THE AZTEC EMPIRE

"FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF WHAT WE KNOW TODAY IT SEEMS IMPOSIBLE THAT EUROPE COULD HAVE REMAINED COMPLETELY IGNORANT UNTIL THE XVI CENTURY WITH RESPECT A CIVILIZATION THAT BY THEN HAD EXISTED IN MEXICO FOR MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED YEARS.

EQUALLY ASTONISHING IS THE INDIFFERENCE THAT THE CONQUERORS SHOWED TOWARDS THE UNIVERSE THAT BY PURE LUCK CROSSED THEIR PATH. NOTHING SHOWS THE ATTITUDE CORTES HAD - ATTITUDE THAT HE KEPT UNTIL THE END OF THE CONQUEST - BETTER THAN THE GIFT HE MADE TO THE AZTEC CHIEFS: EVEN THOUGH HIS WONDER UPON DISCOVERING SIGNS OF A GREAT CULTURAL REFINEMENT, HE DID NOT DOUBT FOR EVEN ONE MOMENT THAT HE WAS IN THE PRESENCE OF A BARBARIAN PEOPLE, INTERESTING ONLY BECAUSE IT WAS AMAZINGLY RICH.

NONE OF HIS WRITEN MEMOIRS SHOW THE SLIGHTEST WISH TO UNDERSTAND THE INDIANS; IN REALITY, HE CONDEMNED THEM BEFORE HAVING KNOWN THEM EVEN IN THE MOST SUPERFICIAL MANNER.