wealth in gold, but it was a futile exercise. The young Castilian was too much a victim of his own culture to accept another's right to exist.
When the gifts of Moctezuma arrived, it was clear to Cortes that he was close to that which he sought most of all – the wealth of a great nation. The ambassadors from Moctezuma came to his ships while the captain was on board. There they offered him straws dipped in their own blood, as Tuedilli had done the first time they'd met. Then they showed him the gifts and dressed him in the feathered robes of the Quetza, placing the serpent mask of blue-green turquoise over his face, with its gold earrings hanging down on either side. They put on his chest a vest and collar of chalcuhuites, with a gold sun disk in the center. On his hips they fastened mirrors of polished silver, and from his shoulders they hung a cloak known as the ringing bell. On his shins were placed greaves that were set with turquoise and emeralds. Attached to them were little bells of fine gold that rang as he walked. Into his hands they placed the shield with its gold center and fringe of cobalt feathers and ornaments of mother-of-pearl and gold. Last, they put his feet into black sandals made from the hide of the great lizards that swam in the waters of the rivers to the far south. When this was done, they laid the rest of their gifts before him for his pleasure and bowed their heads before the god. Cortes merely said: "Is this all? Is this the extent of your gifts of welcome? Is this how you greet me?"
From this, Casca knew that the Indians were in for a rough time. The other gifts given to them, which Cortes treated so poorly, consisted of two disks, one of the sun, weighing one hundred marks, the other of the moon, weighing fifty. The disks were each ten palms in diameter and thirty in circumference. A rough estimate of their value was twenty thousand ducats. The jewels and other items were probably worth as much. Forty thousand ducats would have paid for their trip ten times over. Yet it only served to whet the appetites of the Castilians. Once this sample had been seen, there was no stopping the Spaniards. They knew that the real treasure would have to be in the capital city of the Aztecs, and that was where they would go.
Once the gifts were accepted, Cortes gave the orders for the cannon on the ships to be fired. At their sound, the gift bearers from Moctezuma fainted in shock, for they had never heard anything like the thunder which came at the command of the god.
Once they had been revived with wine, Cortes removed his mask and said to them: "I have heard that the warrior of Mexico is a great fighter, brave at heart and terrible in battle, that he knows how to retreat, counter, and rush back to conquer, even if his enemy is ten or even twenty times his number. This I wish to see for myself. I want to find out if you are as brave and strong as your people say you are." With this he gave them shields of leather, native swords, and spears, dismissing them after saying: "On the morrow, at daybreak, we are going to fight each other in pairs. In this way we can learn the truth. We will see who falls to the ground!"
The ambassadors were terrified. This they had not expected. They said to Cortes through his interpreters, “Our lord, we were not sent here for this by Moctezuma! We have come on an exclusive mission to bring you his gifts, to offer you friendship and repose. What the lord desires is not within our warrant to give. If we did this thing, we might anger Moctezuma, who would surely order our deaths and those of our families."
Cortes was determined to humiliate them and fill their souls with awe at the might of the conquistadors. "No! It will be done. I must see for myself, because even in Castile they say you are famous as brave warriors. Therefore, eat an early meal. I will also eat. So be of good cheer!" With this he let them leave the boats, knowing full well that they would not be found anywhere
When the gifts of Moctezuma arrived, it was clear to Cortes that he was close to that which he sought most of all – the wealth of a great nation. The ambassadors from Moctezuma came to his ships while the captain was on board. There they offered him straws dipped in their own blood, as Tuedilli had done the first time they'd met. Then they showed him the gifts and dressed him in the feathered robes of the Quetza, placing the serpent mask of blue-green turquoise over his face, with its gold earrings hanging down on either side. They put on his chest a vest and collar of chalcuhuites, with a gold sun disk in the center. On his hips they fastened mirrors of polished silver, and from his shoulders they hung a cloak known as the ringing bell. On his shins were placed greaves that were set with turquoise and emeralds. Attached to them were little bells of fine gold that rang as he walked. Into his hands they placed the shield with its gold center and fringe of cobalt feathers and ornaments of mother-of-pearl and gold. Last, they put his feet into black sandals made from the hide of the great lizards that swam in the waters of the rivers to the far south. When this was done, they laid the rest of their gifts before him for his pleasure and bowed their heads before the god. Cortes merely said: "Is this all? Is this the extent of your gifts of welcome? Is this how you greet me?"
From this, Casca knew that the Indians were in for a rough time. The other gifts given to them, which Cortes treated so poorly, consisted of two disks, one of the sun, weighing one hundred marks, the other of the moon, weighing fifty. The disks were each ten palms in diameter and thirty in circumference. A rough estimate of their value was twenty thousand ducats. The jewels and other items were probably worth as much. Forty thousand ducats would have paid for their trip ten times over. Yet it only served to whet the appetites of the Castilians. Once this sample had been seen, there was no stopping the Spaniards. They knew that the real treasure would have to be in the capital city of the Aztecs, and that was where they would go.
Once the gifts were accepted, Cortes gave the orders for the cannon on the ships to be fired. At their sound, the gift bearers from Moctezuma fainted in shock, for they had never heard anything like the thunder which came at the command of the god.
Once they had been revived with wine, Cortes removed his mask and said to them: "I have heard that the warrior of Mexico is a great fighter, brave at heart and terrible in battle, that he knows how to retreat, counter, and rush back to conquer, even if his enemy is ten or even twenty times his number. This I wish to see for myself. I want to find out if you are as brave and strong as your people say you are." With this he gave them shields of leather, native swords, and spears, dismissing them after saying: "On the morrow, at daybreak, we are going to fight each other in pairs. In this way we can learn the truth. We will see who falls to the ground!"
The ambassadors were terrified. This they had not expected. They said to Cortes through his interpreters, “Our lord, we were not sent here for this by Moctezuma! We have come on an exclusive mission to bring you his gifts, to offer you friendship and repose. What the lord desires is not within our warrant to give. If we did this thing, we might anger Moctezuma, who would surely order our deaths and those of our families."
Cortes was determined to humiliate them and fill their souls with awe at the might of the conquistadors. "No! It will be done. I must see for myself, because even in Castile they say you are famous as brave warriors. Therefore, eat an early meal. I will also eat. So be of good cheer!" With this he let them leave the boats, knowing full well that they would not be found anywhere
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