NO^ES. 
^29 
Cipactli is the first sign of tlie da3^s, as Capricorn is at 
the head of the signs of the zodiac ? Whatever be the 
variation in the order of the signs of the different 
zodiacs, this analogy of position for the first of the 
whole appears to be proved ; and I think I see in it a 
confirmation of the origin of the Egyptian zodiac. 
Whether the colure of the summer solstice has been 
observed in the first degree of Capricorn or not, it is 
now certain, that our zodiac, which is that of the 
Romans and Greeks, and which was copied by them 
from Egypt, belongs essentially to this last country, 
and to it alone; and that it cannot possibly be ex- 
plained, but by making the summer solstice go back 
as far as Capricorn. Now the rural year of the Egyp- 
tians began at the summer solstice. We must not 
then be surprised, that Capricorn should heretofore 
have occupied the first place among the dodecatemo-. 
rions. If we knew at what epoch the year formerly 
began in Tartary, Thibet, or Japan, we might deduce 
something analogous from the position of Aquarius at 
the head of the zodiac among these different nations. 
In realitjq the first sign is the Rat, which corresponds 
to Aquarius. WLihara, the sea-monster of the, zodiac 
of the Hindoos, corresponding to Capricorn, holds in it 
the second place, which still supposes Aquarius to be 
the first. Thus the successive positions of the solstitial 
colure in Aquarius, in Capricorn, and subsequently in 
Virgo, Leo, and Cancer, would be indicated by the 
most ancient and authentic monuments, namely, the 
zodiacs of nations. But I do not insist on this idea, 
which I am not yet permitted to support by its proofs ; 
I shall only observe, that the placing Capricorn at the 
head of the signs in Egypt and in Mexico affords an 
additional analogy between the two countries. 
