HISTORY OF MEXICO* 



flie was at lad to deli ver them from the cruel flavery they 

 were under to the other gods, who conftrained them to 

 facriiice fo many human creatures. The Mexicans en- 

 tertained very different fentiments of her, {hedding a 

 great deal of human blood at her feftivals. In the 

 above mentioned temple of the Totonacas, was one of 

 the mod renowned oracles of the country. , 



Mi&lanteuctli, the god of hell, and Midlancihuatl his 

 female companion, were much honoured by the Mexi- 

 cans. Thefe deities were imagined to dwell in a place 

 of great darknefs in the bowels of the earth. They had: 

 a temple in Mexico, in which they held a feftival in ther 

 eighteenth month. Sacrifices and offerings were made 

 to them by night, and the chief minifter of their worfhip 

 was a pried called Tlillantlenamacac, who was always- 

 dyed of a black colour, in order to perform the functions 

 of his priefthood. 



Joalteu&li, the god of night, who feems to us to have 

 been the fame with Meztli or the moon. Some think 

 him the fame with Tonaiiuh? or the fun, while others 

 imagine him to have been quite a diftinct deity. They 

 recommended their children to this god, to give them 

 fleep. 



Joalticitl (nightly phyficianj, goddefs of cradles ; to 

 whom they likewife recommended their children to be 

 taken care of, particularly in the night time. 



Huitzilopochtli, or Mexitli, was the god of war ; the 

 deity the mod honoured by the Mexicans, and their 

 chief protector (/>). Of this god fome faid he was a pure 



fpirit, 



(j&) Huitzllopochtli is a compound of two words, viz. Huitzilin, the hum- 

 ming bird, and Opocbtli, left. It was fo called from his image having the fea- 

 thers of the little bird upon its left foot. Eoturini knowing little of the Mexi- 

 can 



