism of Con, Peruvian deity Concacha Conchuy Condorcoto, the mountain Condoy, hero-god of Mixes Coto, village Coyote, sacred to Tezcatlipoca Cozcapan, fountain of Cozumel, cross of Cross, the, symbol of Cuchaviva, goddess of Muyscas Cueravaperi, goddess of Tarascos Cuernava, cave of Cum-ahau, a Maya deity Curicaberis, deity of Tarascos Cuzco, founding of " temple of

Darkness, powers of Dawn, the mansion of the " myths of Dènè, myths of Drum, the sacred Dyaus, the Aryan god Dyonisiac worship, the

East, sacredness of Echuac, a Maya deity Egyptian mythology Europe, carried off by Zeus

Fafnir, the dragon Fatal children, the myth of Fire, origin of Five eggs, the Flint stone, myths of Flood myth, the Four brothers, the myths of " sacred numbers " roads to the underworld Freya, Norse goddess Frog, as symbol of water

Genesiac principle, worship of Gijigonai, the day makers Glittering heath, the Golden locks of the hero-god Great Bear, constellation of Guanacaure, mountain of Guaranis tribe Guaymis, tribe of Darien Guazacoalco Gucumatz, god of Kiches

Hachaccuna Hanmachis, the sun-god Heart, symbol of Henotheism in religions Hermaphrodite deities Hermes, Greek myth of Hill of Heaven, the Hobnel, deity of the Mayas Homonomy Huanacauri Huastecs, the Huarachiri Indians, myth of Huayna Capac, Inca Huehuetlan, town of Huemac, a name of Quetzalcoatl Hueytecpatl, an Aztec deity Hue Tlapallan Hueytonantzin, an Aztec deity Huitzilopochtli, Aztec deity birth of Huitznahna, Aztec deity Hunchbacks, attendant on Quetzalcoatl Hunhunahpu, a Kiche deity Hunpictok, a Maya deity Hurons, myth of Hurukan, god of Kiches

Idea of God, evolution of Illa, name of Viracocha Incas, empire of Indra Ioskeha, the myth of " derivation of Iroquois, their location " hero myth of Itzamal, city of Itzamna, the Maya hero god " his names Itzas, a Maya tribe Itztlacoliuhqui, Aztec deity Ix-chebel-yax, Maya goddess Ixchel, the rainbow goddess Ixcuin, an Aztec deity Izona, error for Itzamna Iztac Mixcoatl

Jupiter, the planet

Kabironokka, the North Kabil, a name of Itzamna Kabun, the West Kiches, myths of Kinich ahau, a name of Itzamna Kinich ahau haban Kinich kakmo, a name of Itzamna Kukulcan, myth of " meaning of name

Languages, sacred, of priests " American Laws, native American Lif, the Teutonic Light, its place in mythology Light-god, the " color of Light, woman of Lucifer, worshiped by Mayas

Maize, origin of Manco Capac Mani, province of Marriage ceremonies Master of life, the Mat, the virgin goddess Ma Tlapallan Mayapan, destruction of " foundation of Mayas, myths of " language " ancestors of " prophecies of Meconetzin, a name of Quetzalcoatl Meztitlan, province of Michabo, myth of " derivation of Michoacan Mictlancalco Mirror, the magic Mirrors, of Aztecs Mixcoatl, a name of Tezcatlipoca Mixes, tribe Monenequi, a name of Tezcatlipoca Monotheism in Peru Moon, in Algonkin myths " in Aztec myths Moquequeloa, a name of Tezcatlipoca Morals and religion Morning, house of the Moxos, myths of Moyocoyatzin, a name of Tezcatlipoca Muskrat, in Algonkin mythology Muyscas, myths of " laws of

Nahuatl, the language Nanacatltzatzi, an Aztec deity Nanih Wayeh Nanihehecatle, name of Quetzalcoatl Narcissus, the myth of Nemterequeteba, name of Bochica Nezahualcoyotzin, Aztec ruler Nezaualpilli, a name of Tezcatlipoca Nicaraguans, myths of Nonoalco Nuns, houses of

Oaxaca, province of Occhuc, town Ocelotl, the Odin, the Norse Ojibway dialect, the " myth

Ometochtli, an Aztec deity Orelbale, Athabascan, deity Osiris, the myth of Otomies Otosis, in myth building Ottawas, an Algonkin tribe Owl, as a symbol of the wind Oxomuco, in Aztec myth

Pacarina, the, in Peru Pacari tampu Pachacamac Pachayachachi, epithet of Viracocha Palenque, the cross of " building of Pantecatl, Aztec deity Panuco, province of Papachtic, a name of Quetzalcoatl Pariacaca, a Peruvian deity Paronyms Parturition, symbol of Paths of the gods Pay zume, a hero-god Perseus Personification Peten, lake Phallic emblems Phoebus Pinahua, a Peruvian deity Pirhua Pirua Pochotl son of Quetzalcoatl Polyonomy in myth building Prayers, purpose of " to Quetzalcoatl " to Viraoocha Proper names in American languages Prophecies of Mayas Prosopopeia Pulque, myths concerning

QABAUIL, god of Kiches
Qquichua language
Qquonn, Peruvian deity
Quateczizque, priests so-called
Quauhtitlan
Quetzalcoatl
identified with the East
meaning of the name
as god
contest with Tezcatlipoca
the hero of Tula
worshiped in Cholula
born of a virgin
his bath
as the planet Venus
as lord of the winds
god of thieves
representations
Quetzalpetlatl

Ra, the Sun-god Rabbit, the giant " in Algonkin myths " in Aztec myths Rainbow, as a deity Rains, gods of Red Land, the, see Tlapallan Religions, classifications of " the essence of " and morals Repose, the place of Reproduction, myths concerning Resurrection, belief in Romulus and Remus

Sand, place of Sarama and Sarameyas, a Sanscrit myth Serpent symbol, the Serpents, the king of Seven brothers, the " caves or tribes, the Shawano, the south Shu, Egyptian deity Skunk, sacred to Tezcatlipoca Snailshell symbol Sogamoso, town Soma, the intoxicating Sons of the clouds Sterility, relief from Sua, name of Bochica Sun worship in Peru " in America Sun, the city of Suns, the Aztec Surites, deity of Tarascos

Tahuantin Suyu kapac Tampuquiru Tamu, a hero-god Tapirs Tarascos Taripaca, epithet of Viracocha Tawiscara, in Iroquois myth Tecpancaltzin, a Toltec king Tecpatl, an Aztec deity Tehotennhiaron, Iroquois deity Tehunatepec tribes Teimatini, a name of Tezcatlipoca Telephassa, mother of Cadmus Telpochtli, a name of Tezctlipoca Tentetemic, an Aztec deity Teocolhuacan Teometl, the Texcalapan Texcaltlauhco Teyocoyani, a name of Tezcatlipoca Tezcatlachco Tezcatlipoca, Aztec deity his names derivation of name as twins contests with Quetzalcoatl slays Ometochli dressed in the tiger skin Tezcatlipoca-Camaxtli Tezcuco Tharonhiawakon, in Iroquois Thomas, Saint, in America Thunder, myth of Tiahuanaco, myth concerning Ticci, name of Viracocha Tiger, as a symbol Titicaca lake Titlacauan, a name of Tezcatlipoca Tizapan, the White Land Tlacauepan Tlaloc, Aztec deity Tlalocan Tlamatzincatl, a name of Tezcatlipoca Tlanqua-cemilhuique, a name of the Toltecs Tlapallan Tlatlallan, the fire land Tlillan, the dark land Thllapa, the murky land Thlpotonqui, a name of Quetzalcoatl Tocapo, epithet of Viracocha Toh, a Kiche deity Tokay, epithet of Viracocha Tollan, see Tula Tollan-Cholollan Tollan Tlapallan Tollantzinco Toltecs, the Tonalan Tonatlan Tonaca cihuatl, an Aztec deity Tonaca tecutli, Aztec deity Topiltzin, a name of Quetzalcoatl Toltec, an Aztec deity Totems, origin of Toveyo, the Tree of life, the Tree of the Mirror Tualati, myth of Tukupay, epithet of Viracocha Tula, the mythical city of Tum, Egyptian deity Tume, a hero-god Tunapa, name of Viracocha Tupac Yupanqui, Inca Tupi-Guaranay tribes Twins, in mythology Two brothers, myths of Tzatzitepec, the hill of shouting Tzendals, hero-myth of Tzinteotl, Aztec deity Ttzitzimime, Aztec deities

Uac metun ahau, a name of Itzamna Ualum chivim Ualum uotan Urcos, temple of Usapu, epithet of Viracocha Utatlan, province of

Vase, lord of the Venus, the planet, in myths Viracocha, myth of " meaning of " statues of " worship of Virgin cow, the, in Egypt Virgin-mother, myth of Virgins of the sun, in Peru Votan, hero-god of Tzendals

Wabawang, the morning star Wabun, or the East Water, in mythology " gods of West, in mythology West wind, the Wheel of the months " of the winds White hero-god, the " land " serpent Winds, gods of World-stream, the

Xalac Xbalanque, hero-god of Kiches Xicapoyan, the bath of Quetzalcoatl Xilotzin, son of Quetzalcoatl Xiu, Maya family of Xmukane, in Kiche myth Xochitl, the maiden Xochitlycacan, the rose garden Xochiquetzal, an Aztec deity

Yacacoliuhqui, Aztec deity Yacatecutli, Aztec deity Yahualli ehecatl, a name of Quetzalcoatl Yalahau, deity of Tzendals Yale, deity of the Dènè Yamquesupa, lake of Yaotlnecoc, a name of Tezcatlipoca Yaotzin, a name of Tezcatlipoca Yaqui, derivation of Yax-coc-ahmut, a name of Itzamna Yêl, deity of Dènè Ymamana Viracocha Yoalli ehecatl, a name of Tezcatlipoca Yoamaxtli, a name of Tezcatlipoca Yoel of the winds Yolcuat Quetzalcoat Yucatan Yunca language Yupanqui, Inca

Zacuan Zapala, epithet of Viracocha Zapotecs, tribe Zeus, the Greek Zipacna, a Kiche diety Zitacuarencuaro, a festival Zivena vitzcatl Zoques, tribe Zuhe, name of Bochica Zume, a hero-god Zuyva, Tollan in

End of Project Gutenberg's American Hero-Myths, by Daniel G. Brinton