Peruvian antiquities / by Mariano Edward Rivero and John James von Tschudi ; translated by Francis L. Hawks.
- Mariano Eduardo de Rivero y Ustariz
- Date:
- 1854
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Peruvian antiquities / by Mariano Edward Rivero and John James von Tschudi ; translated by Francis L. Hawks. Source: Wellcome Collection.
144/342 page 114
![But these illustrations of the language (contained in the note) are but fragments little adapted to convey an exact idea of the grammatical construction, or of the beauties and peculiarities of this interesting idiom, which is so flexible that translations of Greek and Latin odes have been made into it with great ease. Unfortunately, however, these speci- mens have never been published. Among all civilized nations, poetry was the earliest form held by the Indians; by Doctor Don Fernando de Avendano. From these we give some passages, with a translation: Cai checcan simi yachachisccai- mantam, machuiquichiccunap lloclla pachacuti, Diluhiohisccamanta pacha, runacunap paccarinacunamanta nis- cancuna llallu simi casccanta unan~ chanquichic. Hue machucunam an nincuha lloclla pachacuti yalliptinmi hanacc- pachamanta quimga runtu urmamu- roccan, haupacc hinmi ccori runtu carccan ; cai ccori runtumantam curacacuna paccarimurccan. Iscay- heqquenmi collqqueruntu carccan, caimantam hustacuna yurimurccan. Quimzaheqquenmi ccana anta runtu carccan, caimantatacmi huaquin yancca runacuna Ihcgimurccan. Cai- hinam hue machuiquichiccuna ri- mancu. Cunan tapuscayqziichic churicuna; curacacuna chiu chichu ccori runtumanta paccarimunancu- pacc f Manachu caita rimay agkeui- pacc cascanta ricunquichic ? [Other passages are presented in the work we are translating; but as they are mere specimens of the Quichua language, the foregoing will suffice for the English reader.—Translator.] This truth which I have taught you, makes you to see that those things are fables which your old men have told you, of the origin of men after the deluge. Some old men say, that after the deluge there fell three eggs from heaven; one of gold, from which the Curacas were born; another of silver, out of which were born the Nustas; and another of copper, from which came these last Indians. Tell me, my children, are the Cura- cas chickens, seeing they came out of an egg of gold ? Can you not see that the whole story is a thing to be laughed at ?](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24883463_0144.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
