The Smallpox in Mexico, 1520

Cuando los Españoles salieron de México, y fueron á Tlaxcalla era el mes que se llamaba Tecuilhuitentti que comienza á dos de junio, y llegado el mes siguiente ellos llamaban Hueytecuilhuitl, que comienza á veinte y dos de junio. Como ya estaban algo descansados de la guerra pasada hicieron muy gran fiesta á todos sus Dioses, y sacaron todas las estatuas de ellos, y ataviáronlas con sus ornamentos, y con muchos quetzales de pluma rica, y pusiéronlas sus carátulas de turquesas, hechas de mosaico: esto hicieron agradeciendo á sus Dioses porque los habían librado de sus enemigos.

When the Spaniards left Mexico and went to Tlaxcalla, it was the month that was called Tecuilhuitontli, which begins on the second of June; and [when] the following month arrived, [which] they called Hueytecuilhuitl, which begins on the twenty-second of June, since they were now somewhat rested from the past war, they made a very great feast to all their gods, and took out all their statues, and adorned them with their ornaments and with many quetzals of rich feather, and put on them their masks of turquoise, made of mosaic: this they did thanking their gods because they had freed them from their enemies.

When the Spaniards left Mexico1 and went to Tlaxcalla,2 it was the month called Tecuilhuitontli, which begins on June 2. The next month they called Hueytecuilhuitl, which begins on June 22.3 By then [the Mexica] had rested a little from the war just past, so they held a very great feast for all their gods. They brought out all the gods’ statues and dressed them in their ornaments, with many rich quetzal feathers, and put turquoise mosaic masks on them. They did this to thank their gods for freeing them from their enemies.

1. The city of Mexico-Tenochtitlan, the Mexica (Aztec) capital on an island in Lake Texcoco, where Mexico City stands today.
2. Tlaxcala, a city-state east of the lake, long an enemy of the Mexica. Its people took in the Spaniards and fought beside them.
3. The Mexica year had eighteen months of twenty days, plus five extra days. Sahagún gives the day each month began in the Christian calendar.

Antes que los Españoles que estaban en Tlaxcala viniesen á conquistar á México, dio una grande pestilencia de viruelas á todos los Indios en el mes que llamaban Tepeilhvitl que es al fin de setiembre.

Before the Spaniards who were in Tlaxcala came to conquer Mexico, a great pestilence of smallpox struck all the Indians, in the month they called Tepeilhuitl, which is at the end of September.

Before the Spaniards who were in Tlaxcala came to conquer Mexico, a great pestilence of smallpox4 struck all the Indians, in the month they called Tepeilhuitl, which is at the end of September.

4. Viruelas, the Spanish word for smallpox. The disease had been unknown in the Americas before Europeans arrived.

De esta pestilencia murieron muy muchos Indios: tenian todo el cuerpo y toda la cara, y todos los miembros tan llenos y lastimados de viruelas que no se podian bullir y menear de un lugar, ni volverse de un lado á otro, y si alguno los meneaba daban voces.

Of this pestilence very many Indians died: they had the whole body and the whole face and all the limbs so full of and hurt by pox that they could not stir and move from one place, nor turn from one side to the other, and if anyone moved them they cried out.

Very many Indians died of this pestilence. Their whole bodies, their faces, and all their limbs were so full of pox and so sore that they could not stir or move from where they lay, or turn from one side to the other. If anyone moved them, they cried out.

Esta pestilencia mató gentes sin número, muchas murieron de hambre porque no habia quien pudiese hacer comida: los que escaparon de esta pestilencia quedaron con las caras ahoyadas, y algunos los ojos quebrados; duró la fuerza de esta pestilencia sesenta dias, y después que fue aflojando en México, fue hacia Chalco.

This pestilence killed people without number; many died of hunger, because there was no one who could make food; those who escaped this pestilence were left with their faces pitted, and some [with] their eyes broken; the force of this pestilence lasted sixty days, and after it was slackening in Mexico, it went toward Chalco.

This pestilence killed countless people. Many died of hunger, because no one was left who could make food. Those who escaped it were left with pitted faces, and some with broken eyes.5 The pestilence raged for sixty days. After it began to ease in Mexico, it moved on toward Chalco.6

5. Literally “broken eyes.” Smallpox could leave survivors blind or with damaged eyes.
6. A town and region southeast of the city, on the shore of Lake Chalco.

En acabándose esta pestilencia en México, vinieron los Españoles que ya estaban en Tezcuco y dejaron la laguna, y vinieron por Cuauhtitlan, hasta Tlacupan, y allí se repartieron en capitanías, y se pusieron en diversas estancias.

As this pestilence was ending in Mexico, the Spaniards who were already in Tezcuco came, and left the lake [aside?], and came by way of Cuauhtitlan as far as Tlacupan, and there they divided into companies and placed themselves in various posts.

As this pestilence was ending in Mexico, the Spaniards, who were already in Tezcuco,7 came. They left the lake to one side and came by way of Cuauhtitlan as far as Tlacupan.8 There they divided into companies and took up different positions.

7. Texcoco, a city on the eastern shore of the lake, across the water from Mexico.
8. Tlacopan (modern Tacuba), on the western shore of the lake, joined to the island city by a causeway. Cuauhtitlan lay to the north.

A D. Pedro Alvarado le cupo el camino que va derecho de Tlacupa al Tlatilulco. El capitán D. Hernando Cortés se puso en Coyoacan, y guardaba el camino que va de Coyoacan á México. De acia la parte del Tlatilulco se comenzó primero la guerra en un lugar que se llama Nextlatilco, y llegaron peleando hasta el lugar que se llama Nonoalco, donde está ahora una iglesia que se llama san Miguel, y los Españoles se retrugeron; no ganaron nada en esta escaramuza. También el capitán D. Hernando Cortés acometió por su parte á los mexicanos por el camino que se llama Acachinanco, y los mexicanos resistíanlos grandemente.

To Don Pedro Alvarado fell the road that goes straight from Tlacupa to Tlatilulco. Captain Don Hernando Cortés placed himself in Coyoacan, and guarded the road that goes from Coyoacan to Mexico. From the side of Tlatilulco the war was begun first at a place called Nextlatilco, and they came fighting as far as the place called Nonoalco, where there is now a church called San Miguel, and the Spaniards drew back; they gained nothing in this skirmish. Also Captain Don Hernando Cortés attacked the Mexicans from his side by the road called Acachinanco, and the Mexicans resisted them greatly.

Don Pedro Alvarado9 was given the road that runs straight from Tlacupa to Tlatilulco.10 Captain Don Hernando Cortés took up his post at Coyoacan11 and guarded the road from Coyoacan to Mexico. The war began first on the Tlatilulco side, at a place called Nextlatilco. They fought their way as far as a place called Nonoalco, where there is now a church called San Miguel, and the Spaniards fell back. They gained nothing in this skirmish. Captain Don Hernando Cortés also attacked the Mexicans from his side, along the road called Acachinanco, and the Mexicans fought back hard.

9. Pedro de Alvarado, one of Cortés’s chief captains.
10. Tlatelolco, the twin city just north of Tenochtitlan on the same island. Sahagún’s Nahua informants for this book came largely from there.
11. Coyoacan, a town on the southern shore of the lake, joined to the city by a causeway.