The royal commentaries of Peru : in two parts / written originally in spanish by the Inca Garcilasso de la Vega; rendred into english by sir Paul Rycaut.

44 Royal Commentaries. BooK 11. 'may ful! be feea, unlefs tbe Wars and Alterations have demoliíhed chofe dura- ble reliques. They had likewife obferved che Equinoétials ; for in che Month of March, when they reaped their Mayz, or Indian Wbear, they celebrared their Harveíl: with · joy and feafüng, w bich ac Cow they kept in rhe Walk of Colean, 0therwife called the Garden of the Sun. Ac the Equinoétial of September, they obferved one of rheir four principal Feafis, which were dedicated to the Sun, which they called Cirua Raymir ; and then to denote the precife day of the Equinoél:~l, they had ereél:ed Pillars of the fineíl. Marble, in the open Area, or place before cheTem- ple of the Sun; whicb when the Sun carne near che Line, the Prieíl:s daily wat- ched and attended to obferve what fhadow the Pillars caíl: ; and to make it the more exaél:, they fixed on them aGnomon, like the Pin of aDial ; fo that fo foon .as the Sun at its riGng éame to dart a dirett fhadow by ir , and that at its hei_ght or mid-d¡¡.y the Pillar made no fhade, but was enlighmed on all lides ; they then conduded that the Sun was entred the Equinoc1ial Line , ar which time they adorned thefe Pilla.!ís wirh Garlands and odoriferous Herbs, :rnd .with the Saddle they had dedicated to the Sun ; faying, That on :that day he appeared in this ·mofi glittering Throne and Majeíl:y, and therefore made their Otferings of Gold and pretious Stones ro him, with aU the folemnities of oíl:~ntation and joy, which are uíual at fuch fefüvals. Thus th€ !ne&, who were their Kings; and the Ama11... IM, who were their Philofophers; haviag obferved, that when the Sun carne to the Equioofüal, théfe .Pillars made ·little íhadow ac noon-d:iy, and chat thofe in the Ciry of f2.t!.itu, and chofe of the fame degree to the Sea-coaíl made nóne at ~U; becau[e che Sun is chen perpendicularly over t~em ; they concluded that che Po!ition of chofe Countries was more agreeable and pleafing to the Suo, than thofe on which in -an oblique manner onely he darted che brighrnefs of his rays; for wh~h reafon rhe Pillars C!f ~it11 were had in fo great venel'acion and eíl:eem amongf! chem, that they woríh1pped and adored them s and therefore Seb11fti1111 de &la/cac11r, in abhorrence of the Idol:my which the Indi11m perfonned towards them, demoliíhed them and broke them in pieces, as did che other Sp1111ifh Cap- tains, in thofe places of the fame folary degree, where thls fuperfiition pn:- vailed. - The Monrhs (as w-e have faid) they counted by Moons, and cherefore cal1ed the Monrhs fJ.!!_i!IM ; the Weeks they called the Quarters of che Moon, having no names for the Days. They took great nocke of che Eclipfes both of che Sun and of the Moon, .but knew thetn onely by their Effe&, and not by cheir Cauíes; wherefore they were greatly affrighced when they ob(erved the Sun to hide his face from them, believing that for their fins he obfcm:ed his countenance, :md was angry, framing the like PrognofücatiDns of Farníne, Peíl:ilence and Wars, as our Aílrologers prediél: frorn the influences of Ecllpfes. When they obíerved che Moon begin to ·gl'Ow dark in her Eclipíe, they faid, íhe was fick; and when íhe was tocally obfcured , thac íhe w as dead; and then they feared , leH íhe fhould fall frorn Heaven, and overwhe.lm, and kili them, and that the World íhould be entirely diífolved. With theíe apprehenfions, fo foon as the Moon emred into Eclipfe, they founded their Trumpets and Cor- hets, bear their Kettles, Symb.:ils, and all che Inílntments which could make noife and found ; they tied their Dogs in Scrings, and beat them till they cried :md howled ~ faying, Thar with their Volees they called upon che Moon; who ha- ving re.ceived certain Services from rhem, was very inclinable to hearkea to their call; and that ali theíe varieties af Sounds rogerher ferved to rowfe and awaken her, being fallen into a drowzineís and flmnber, which her fickneís ha~ caufed • ' and then they made their Children cry and call /Wama .fl.!!.illa, or Marher·Moon, 1 Do not dye, le!l we all µerilh. Concerning rhe Spocs in the Moon, they conceived anorher Fable more ridicu-· lous than the former, and may be compared with that, which che more refined Ancie.ms framed of Diana, and thar the Moon was a Huntrefs, though this feems Jnore beílial and abfurd ; for they feigned that a cercain Fox feeing che Moon 10 beauüfull, fell enamolired of her ; and rhat his Love gave hlm wings, with whith · be afcended Heaven ; aod .being ready to embrace rhe Moon, fhe clofed and dung fo dofe to the Fo){, that ever lince that time che Spots have appeared ill the bri~bmefs of her Body. Of ali which particulars, concerning che Moon, 1 ltly felf bave b.een an eye-wicneíS ~ The Day they called Pu~hflH., ch~ Nighc 'T11111, . . . the