HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



413 



the Eaft-Indies and Japan, which cannot be read with- 

 out horror. Who will ever think of comparing the in- 

 humanities of the moft famous Tlamacazqui of Mexico, 

 and Tlafcala, with thofe of the priefts of Bellona and 

 Cybele (ii) ? When did the Mexicans tear their limbs, 

 or their fleih with their teeth, or caftrate themfelves in 

 honour of their gods, as thofe priefts did in honour of 

 Cybele ? 



Laftly, the Mexicans not content with facrificing hu- 

 man victims, eat alfo their flefli. We confefs in this their 

 inhumanity furpaffed other nations ; but examples of this 

 kind have not been fo rare even among cultivated nations 

 of the old continent, as to make the Mexicans be claff- 

 ed with nations abfolutely barbarous. That horrible 

 cuftom, fays the hiftorian Solis, of men eating each 

 other, was feen firft among the barbarians in our hemis- 

 phere, as is confeffed by Gallicia, in his Annals. Be- 

 fides the ancient Africans, whofe defendants at this day 

 are in part cannibals, it is certain, that many of thofe na- 

 tions which were formerly known by the name of Scy- 

 thians, and alfo the ancient inhabitants of Sicily, and 



the 



(a) Deas Magnse Sacerdotes, qui Galli vocabantur, virilia fibi amputabant, 

 & furore perciti caput rotabant cultnfque faciem mufculofque totius corporis 

 diffecabant : morfibus quoque fe ipfos impetebant. Augujl. de Civ. Dei. lib. ii. 

 cap. 7. 



llle viriles fibi partes amputat, ille lacertos fecat. Ubi iratos Deos timent, 

 qui fic propitios merentur ? . . . Tantus eft perturbatae mentis & fedibus fuis 

 pulfse furor, ut fic Dii placentur, quemadmodum ne homines quidem fseviunt 

 teterrimi, &■ in fabulas traditi crudelitatis Tyranni laceraverunt aliquorum 

 membra ; neminem fua lacerare jufferunt. In regia libidinis voluptatem caf- 

 trati funt quidam ; fed nemo fibi, ne vir effet, jubente domino manus intulit. 

 Se ipfi in templis contrucidant, vulneribus fuis ac fanguine fupplicant. Si cui 

 intueri vacet quae faciunt, quseque patiuntur, inveniet tarn indecora honeftis, 

 tarn indigna liberis, tarti diffimilia fanis, ut nemo fuerit dubitaturus furere eos, 

 fi cum paucioribus furerent ; nunc fanitatis patrocinium infanientium turba eft. 

 Seneca t lib. De Superjlit. 



