"The True History of the Conquest of New Spain" - Bernal Diaz

September 12th, 2012

     Professor Mack often defends his unusual class format involving "tweets" and frequent blogs against the silent naysayers of our classroom. He usually does this in a joking manner with a smile and a slight laugh, but I unfortunately was one of those "negative Nancies." I just want to get the word out right from the beginning of this weeks post that I have converted 100% to both blogging and tweeting as a form of scholastic measurement and consider this very blog as one of the more fun (don't say "funner") weekly assignments that my classes give me on a regular basis.
     After two weeks in a row of deep, confusing insights from Octavio Paz, this week's blog will draw inspiration from Stuart Schwartz's, "Victor's and Vanquished." Now I know that if you are reading this blog post, it's because you are a responsible student and are accustomed to showing up ready to participate with the assigned materials read. If that's the case, then you know very well how DRY these PDF reading assignments can be from this book. At least from my point of view, I feel like the same thing is repeated over and over again. The saving grace of these excerpts are often the ancient Aztec or Mayan drawings that signify a quickened reading time. Now, that being said, through all of the rubble (I say "rubble" lightly. I'm still in the process of trying to learn to appreciate how great all of this is. Trust me, I'm "the work in progress" here) I was able to find something that truly did catch my attention. Take a look.

Sandoval and Holguin soon arrived with Guatemoc, and the two captains between them led him up to Cortes, and when he came in front of him he paid him great respect, and Cortes embraced Guatemoc with delight, and was very affectionate to him and his captains. Then Guatemoc said to Cortes “Senor Malinche, I have surely done my duty in defense of my City, and I can do no more and I come by force and a prisoner into your presence and into your power, take that dagger that you have in your belt and kill me at once with it” and when he said this he wept tears and sobbed and other great Lords whom he had brought with him also wept.

(Stuart Schwartz, Victors and Vanquished, 210)

     

     After having read the words of Bartolome de las Casas and seeing "The Mission," the violence finally came to life for me. It's one thing to hear over and over again about the sheer brutality of the Old/New World collision, but to investigate it more profoundly through primary sources (although often somewhat bias and requiring the reader to read "against the grain") the reader starts to relate to the participants of the conflict. That was truly the case for the touching exchange between two great war heroes from completely different backgrounds. 

     When I first read of this exchange, the most interesting moment occurs when Cortes, who has been overcoming all sorts of obstacles to sack the city of Tenochtitlan, shares a warm embrace with Guatemoc and his captains. If I'm in Guatemoc's place that's the absolute last thing I would want to do. What shocked me was the level of understanding and respect between this group of both advanced and primitive war captains. Both men, motivated by either a Christian Deity and gold or numerous idols, felt that their's was the just cause and was willing to give anything for victory. As is always the case, with every battle there will always be winners and losers. 

     Interesting to note as well is the last request of Guatemoc to the Spanish captain. He pleads that he take his dagger out of his belt and "kill me at once with it." From my perspective this feud between the Spanish and indigenous peoples could not have been more one-sided. The Spanish found in their favor the use of war horses, gun power, technology, a transcontinental empire, and even small pox and various other diseases to take advantage of the "Mexicans" and ultimately satisfy all of their desires. The "never give up" attitude of the people of Tenochtitlan and their unshakable devotion to the cause of their beautiful city, families, and faith was nothing but inspirational. Guatemoc's final plea was nothing more than a final testimony to his absolute devotion to the cause that he believed in. It's nothing but easy to admire that kind of tenacity in one's life and draw strength from such commitment in matters that are important in my own life.