Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion as Illustrated by the Native Religions of Mexico and Peru   By: Albert Réville

LECTURES ON THE ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF RELIGION AS ILLUSTRATED BY THE NATIVE RELIGIONS OF MEXICO AND PERU.

DELIVERED AT OXFORD AND LONDON, IN APRIL AND MAY, 1884.

BY ALBERT RÉVILLE, D.D. PROFESSOR OF THE SCIENCE OF RELIGIONS AT THE COLLÈGE DE FRANCE.

TRANSLATED BY PHILIP H. WICKSTEED, M.A.

WILLIAMS AND NORGATE, 14, HENRIETTA STREET, COVENT GARDEN, LONDON; AND 20, SOUTH FREDERICK STREET, EDINBURGH.

1884.

[ All Rights reserved. ]

LONDON: PRINTED BY C. GREEN AND SON, 178, STRAND.

CONTENTS.

LECTURE I.

INTRODUCTION. CENTRAL AMERICA AND MEXICO. THEIR COMMON BASES OF CIVILIZATION AND RELIGION.

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Importance of the history of Religion 1

The religions of Mexico and Peru, and the special importance of studying them 7

Journey to another planet 8

Parallelism of religious history in the New World and in the Old 9

Central America and Mexico, and the authorities as to their history and religion 14

Area and general character of this civilization 18

The Mayas 20

Toltecs, Chichimecs and Aztecs 24

The Aztec empire 29

Character of the religious conceptions common to Central America and Mexico 35

The serpent god and the American cross 38

Estimate of the character and significance of the parallelisms observed 39

LECTURE II.

THE DEITIES AND MYTHS OF MEXICO.

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The Sun and Moon 45

The pyramidal Mexican temples 47

The great temple of the city of Mexico 48

The narrative of Bernal Diaz; and the two great Aztec deities, Uitzilopochtli and Tezcatlipoca 51

Mythical significance of Uitzilopochtli 54

Significance of Tezcatlipoca 60

The serpent god Quetzalcoatl, god of the east wind 62

Netzalhuatcoyotl, the philosopher king of Tezcuco 69

Number of Mexican deities 70

Tlaloc, god of rain 71

Centeotl, goddess of maize 72

Xiuhtecutli, god of fire 74

The Mexican Venus 75

Other deities 76

The Tepitoton 77

Mictlan, god of the dead 78

Summary and reflections 79

LECTURE III.

THE SACRIFICES, SACERDOTAL AND MONASTIC INSTITUTIONS, ESCHATOLOGY AND COSMOGONY OF MEXICO.

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Recapitulation 85

Original meaning of sacrifice 86

Human sacrifices and cannibalism 87

Importance attached to the suffering of the victims 90

Tragic and cruel character of the Mexican sacrifices 91

The victims of Tezcatlipoca and Centeotl 93

The children of Tlaloc 96

The roasted victims of the god of fire 97

Mexican asceticism 99

Mexican "communion" 101

Religious ethics 102

The priesthood 106

Convents, monks and nuns of ancient Mexico 109

Mexican cosmogonies 112

The great jubilee 116

The future life 118

Conversion of the Mexicans 121

The Inquisition 122

Conclusion 123