He was naked save only for a sash-like cotton breechclout, so arranged that one end fell between his legs in front, the other in the same position behind, the ends being elaborately broidered with green feathers. A pendant of beautifully carved jade4 hung about his neck. Ear-plugs of the same material and sandals of deer hide with feather tassels5 completed his costume. In height he was under five feet and a half, slender, supple6, small as to hands and feet, and a pleasing, warm golden brown in color. His eyes were black and narrow and in their placement somewhat slanting7. His nose was aquiline8 and long, and merged9 into his flattened10 forehead in one straight line. During his babyhood his head had been bound between two boards to secure this very effect, an effect of beauty and distinction among his people. His hair was black, glossy11 and long. It was braided and then wrapped around his head except for a small queue which hung behind.
The time was the month of August 531 A. D.; the place, Tikal, the greatest metropolis12 of the Old Maya Empire; and the youth himself, no less a person than the ruler-to-be of the splendid city stretching at his feet, as well as of many smaller dependencies beyond the waste of grassy13 savannas14 which bounded his vision.
His discontent was of long standing15 and arose from a condition which he could not alter. His father, Ahmeket Chan, the preceding “True Man” of Tikal, had died two years before, leaving this boy, Holon Chan, as his sole surviving child and heir. The government of the state during the period of his minority had been carried on under the regency of his paternal16 uncle, Ahcuitok Chan, High Priest of Itzamna, aided by the powerful priesthood of this god, head of the Maya Pantheon; but now the people were clamoring for the252 investiture of Holon Chan in the supreme17 office, so that certain of the highest ceremonies, which only the True Man might perform, could be celebrated18 once again, and indeed Ahcuitok Chan was only awaiting the conclusion of the current five-year period to invest his nephew as True Man of Tikal. Itzamna, Lord of Heaven, had indicated through the mouthpiece of his priests that this event should be solemnized on the closing day of this period, and preparations for it had now been going forward for some time.
Now the boy had little heart for his coming dignity. His had always been a roving nature; he was a child of the open air, a lover of the forest fastnesses and solitudes19, better suited to the humble20 lot of wood gatherer or corn planter than to that of ruler of a people.
The great discoveries of the preceding century, of large and wonderfully fertile lands far to the north of his own domains21, had fired his imagination, and he burned to lead his people to this new land of promise, where the gods were said always to smile, and the cornfields to yield bountifully. Nor had these hopes always been without foundation. Once he had an older brother, named Chac Chan, who was to have succeeded their father as True Man, but while on a communal22 deer hunt, this brother had been bitten by a poisonous serpent, the deadly wolpuch, from whose bitter sting none ever recovered, and had died, leaving Holon Chan next in line of succession. And now the time was come when the exacting23 demands of his position, the elaborate ritual, which would fill his every hour, and the cares of the council chamber24, would deprive him of every vestige25 of personal liberty.
The Maya people at this time, in Maya reckoning the close of Katin 18, were at once at the zenith of their power, and at the threshold of their decline. For generations now, the heavily forested lands which originally had surrounded their cities, towns and villages, had been gradually transformed under their primitive26 methods of cultivation27 into grassy savannas. This method of cultivation consisted in felling patches of the forests at the end of the rainy season in January or February, in burning the dried trees and bushes at the end of the dry season in March or April, and in planting after the first rains in May. The following year a new patch of forest was sought and the process repeated, nor was the first patch planted again for several years until a new growth of bush had come253 up, since experience showed that the use of the same cornfield two successive years would yield only a half crop the second year. This method of cultivation however, had two serious defects: not only was the greater part of the land thus always held idle, but also there eventually came a time when woody growth no longer came back to replace the original forests. Instead only perennial28 grasses would grow, and gradually the whole countryside was transformed into savannas. These savannas the Maya could not cultivate since they had no means of turning the sod, and they were thus obliged to go ever farther and farther from their homes in order to find suitable land for planting their corn. But the limit to which even this expedient29 was practicable had been reached at last. The cornfields now lay two, and even three days’ journey from the cities, and people were beginning to lose faith in deities30 who permitted living conditions to remain so intolerable, and who either could not, or would not make possible the cultivation of the savannas.
Holon Chan was not the only one whose eyes turned ever more anxiously toward the north, to Yucatan, where life was said to be so easy, and Yum Kax, Lord of the Harvests, always so propitious31; and many a humble corn planter had stolen away with his family through the great northern forests to this new land, in spite of the stringent32 laws against such a procedure. Both priesthood and nobility were strongly opposed to this disintegrating33 movement, and oracle34 as well as law was being invoked35 to prevent the abandonment of the country. But, despite threats of divine wrath36 and the swifter punishment of men, for the death penalty had been exacted more than once for this very offense37, a steady stream of people was pouring out of the Old Empire region, northward38 into Yucatan; it was whispered for example, that the priests of Itzamna at the Holy City of Palenque could scarcely muster39 enough temple servants to till the fields of the god himself. This news could not be repeated openly, but more and more people were coming to believe that the old land was accursed and that the only salvation40 of their race lay in a general exodus41 to the north. Indeed every one saw that if some way was not speedily found to cultivate the grasslands, the people would be starved into moving elsewhere.
Meanwhile the priests were holding forth42 every inducement for greater piety43 and religious zeal44. It was said that the people were 254 lax in their offerings, and the gods were offended. The sacrifices must be redoubled. And latterly, with the approaching accession of Holon Chan as True Man, the auguries45 and oracles46 had foretold47 that this event would usher48 in a new era of abundance and prosperity, the like of which had never been before. The boy, the priests widely circulated, was born on a lucky day, of which Yum Kax, Lord of the Harvests, was the patron, and the death of his older brother, far from being a calamity49, had been a direct intervention50 of the gods in order that the chosen of Yum Kax should sit in the council chamber and rule over them. Thus was the Lord of the Harvests to be appeased51, and thus would prosperity return once more to the people. High hopes therefore were entertained for his rule, and while in other happier days, Holon Chan might possibly have been permitted to renounce52 in favor of his uncle, the times were too troublous, and the future too uncertain thus deliberately53 to offend the Harvest God.
Of all these things the boy had been thinking as he sat on the temple summit, watching the shadows lengthen54 over the glistening55 white walls of the city. Finally with a sigh he jumped to his feet. The sun was setting behind the distant savannas, a great, glowing, red disk, as Holon Chan turned to enter the sanctuary56 of Itzamna to sacrifice to the god. A single aged57 white-robed priest squatted58 in the outer corridor guarding the sanctuary, but since the boy always had the right of entry because of his rank, the old man scarcely looked up from his meditations59 as Holon Chan drew aside the elaborately embroidered61 cotton curtain and passed within.
The sanctuary was dark save only for such fitful light as came from a brazier of burning incense62 and two small windows not more than eight inches square, one at either end of the long narrow room. As the curtain fell behind him, the boy stooped to a shallow platter by the door, selected from it a small, round ball of incense, the gum of the copal tree, painted a brilliant peacock blue for ceremonial use, and advanced to the brazier. In the half light, a wooden image some eight feet high could be distinguished63 standing on a stone platform against the back wall. It was in the form of an old man, with prominent Roman nose, toothless lower jaw64, and piercing green eyes, made of two discs of highly polished jade which caught and shot back the flickering65 light. The head was surmounted66 by an elaborate 255 headdress carved in the likeness67 of the Plumed68 Serpent, and the whole figure was brilliantly painted in red, blue, yellow, green, white and black. A necklace, breast-pendant, ear-plugs, anklets and wristlets of heavy, rich jade completed the costume of the image. Holon Chan placed his offerings on the brazier and prostrated69 himself before the image. However disinclined he might be to follow the path Itzamna had chosen for him by removing his older brother from the line of succession, it never entered the boy’s head to evade70 the responsibility thus thrust upon him. He came of an old and distinguished family which had ruled the state of Tikal for more than four centuries. From that distant ancestor of his, who had first led the people to their present home, down to his father, all had been brave men used to facing crises and shouldering responsibility, and this latest son of the Chan race had no other thought than to do likewise in the present emergency. And so he prayed long and earnestly for wisdom to meet the many problems of the future, and above all for some means of alleviating71 the terrible agricultural problems which were threatening the very existence of his people.
The prayer over, Holon Chan left the sanctuary and, nodding to its aged guardian72 in the outer corridor, he prepared to descend73 the pyramid. The swift twilight74 of the tropics had already dissolved into night. Above, the stars blazed forth in the cloudless sky; below, the darkness was picked out here and there with little glowing points of red, the cooking fires of his people, who were busily preparing for the great ceremony of his investiture, now but three days distant.
Carefully picking his way down the steep stairway, Holon Chan crossed the broad, paved plaza75 at its base, and ascending76 a low terrace, entered a long building of cut stone, which had been the home of his family for generations. It was a single story in height, more than two hundred feet long and three ranges of rooms in depth. These all had the typical Maya arched ceiling, were narrow and long, and lighted only by the exterior77 doorways79 and small, square windows about six feet above the floor. The largest room in the palace, a chamber sixty feet long, ten feet wide, and eighteen feet high, was entered directly through the central doorway78. At one end was a raised stone platform with a wooden seat. This was without a back and the arms were carved to represent jaguar80 heads. Above256 there was a canopy81 of green featherwork. This was the council chamber of the state.
Through this chamber Holon Chan passed to the living quarters at the rear, and, clapping his hands, he summoned a slave to serve the evening meal to him as he sat cross-legged on the floor. Presently the slave returned bearing dishes of tortillas and black beans, a bush fowl82, and a bowl containing an aromatic83 drink made of cacao. Holon Chan inquired for his uncle, and he was told that he was at the monastery84 of Itzamna. After eating, and rinsing85 out his mouth with water, a not-to-be-forgotten custom of gentlefolk, Holon Chan withdrew to his own room, and lying down on a bench covered with soft skins soon fell asleep.
Early the following morning, Holon Chan arose, and after a bath in a wooden tub, hollowed from a mahogany log, he dressed, but partook of no food, since custom decreed that he must fast throughout the period of his investiture. Thus he waited for his uncle to fetch him to the assembled priesthood of Itzamna. This first day of the induction86 ceremonies was to be given over exclusively to mental tests, quizzings by his uncle and the other priests of Itzamna, in the monastery of the god just behind his temple. It was proper for Holon Chan to appear before the priests without any emblem87 of rank, and presently when his uncle came to lead him thither88, he was dressed as any other boy of his age, a simple breechclout encircling his loins, and leather sandals on his feet.
Of the many subjects Holon Chan was questioned about during that long day, we may only touch upon a few. First his uncle asked him to recite the complete ritual of the New Year’s feast, one of the most important ceremonies of the Maya year. Other old wiseheads questioned him as to the stars, when would the next eclipses of the sun and moon take place, when would Venus next appear as evening star? Clean sheets of fiber89 paper were set before him, pigments91 and brushes were brought in, and he was told to write the current date, giving the phases of the moon therefor, and the presiding deity92. All these tests he went through creditably, and the old men nodded approval. Next a fowl was brought and the boy was told to kill it and read the omens93 from its entrails. Again he acquitted94 himself with credit, and the old priests were satisfied with his knowledge of this important part of the Maya ritual.
257
In conclusion his uncle again took the lead, and put searching questions to him as to the condition of the people—how many heads of families were there in the tribe, and how many man-loads of corn were required to support the average family for a year? With which cities he should strive to ally himself, and which to avoid? How migration95 to Yucatan could best be discouraged? When the boy replied it could neither be discouraged nor prevented unless the Harvest Lord permitted corn to be grown on the savannas, a few of the older men shook their heads, but the great majority of the priests signified their approval of this sage96 answer. After these tests he was led from the monastery back to the palace, and later his uncle informed him that the priests had adjudged him to be worthy97 and well qualified98 to be made the True Man of the state.
The second day was even more strenuous99 than the first. The day was devoted100 to numerous rites101 of purification, in which by sweatings and blood-lettings he was supposed to be purged102 of all sin and wickedness, and thus fitted for the high office he was about to assume.
Following this the priests led him to the Temple of Purification. Here, in an inner chamber, he removed his clothes and crawled, naked, into a low stone closet. A bowl of water stood at the back of this low cell, and presently the priests passed in through the small doorway five or six large, rounded, heated stones wrapped in leaves. The doorway was now closed by a slab104 of stone, and Holon Chan dropped these heated bowlders, one at a time, into the bowl of water. Each succeeding bowlder raised the temperature of the water, and soon clouds of vapor105 filled the cell. From time to time more hot stones were passed in and the boy thus kept the water boiling. Beads106 of sweat broke out over his body; he almost suffocated107, but still he served the steaming bowl with heated stones, and still the temperature rose. Every pore streamed and he gasped108 for breath. When it seemed as though he could stand it no longer, the slab was suddenly removed, the vapor rushed out and he was left panting and faint from the heat and his hunger, and the first step toward ceremonial purification was over.
Next they gave him a violent emetic109, which left him completely prostrated from weakness. With the characteristic stoicism of his race, however, he uttered no complaint, but presently gained sufficient strength to pass on to the next trial, a cruel and painful 258 letting of blood. His uncle bade him put out his tongue and through the end of it, he thrust a sharp stone awl103. Waiting priests caught the blood on little balls of cotton and these were borne off to the sanctuary of Itzamna as an earnest of his faith and purification. At sunset a small fiber cord with thorns caught in it every few inches was passed through the still open wound, cruelly lacerating the flesh, and fresh blood drawn110 to offer to the god in renewed proof of his constancy of purpose. That night Holon Chan was so exhausted111 that he slept without stirring, until awakened112 before dawn to prepare himself for the long day of meditation60 and prayer in the sanctuary of Itzamna which preceded the actual investiture at sunset.
Preparations for this ceremony had been going forward now for a long time. It has been told how Itzamna had indicated that the investiture of the new True Man must coincide with the unveiling of the great stone shaft113 which had been erected114 to commemorate115 the end of the current five-year period of the Maya Chronological116 Era. As much as a year before, this shaft had been quarried117, transported to the Great Plaza of Tikal, set up there and a high fence of thatch2 built around it to conceal118 it from the people until the moment of its unveiling.
Ahcuitok Chan in consultation119 with the most learned astrologer priests of the state had carefully calculated what would be the nearest solar and lunar eclipses to the day of dedication120 (then still nearly a year ahead). Other astronomical121 phenomena122 important during the current five-year period, had been compiled, together with a record of the principal events of the period. These matters had been written down in the Maya hieroglyphic123 writing, on pieces of fiber paper coated with a sizing of fine white lime, which served as working drawings for the artisans who were to carve the shaft; and finally the likeness of Holon Chan himself, gorgeously appareled as he would be at the ceremony of investiture, had been laboriously124 carved on the front. This monument, which was to mark the ending of the current five-year period, 9.18.0.0.0. 11 Ahau 18 Mac of the Maya Era, was at last ready, and would be unveiled at the proper moment, namely the instant of sunset on the closing day of the period. This had to be so, since to the Maya, time was conceived and measured in terms of elapsed units (like our own astronomical259 time), and not until the final day of the period came to its end, that is at sunset on the last day, could the monument commemorating125 that period be formally dedicated126 thereto.
But now all was in readiness for the great festival, upon which, as has been noted127, so many and such high hopes had been builded. For the past several days, people had been pouring into Tikal. From the farthest outlying villages men, women and children were moving toward the religious and governmental center of the state. The surrounding savannas were filled with temporary shelters of thatch, and booths had sprung up everywhere for the barter128 of tortillas, beans, squash, sapotes, cacao, bush meats, gourds129, pottery130, mats, featherwork, hides, cotton stuffs, and even beads and pendants of jade, the most highly prized of all materials by the Maya.
The Great Plaza of Tikal had been filling with people since midnight, eager to catch the first glimpse of their future ruler as he was being conducted at daybreak to the sanctuary of Itzamna for prayer and meditation. His learning tried and tested by the wise men of the state on the first day; his body purged of sin and wickedness by rites of purification, and his fortitude131 and earnestness of purpose established by his giving of blood to Itzamna on the second day, there remained only that he should cleanse132 his soul of any lurking133 grossness, by prayer and meditation, and he would then be ready for the most solemn moment of his life, his formal consecration134 as the True Man of his people.
After rising, Holon Chan bathed, and donned again the simple girdle worn by common folk, in token that he had not yet received the supreme rank, and passed into the council chamber. Here all the great dignitaries of the state, the high priests of the different Maya deities, the chieftains of the dependent towns and villages, the collectors of taxes, deputies, and other officials had assembled in gala costume—magnificent cloaks of featherwork, gorgeous panaches135 of plumes136, mantles137 of deer hide, heavy necklaces, pendants, ear-plugs, wristlets and anklets of jade—each in his bravest display. Naked male slaves stood about the council chamber with lighted torches of fat pine in their hands, for the hour of dawn had not yet come, and these cast a fitful light over the company. Outside on the terrace, in front of the palace, the musicians were assembled with long, wooden drums, rattles138 and flageolets.
260
High on the topmost point of the roof of the sanctuary of Itzamna stood a priest scanning the eastern horizon for the first sign of the orb139 of day. As dawn approached, the multitude stirred faintly and with common consent all eyes turned to the portals of the palace. Slaves with short staves were seen to open a passage through the crowd and stand on either side to keep the way cleared. Suddenly a piercing cry falls from above. “Lo, the Lord of Day cometh.” The musicians strike up, and move in ordered rank down the terrace stairway and across the plaza. First come temple boys with brooms, sweeping140 the way, followed by others swinging braziers of incense from which clouds of heavy, black, aromatic smoke wreath upward. Next appear the temple chanters clad in white, singing an ode of welcome to the Lord of Day; next, a troop of the palace guard in quilted cotton armor, armed with stone-pointed javelins141 and shields of skin. Following these are the lords of the dependent towns and villages, and the higher civil officers of the state; these last, with their gorgeous cloaks of featherwork, furnishing the brightest spot of color in the procession. Next are the lower orders of the priesthood of Itzamna, a long file of white-robed figures moving slowly forward.
Now Ahcuitok Chan leaves the palace surrounded by the higher priestly dignitaries. He is magnificently dressed, a cloak of rich featherwork hanging from his shoulders and falling over the jaguar skin draped around his body. His jade necklace is a work of art, beautifully carved human heads hanging in front and back, and over each shoulder. Delicate, tendril-like feathers of the quetzal, the royal emblem, hang from a brilliantly painted wooden helmet carved to represent a serpent head, the patronymic of his family, Chan. Indeed he wears all the insignia of the True Man save only the Double-headed Ceremonial Bar which ancient practice decrees may only be borne by the True Man himself. Follows last the simply clad boy of seventeen in whose honor all have assembled.
The procession moves slowly across the plaza and ascends142 the steep stairway to the sanctuary of Itzamna above. The musicians, sweepers, incensers and chanters take positions on either side of the temple doorway on the summit of the pyramid, now bathed in the first rays of the rising sun. The soldiers form a double cordon143 on each side of the stairway from bottom to top, between which the rest 261 of the procession passes, dividing at the top and arranging itself on either side of the doorway. Even Ahcuitok waits at the entrance for his nephew, and when the boy has at last reached the summit, he takes his hand and leads him within, followed only by the highest officers and priests.
The crowd now dispersed144 since nothing visible to the eye of the common folk would be going forward until the close of the afternoon, although within the sanctuary itself the ceremony would be continued all day. When the higher officers of the state had all assembled in the outer corridor of the temple, Ahcuitok Chan, still leading his nephew by the hand, approached the curtain guarding the sanctuary, and drew it aside, at the same time motioning the boy to enter. After Holon Chan had passed within, Ahcuitok Chan let the curtain fall behind him and seated himself on his haunches outside the doorway, all the others arranging themselves about the chamber in the same position.
Now followed a long and wearisome vigil both for those without the curtain and for the hungry tired boy within. Etiquette145 proscribed146 conversation lest it should interrupt the devotions of the suppliant147 in the sanctuary, and time hung heavy, as the hours dragged by.
All day long Holon Chan prayed to his father Itzamna in the semi-obscurity of the holy place, leaving his orisons only long enough to replenish148 the brazier with little balls of incense or quench149 his thirst from a bowl of water by the door. He had now fasted so long that he was light-headed, and it seemed to him that at times the wooden image of the god smiled down upon him, even answered his prayers for guidance and gave him counsel; at least so he told his uncle when the latter came to fetch him for the investiture an hour before sunset. But this one was a wise old man, well acquainted with the frailty150 of the flesh and the hallucinations born of an empty stomach, and he only nodded wisely, and did not press for further particulars.
In the outer corridor all was astir for the final act of the great drama. As Holon Chan stepped out of the sanctuary all prostrated themselves in obeisance151. A priest now stepped forward, and painted his legs, arms and torso with a bright red pigment90, encircling his eyes with a heavy band of the same color, and adding a large red daub to262 each cheek. His plain breechclout was now removed, and a heavily embroidered one wound around his loins instead. Next anklets and wristlets of jade were fastened around his ankles and wrists, and a heavy collar of the same material hung about his neck. This was richly embellished152 with four large medallions of jade, one in front, one behind, and one over each shoulder, beautifully carved to represent the human face; a fringe of smaller jade heads hung from the collar. Square jade ear-plugs were fitted into the lobes153 of his ears, and a jade ring slipped on his finger. These were, in truth, the state jewels; precious material gathered by succeeding generations of True Men to adorn154 their own persons.
A magnificent jaguar skin, tawny155 orange-red dappled with rosettes of black, was hung from his shoulders, the long tail dragging on the ground. Finally the serpent crown was placed upon his head. This was an ornate affair of cedar156 carved to represent the head of a snake with widely distended157 mouth. It was painted a brilliant green, the mouth being red; the eyes were formed by two pieces of highly polished, jet-black obsidian158, the teeth being inset pieces of white shell. From the head of the snake rose a shower of quetzal plumes, the tail feathers of an hundred of these rare tropical birds, obtained with infinite hardships from the cold mountain ranges far to the South. These delicate tendrils of plumage floated down behind the boy, and as the evening breeze caught them, swirled159 around him, enveloping160 his body in a mist of translucent161 green.
The hour of sunset was at last drawing near. The priest on the roof of the temple above shouted down a warning that the Lord of the Day was nearing the horizon. The Great Plaza and its surrounding terraces had, in the meantime, filled with people; every pyramid-stairway and summit thronged162 with spectators. A body of priests had taken positions by the thatched fence around the monument, ready to fell it at the instant of sunset. All the officers of state and the priests, including Ahcuitok Chan, indeed all save only Holon Chan himself passed out of the temple, and arranged themselves on either side of the doorway. Before Ahcuitok Chan, stood two priests supporting a brilliantly painted wooden staff; one end carved to represent the Sun God, the other end, the Rain God, the whole shaft being hung with green feathers. This was the Double-headed Ceremonial Bar, the emblem of supreme authority of the state, only to263 be carried by the True Man. Throughout his regency even Ahcuitok Chan had never used this insignia of the highest office.
The sun was now all but touching163 the horizon; the watcher above uttered a piercing cry, and the multitude below stiffened164 to attention. Sixty silent seconds passed and then the watching priest chanted: “Lo, the Lord of Day passeth.” Suddenly from the temple doorway into the full radiance of the setting sun, now gilding165 the brilliant company gathered on the pyramid’s summit, stepped the new ruler, resplendent in the flashing green of jade against his crimson166 body, his cloak of glossy jaguar skin gleaming in the sun, his form swathed in a shimmering167 mist of green, the swirling168 tendrils of quetzal hanging from his headdress.
A mighty169 roar of acclaim170 loosed itself from the spectators below. The drums on the summit pealed171 a roll of welcome. At the same instant the fence of thatch around the monument was beaten to the ground; the sun, striking at last fair upon its front, made glow every detail of carving172. From the True Man above, to his exact counterpart sculptured on the front of the newly unveiled monument below, every eye turned and turned again. The mighty cheer continued. The chosen of Itzamna and Yum Kax, he who would bring back fertility to their sterile173 fields, was at last proclaimed ruler. Ahcuitok Chan took the Ceremonial Bar from the waiting priests and, advancing to his nephew, placed it horizontally in his outstretched arms: “Hail, Ah Holon Chan, son of Ahmeket Chan! I invest thee with the rank of True Man of Tikal, and may the Great Itzamna grant thee long life, and to thy people prosperity everlasting174!”
Ah Holon Chan, no longer a boy, and now entitled to a man’s designation (the male prefix175 Ah) advanced to the edge of the pyramid and, raising the Ceremonial Bar, signaled for silence. A profound hush176 fell upon the multitude.
“Oh People of my blood, my single purpose, my single thought from this moment henceforth till the Father of Heaven, Great Itzamna, calls me hence, shall be your welfare. May the Lord of Life guide me through the perils177 which beset178 our race, and endow me with wisdom to rule you justly and well, and above all to find that way which once again will bring prosperity and abundance to our failing fields. Oh People of my blood, accept this my solemn vow179 of consecration to your service.”
264
The sun had set, a rosy180 afterglow enveloped181 the boy in a haze182 of mysterious light. It seemed, to the breathless thousands in the plaza below, as though the Lord of Life were actually infusing the new ruler with that wisdom for which he had so earnestly prayed. Profound silence reigned183. Swiftly the twilight fell. A few stars began to twinkle through the sky. At last in the gathering184 gloom the boy was seen to turn and pass within the temple. And then the multitude began to melt away until the court was empty....
Sylvanus G. Morley
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
moodily
|
|
| adv.喜怒无常地；情绪多变地；心情不稳地；易生气地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
thatch
|
|
| vt.用茅草覆盖…的顶部；n.茅草(屋) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
grasslands
|
|
| n.草原，牧场( grassland的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
jade
|
|
| n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
tassels
|
|
| n.穗( tassel的名词复数 )；流苏状物；（植物的）穗；玉蜀黍的穗状雄花v.抽穗， （玉米）长穗须( tassel的第三人称单数 )；使抽穗， （为了使作物茁壮生长）摘去穗状雄花；用流苏装饰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
supple
|
|
| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
slanting
|
|
| 倾斜的，歪斜的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
aquiline
|
|
| adj.钩状的，鹰的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
merged
|
|
| （使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
flattened
|
|
| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
glossy
|
|
| adj.平滑的；有光泽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
metropolis
|
|
| n.首府；大城市 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
grassy
|
|
| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
savannas
|
|
| n.（美国东南部的）无树平原( savanna的名词复数 )；（亚）热带的稀树大草原 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
paternal
|
|
| adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
supreme
|
|
| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
celebrated
|
|
| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
solitudes
|
|
| n.独居( solitude的名词复数 )；孤独；荒僻的地方；人迹罕至的地方 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
humble
|
|
| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
domains
|
|
| n.范围( domain的名词复数 )；领域；版图；地产 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
communal
|
|
| adj.公有的，公共的，公社的，公社制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
exacting
|
|
| adj.苛求的，要求严格的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
chamber
|
|
| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
vestige
|
|
| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
primitive
|
|
| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
cultivation
|
|
| n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
perennial
|
|
| adj.终年的；长久的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
expedient
|
|
| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
deities
|
|
| n.神，女神( deity的名词复数 )；神祗；神灵；神明 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
propitious
|
|
| adj.吉利的；顺利的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
stringent
|
|
| adj.严厉的；令人信服的；银根紧的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
disintegrating
|
|
| v.（使）破裂[分裂，粉碎]，（使）崩溃( disintegrate的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
oracle
|
|
| n.神谕，神谕处，预言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
invoked
|
|
| v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
wrath
|
|
| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
offense
|
|
| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
northward
|
|
| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
muster
|
|
| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
salvation
|
|
| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
exodus
|
|
| v.大批离去，成群外出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
piety
|
|
| n.虔诚，虔敬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
zeal
|
|
| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
auguries
|
|
| n.（古罗马）占卜术，占卜仪式( augury的名词复数 )；预兆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
oracles
|
|
| 神示所( oracle的名词复数 )； 神谕； 圣贤； 哲人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
foretold
|
|
| v.预言，预示( foretell的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
usher
|
|
| n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
calamity
|
|
| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
intervention
|
|
| n.介入，干涉，干预 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
appeased
|
|
| 安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
renounce
|
|
| v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
deliberately
|
|
| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
lengthen
|
|
| vt.使伸长，延长 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
glistening
|
|
| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
sanctuary
|
|
| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
aged
|
|
| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
squatted
|
|
| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的过去式和过去分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
meditations
|
|
| 默想( meditation的名词复数 )； 默念； 沉思； 冥想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
meditation
|
|
| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
embroidered
|
|
| adj．绣花的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
incense
|
|
| v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
distinguished
|
|
| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
jaw
|
|
| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
flickering
|
|
| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
surmounted
|
|
| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
likeness
|
|
| n.相像，相似（之处） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
plumed
|
|
| 饰有羽毛的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
prostrated
|
|
| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
evade
|
|
| vt.逃避，回避；避开，躲避 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
alleviating
|
|
| 减轻，缓解，缓和( alleviate的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
guardian
|
|
| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
descend
|
|
| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
twilight
|
|
| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
plaza
|
|
| n.广场，市场 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
ascending
|
|
| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
exterior
|
|
| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
78
doorway
|
|
| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
79
doorways
|
|
| n.门口，门道( doorway的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
80
jaguar
|
|
| n.美洲虎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
81
canopy
|
|
| n.天篷，遮篷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
82
fowl
|
|
| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
83
aromatic
|
|
| adj.芳香的，有香味的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
84
monastery
|
|
| n.修道院，僧院，寺院 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
85
rinsing
|
|
| n.清水，残渣v.漂洗( rinse的现在分词 )；冲洗；用清水漂洗掉（肥皂泡等）；（用清水）冲掉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
86
induction
|
|
| n.感应，感应现象 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
87
emblem
|
|
| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
88
thither
|
|
| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
89
fiber
|
|
| n.纤维，纤维质 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
90
pigment
|
|
| n.天然色素，干粉颜料 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
91
pigments
|
|
| n.（粉状）颜料( pigment的名词复数 )；天然色素 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
92
deity
|
|
| n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
93
omens
|
|
| n.前兆，预兆( omen的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
94
acquitted
|
|
| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
95
migration
|
|
| n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
96
sage
|
|
| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
97
worthy
|
|
| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
98
qualified
|
|
| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
99
strenuous
|
|
| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
100
devoted
|
|
| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
101
rites
|
|
| 仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
102
purged
|
|
| 清除（政敌等）( purge的过去式和过去分词 )； 涤除（罪恶等）； 净化（心灵、风气等）； 消除（错事等）的不良影响 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
103
awl
|
|
| n.尖钻 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
104
slab
|
|
| n.平板，厚的切片；v.切成厚板，以平板盖上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
105
vapor
|
|
| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
106
beads
|
|
| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
107
suffocated
|
|
| （使某人）窒息而死( suffocate的过去式和过去分词 )； （将某人）闷死； 让人感觉闷热； 憋气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
108
gasped
|
|
| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
109
emetic
|
|
| n.催吐剂；adj.催吐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
110
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
111
exhausted
|
|
| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
112
awakened
|
|
| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
113
shaft
|
|
| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
114
ERECTED
|
|
| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
115
commemorate
|
|
| vt.纪念，庆祝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
116
chronological
|
|
| adj.按年月顺序排列的，年代学的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
117
quarried
|
|
| v.从采石场采得( quarry的过去式和过去分词 )；从（书本等中）努力发掘（资料等）；在采石场采石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
118
conceal
|
|
| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
119
consultation
|
|
| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
120
dedication
|
|
| n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
121
astronomical
|
|
| adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
122
phenomena
|
|
| n.现象 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
123
hieroglyphic
|
|
| n.象形文字 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
124
laboriously
|
|
| adv.艰苦地；费力地；辛勤地；（文体等）佶屈聱牙地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
125
commemorating
|
|
| v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
126
dedicated
|
|
| adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
127
noted
|
|
| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
128
barter
|
|
| n.物物交换，以货易货，实物交易 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
129
gourds
|
|
| n.葫芦( gourd的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
130
pottery
|
|
| n.陶器，陶器场 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
131
fortitude
|
|
| n.坚忍不拔；刚毅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
132
cleanse
|
|
| vt.使清洁，使纯洁，清洗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
133
lurking
|
|
| 潜在 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
134
consecration
|
|
| n.供献，奉献，献祭仪式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
135
panaches
|
|
| n.羽饰（panache的复数形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
136
plumes
|
|
| 羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
137
mantles
|
|
| vt.&vi.覆盖（mantle的第三人称单数形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
138
rattles
|
|
| （使）发出格格的响声， （使）作嘎嘎声( rattle的第三人称单数 )； 喋喋不休地说话； 迅速而嘎嘎作响地移动，堕下或走动； 使紧张，使恐惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
139
orb
|
|
| n.太阳；星球；v.弄圆；成球形 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
140
sweeping
|
|
| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
141
javelins
|
|
| n.标枪( javelin的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
142
ascends
|
|
| v.上升，攀登( ascend的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
143
cordon
|
|
| n.警戒线，哨兵线 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
144
dispersed
|
|
| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
145
etiquette
|
|
| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
146
proscribed
|
|
| v.正式宣布（某事物）有危险或被禁止( proscribe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
147
suppliant
|
|
| adj.哀恳的；n.恳求者，哀求者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
148
replenish
|
|
| vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
149
quench
|
|
| vt.熄灭，扑灭；压制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
150
frailty
|
|
| n.脆弱；意志薄弱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
151
obeisance
|
|
| n.鞠躬，敬礼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
152
embellished
|
|
| v.美化( embellish的过去式和过去分词 )；装饰；修饰；润色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
153
lobes
|
|
| n.耳垂( lobe的名词复数 )；（器官的）叶；肺叶；脑叶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
154
adorn
|
|
| vt.使美化，装饰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
155
tawny
|
|
| adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
156
cedar
|
|
| n.雪松，香柏(木) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
157
distended
|
|
| v.（使）膨胀，肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
158
obsidian
|
|
| n.黑曜石 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
159
swirled
|
|
| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
160
enveloping
|
|
| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
161
translucent
|
|
| adj.半透明的；透明的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
162
thronged
|
|
| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
163
touching
|
|
| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
164
stiffened
|
|
| 加强的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
165
gilding
|
|
| n.贴金箔，镀金 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
166
crimson
|
|
| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
167
shimmering
|
|
| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
168
swirling
|
|
| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
169
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
170
acclaim
|
|
| v.向…欢呼，公认；n.欢呼，喝彩，称赞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
171
pealed
|
|
| v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
172
carving
|
|
| n.雕刻品，雕花 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
173
sterile
|
|
| adj.不毛的，不孕的，无菌的，枯燥的，贫瘠的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
174
everlasting
|
|
| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
175
prefix
|
|
| n.前缀；vt.加…作为前缀；置于前面 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
176
hush
|
|
| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
177
perils
|
|
| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
178
beset
|
|
| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
179
vow
|
|
| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
180
rosy
|
|
| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
181
enveloped
|
|
| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
182
haze
|
|
| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
183
reigned
|
|
| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
184
gathering
|
|
| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |