Page:A Study of the Manuscript Troano.djvu/284

216 En anocheciendo volvian y con ellos mucha gente, porque entre ellos esta cerimonia era muy estimada y tomando cada uno su hacho lo encendiañ y con ellos cada uno por su parte pegavan fuego a la leña la qual ardia mucho y se quemava presto. Despues de hecho toda braza, la allanavan y tendian muy tendida y juntos los que avian bailado, avia algunos, que se ponian a passar descalços y desnudos como ellos andavan por encima de aquella braza de una parte a otra y passavan alganos sin lesion, otros abraçados, y otros medio quemados, y en esto creian estava el remedio de sus miserias y malos agueros, y pensavan era este su servicio muy agradable a sus dioses. Esto hecho se ivan a bever y hazerse cestos, ca assi lo pedia la costumbre de la fiesta, y el calor del fuego.

"In the third volume and the first MSS. in this volume, now in the Borgian Museum in the College of Propaganda at Rome, page 43, will clearly be seen the four stations of the year. On the right hand of upper side we see a genius or being, from whose mouth a flower proceeds, and joined to the left foot there is the sign of the Hare, whose appearance represents the season of rutting, the above-said, being a genius, fecundates the frog—a symbol of the earth among the Toltecs and Aztecs. It is coiled up within a serpent or dragon, undoubtedly Serapis, and from its rings come forth innumerable Phalli. From this, proceeds the Cosmogonic idea of the union of Uranus and Gea, which is the Spring Equinox. Below this (in the MSS.) is another sketch representing the summer solstice. The painted figure is that of a negro, and the hare at its left foot has its mouth open, panting with the heat; behind it are fruits and flowers, and also are seen the folds of the aforesaid serpent. The sketch which follows this one shows on the left the Autumnal Equinox. The figure is extended over a cross, the hare which comes forth from its ear is afflicted with pustules or pox. Under this figure is a skull likewise in the folds of the serpent before mentioned.