Sacred-Texts  Native American  Aztec  Illustrations  Index  Previous  Next 

XVIII. Hymn to the Master of Waters.

XVIII. Atlaua Icuic.

English

ATLAUA, SINGING AND DANCING HYMN

1. Auia nichalmecatl, nichalmecatl, neçaualcautla, neçaualcautla, olya quatonalla olya.

2. Ueya, ueya, macxoyauh quilazteutl y tlapani macxoyauh.

3. Nimitz acatecunotzaya, chimalticpac 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.

Gloss.

1. Q. n., ynichalmecatl, yn ineçaualac oqixicauhteuac y nioholti, y nioya, ixquatechimal iquatunal.

2. Q. n., ma xiyauh ti quilazteutl, momactemi in macxoyauh.

3. Q. n., iniquac onimitznotz, mochimalticpac timiçoya.

4. Q. n., atle nomiuh yc notimaloa, ca uel itoloc in acatl nomiuh, yn acatl xeliui yc ninotimaloa.

5. Q. n., oncan euac in tetuman nitlacochtetumetl. Auh inaxcan ye quetzaltotol inic ni tlazcaltia.

{p. 64}

6, Q. n., tiacauh in oteuh in atlaua, auh inaxcan yuhqui quetzaltotol in nitlazcaltia.

The Hymn of Atlaua.

1. I Chalmecatl, I Chalmecatl, I leave behind my sandles, I leave my sandles and my helmet.

2. Go ye forth and follow the goddess Quilaztli, follow her

3. I shall call upon thee to arise when among the shields, I shall call upon thee to arise.

4. I boast of my arrows, even my reed arrows, I boast of my arrows, not to be broken.

5. Arrayed in priestly garb, take the arrow in thy band, for even now I shall arise and come forth like the quetzal bird.

6. Mighty is my god Atlaua; truly I shall arise and come forth like the quetzal bird.

Notes.

Atlaua, mentioned by Olmos, who translates the word "Master of waters," is a divinity of whom little is known. The derivation from atlatl, arrow, would seem more appropriate to the words of this hymn. Chalmecatl, used as a synonym in v. 1, appears to be from chalania, to beat, to strike, as a drum.

On Quilaztli see notes to Hymn XIII.


Next: XIX. Hymn to the God of Flowers.