HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



21 



appeared five balls of feathers difpofed in the form of a 

 crofs, and from the tipper part of the fhield rofe a golden 

 flag with four arrows, which the Mexicans pretended 

 to have been fent to them from heaven to perform thofe 

 glorious actions which we have feen in their hiftory. 

 His body was girt with a large golden make, and adorned 

 with various leiTer figures of animals made of gold and 

 precious ftones, which ornaments and inlignia had each 

 their peculiar meaning. They never deliberated upon 

 making war without imploring the protection of this 

 god, with prayers and facrifices ; and offered up a greater 

 number of human victims to him than to any other of 

 the gods. 



Tlacahuepancuexcotzin, likewife a god of war, the 

 younger brother and companion of Huitzilopochtli. His 

 image was worfhipped along with his brother's, in the 

 chief fanctuary of Mexico ; but no where with greater- 

 devotion than at the court of Tezcuco. 



Painalton (fwift or hurriedj, a god of war, and lieute- 

 nant of Huitzilopochtli. As they invoked the latter in 

 thofe wars which were undertaken after ferious delibe- 

 ration, fo they called upon Painalton upon fudden occa- 

 fions, fuch as an unexpected attack of the enemy. Then 

 the priefts ran about the city with the image of the god, 

 which was worfhipped together with thofe of the other 

 gods of war, calling upon him with loud cries, and mak- 

 ing facrifices to him of quails, and other animals. All 

 the men of war were then obliged to run to arms. 



Jacateuctli (the lord who guides), the god of com- 

 merce (r), for whom the merchants celebrated two great 

 annual feflivals in his temple at Mexico ; one in the 



ninth, 



(r) Jacateu<5t!i was alfo called Xiacatcutlli a«id Jacacoliuhqui. 



