“Love, the tyrant, evinces,
  Alas! an omnipotent might;
He treads on the necks of princes,
  He darkens the mind, like night."[1]

[Footnote 1:  Clarence Mangan, Poems, “The Mariner’s Bride.”]

I shall not detail the many other wiles with which Tezcatlipoca led the Toltecs to their destruction.  A mere reference to them must suffice.  He summoned thousands to come to labor in the rose-garden of Quetzalcoatl, and when they had gathered together, he fell upon them and slew them with a hoe.  Disguised with Huitzilopochtli, he irritated the people until they stoned the brother gods to death, and from the corrupting bodies spread a pestilential odor, to which crowds of the Toltecs fell victims.  He turned the thought of thousands into madness, so that they voluntarily offered themselves to be sacrificed.  By his spells all articles of food soured, and many perished of famine.

At length Quetzalcoatl, wearied with misfortune, gave orders to burn the beautiful houses of Tollan, to bury his treasures, and to begin the journey to Tlapallan.  He transformed the cacao trees into plants of no value, and ordered the birds of rich plumage to leave the land before him.

The first station he arrived at was Quauhtitlan, where there was a lofty and spreading tree.  Here he asked of his servants a mirror, and looking in it said:  “I am already old.”  Gathering some stones, he cast them at the tree.  They entered the wood and remained there.

As he journeyed, he was preceded by boys playing the flute.  Thus he reached a certain spot, where he sat upon a stone by the wayside, and wept for the loss of Tollan.  The marks of his hands remained upon the stone, and the tears he dropped pierced it through.  To the day of the Conquest these impressions on the solid rock were pointed out.

At the fountain of Cozcapan, sorcerers met him, minded to prevent his departure:—­

“Where are you going?” they asked.  “Why have you left your capital?  In whose care is it?  Who will perform the sacred rites?”

But Quetzalcoatl answered:—­

“You can in no manner hinder my departure.  I have no choice but to go.”

The sorcerers asked again:  “Whither are you going?”

“I am going,” replied Quetzalcoatl, “to Tlapallan.  I have been sent for.  The Sun calls me.”

“Go, then, with good luck,” said they.  “But leave with us the art of smelting silver, of working stone and wood, of painting, of weaving feathers and other such arts.”

Thus they robbed him, and taking the rich jewels he carried with him he cast them into the fountain, whence it received its name Cozcapan, Jewels in the Water.

Again, as he journeyed, a sorcerer met him, who asked him his destination:—­

“I go,” said Quetzalcoatl, “to Tlallapan.”

“And luck go with you,” replied the sorcerer, “but first take a drink of this wine.”