Question

Why did the translator choose this passage to include in his collection of Aztec writings ? What historical inference does the translator wish to offer the reader ?

Answer 1

Answer:

The effect the sight of Spanish Conquistadores had on the Aztec people.

Explanation:

Miguel León-Portilla (1926-2019), was a Mexican historian who specialized in research of ancient Aztec culture. His most famous work "The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico" (1959) introduces the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire from the point of view of the Aztec people. When the Spanish Conquistadores first arrived, they brought with them a series of items Aztec people were not familiar with, and they were deeply impressed by what they saw: gunpowder and cannons ("a thing like ball of stone comes out of its entrails"), iron armor, and horses ("deer"). The intent of the translator is for the reader to understand how deeply impressed the Aztecs were, and how they tried to describe these unknown items in terms familiar to them.

Answer 2

Answer:

Explanation:

In his letters, Cortes tries not to miss any vital information and tries to report all the details about the city. His descriptions make his writing a primary source. Cortes chose certain topics which makes his writing audience-oriented. He also mentions the knowledge about the geology of the area because it was the indicator of life and death for early conquerors. Additionally, Cortes describes the beauty of the city, its wealth, rare objects, including the barbarity and ritual abuse of Aztec religion.