Month: September 2016

“They are still in that blessed state of desiring nothing beyond what is ordained by their natural necessities: for them anything further is merely superfluous” (pg 87)

This is an important sentence for understanding the text because it says a lot of how there is no law or rule surrounding the coast of Brazil and its people. From here we can tell that it is survival of the fittest for every man for himself. Furthermore in the sentence before this one it was said that the people were “not striving to conquer new lands” and this was because of how grateful they were for the land which they were fed off. In other regards they did have some sort of authority figures such as priests and prophets but they rarely appeared because of them living in the mountains. As for when they did appear the people held festivals and meetings consisting of several villages.

As stated in the article , it is said that the “leaders” commend that all should be high-minded and dutiful but that isn’t how they were all raised. They only follow to be “resoluteness in battle and love for their wives” which is why they are savages when it comes to battle. For many reasons reputation was big for the men and therefore they had many wives of which supported them to be the best. Leading into battle, it is said how if they were to lose, they would not be robbed of any kind because of how limited they were to any other resources than nature. As an example of how they treated captives were to make them feel comfort but the end result was always the same: torture and death. I agree with the fact that they are savages and were very stuck in the past for when first coming upon the Europeans they viewed them so strangely and united but that was really the only way how they were later on conquered by them not realizing the importance of unity.

 

 

 

 

 

“While he was dining, the guards in the adjoining rooms did not dare to speak or make a noise above a whisper. His servants brought hime some of every kind of fruit that grew in the country, but he ate very little of it.”  (pg. 226)

When people say, “a meal fit for a king”, they mean it. Cortez and his crew experienced unbelievable luxuries that they would never have expected from King Montezuma. Montezuma was practically G-d in his people’s eyes. Out of reverence, no one makes physical contact with the king. As one can imagine, dishes upon dishes would be lined up. Only the finest foods and deserts were brought to the table. Everything and anything from the country is offered. Montezuma although eats very little, offers to his guards and advisors. Cortez quickly understands one thing. Montezuma has luxuries even European royalty doesn’t have. He needed to take advantage of the country. The motto for many explorers, “God, gold, and glory” really meant something. For Cortez, the motive was gold and to get lots of it. Montezuma surprisingly didn’t kill his “guests” but rather gifted them with gold, exotic and nourishing foods, and other special treatment. Over the meal, Cortez decided that Mexico was literally a gold mine and needed a plan to persuade the king. He wanted churches, new goods, and of course, gold. Cortez’s never-ending narration of Montezuma’s riches such as his meals are for other explorers, conquerers, and kings to see. Cortez sees potential and cant wait to grab his opportunity for the gold and glory.

“Senor Montezuma, l do not understand how such a great Prince and wise man as you are has not come to the conclusion, in your mind, that these idols of yours are not gods, but evil things that are called devils, and so that you may know it and all your priests may see it clearly, do me the favour to approve of my placing a cross here on the top of this lower, and that in one part of these oratories where your Huichilobos and Tezcatepuca stand we may divide off a space where we can set up an image of Our lady and you will see by the fear in which these Idols hold it that they are deceiving you.” (222)

Based on this quote, we can tell how shocked and angry Cortés was when he found out that Montezuma and his people do not believe in God. Montezuma responded by saying: “Señor Malinche, if I had known that you would have said such defamatory things I would not have shown you my gods, we consider them to be very good, for they give us health and rains and good seed times and seasons and as many victories as we desire, and we are obliged to worship them and make sacrifices, and I pray you not to say another word to their dishonor.” Cortes angered Montezuma with what he said, and Montezuma did not have great words for him either. Montezuma was considered as the god of the Aztecs. He was a very powerful man, one who was very well respected. Bernal Diaz said of Montezuma: “I noticed another thing, that when other great chiefs came from distant lands about disputes or business, when they reached the apartments of the Great Montezuma, they had to come barefoot and with poor mantles, and they might not enter directly into the Palace, but had to loiter about a little on one side of the Palace door, for to enter hurriedly was considered to be disrespectful.” This quote shows us just how respected he was and how even the smallest things can be considered disrespectful. Why would Montezuma believe in Christianity when he had all the power to himself. This is very similar to the situation in which Christopher Columbus had when he explored the Native American land. One of Columbus’ goals was to convert the Native Americans to Christianity, which is exactly what Cortes is trying to do with the Aztec people.

 

“It would be a good thing, I think, Father, if we were to sound Montezuma as to whether he would let us build a church here.” (Page 235)

This sentence is spoken by Cortez to Father Bartolome so he can allude to the idea of expanding the Christian religion into Mexico during their expedition, but Father Bartolome replies by saying that Montezuma would not let that happen. This sentence that doesn’t seem to have much meaning and importance behind it actually is yet another way that Cortez plans to take over Mexico eventually. The whole story displays a power struggle between Montezuma and Cortez, as Cortez slowly tries to change the culture, religion, and traditions of the region he had come to conquer. The power struggle is shown later that Montezuma and Cortez exchange remarks after Montezuma shows Cortez his Idols and Gods. Prior to this exchange between Cortez and Father Bartolome, it is shown that Cortez tries to narrow his way to his goal as he tells Montezuma that he should stop human sacrifices. Montezuma actually then requests that he no longer be served human flesh. This truly shows that there was respect for Cortez when he was in Mexico. This raises the question as to if wether Montezuma was in fear of Cortez because he knew that Cortez came to conquer? Another question that appears is if Diaz was a reliable source. Though I feel as if it is clearly evident that he was because from time to time again, he praised Montezuma and how he handled himself. Even Cortez was impressed and admired Montezuma especially his skilled workmen who attracted excitement from the locksmiths at home. This was clearly a reliable and unbiased account from Diaz as he portrayed a power struggle between two leaders which is shown by the quote spoken by Cortez.

 

“Lord Montezuma, I cannot imagine how a prince as great and wise as your Majesty can have failed to realize that these idols of yours are not gods but evil things, the proper name for which is devils.” (p. 237)

This sentence is prevalent to the context of the story in that it highlights both the Spaniards’ interest in this new culture as well as their belittlement of Montezuma’s foreign beliefs. Within the text Cortez often described these foreign deities with a sense of horror, disgust, or confusion, something that strongly contrasts the testaments that Cortez’s offer for the more normative areas of Montezuma’s assets such as the armories, houses, and aviaries. The importance behind this can be quickly illustrated by the tone shift proceeding the ritual sacrifice. Montezuma regarded the rituals to be sacred, which led him to hold great offense when mocked by Cortez’s captain, who criticized them jeeringly, showing that the Spaniards sees these idols as something blasphemous and almost laughable. The negative connotations associated with Cortez’s testament regarding the small idols and ritualistic objects scattered throughout the text further encapsulates his view. This facet of Montezuma’s culture, combined with the Spaniards’ religious self righteousness, as exemplified through Cortez’s appeal using Adam and Eve as an objective fact, would go on to set the premise for the cultural tension between the two groups.      

“They strike open the wretched Indian’s chest with flint knives and hastily tear out the palpitating heart which, with the blood, they present to the idols in whose names they have performed the sacrifice.” (page 229).

This sentence is important to the text because it is and is followed by a description of this sacrifice that the people of Mexico and Montezuma perform. The body of the sacrificed man is eaten by animals, but the arms and thighs are eaten at their banquets. They kept animals such as tigers, wolves, and poisonous snakes in this house that the idols were kept in. This shows the beliefs and way of life that the people of Mexico followed. They worshipped their idols deeply and therefore would sacrifice any man. It was rather looked upon as evil and inhumane by Cortes and his people. This sentence further expands on an event earlier in the passage when Cortes was begging Montezuma to hear him out about his ideas of God and creation. He talks about how we are all children of Adam and Eve and how the worship of these idols must stop. He believes the sacrifices are an evil act and it needs to be abolished. Cortes then continues to say that he will send over a few religious men that have more of an understanding about God and beliefs to educate them on this. He ends his speech by saying that this was just a warning but he hopes Montezuma will change his ways.

“I must now speak of the skilled workmen whom Montezuma employed in all the crafts they practices beginning with the jewellers and workers in silver and gold and various kinds of hollowed objects which excited the admiration of our great silversmiths at home” (pg 230). 

This sentence stood out to me because it shows the authors credibility. On the page before this sentence, the author describe the ways the Indians made human sacrifices and also describes how they kept meat eating animals and fed them with the human sacrifice’s meat.  The author uses the words like “horrible”, “monstrous” to show her/his disgust towards the customs. The author even wrote “…when the lions and tigers roared…and the serpents hissed, it was so appalling that one seemed to be in hell.” Using the world hell to describe a place shows how the author had a strong dislike of the Indian’s customs and ‘pets’.

But even thought the author didn’t like their customs, the author didn’t show any bias towards them and still talked about the good things about the Indians. In the sentence above the author is basically admiring the craftsmanship and skills the Indians had. The author wrote “… hollowed objects which excited the admiration of out great silversmiths at home.” The author believes that the Indian’s skills were so amazing and beautiful that their work will make the Europeans workers jealous.

The fact that the author is able to explain both the negatives and positives of a culture without showing any bias towards that culture, makes the writing more reliable and real.