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| omnipoetics:astaroth_appears_to_moctezuma [2025/02/05 14:35] – [Arias de Villalobos] mary | omnipoetics:astaroth_appears_to_moctezuma [2025/04/24 00:43] (current) – holly |
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| | //The Serpent and the Fire// (pp. 50-53) \\ |
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| ====== Astaroth Appears to Moctezuma ====== | ====== Astaroth Appears to Moctezuma ====== |
| From //A Canto Titled Mercury// and written by Arias de Villalobos | From //A Canto Titled Mercury// and written by Arias de Villalobos |
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| ====== Arias de Villalobos ====== | ====== Arias de Villalobos ====== |
| Born in Extremadura, Arias de Villalobos was a clergyman who emigrated to New Spain where he became a celebrated author. While most of his work has disappeared, his epic poem //Canto intitulado Mercurio// remains as a popular cultural piece depicting the Spanish conquest. | Born in Extremadura, Arias de Villalobos (1568-1622) was a clergyman who emigrated to New Spain where he became a playwright for the viceroy-al court and celebrated author. While most of his work has disappeared, his epic poem //Canto intitulado Mercurio// remains as one of his most popular cultural works in its depiction of the Spanish conquest. It was both historical and not, as it depicts Mexico-Tenochtitlan "from 1325 to the fall of the city," Villalobos also "rebuilds a lost world through imagination." (53) |
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| ====== Summary ====== | ====== Summary ====== |
| ==== Astaroth ==== | ==== Astaroth ==== |
| {{ :omnipoetics:astaroth.jpg?150|}} | {{ :omnipoetics:astaroth.jpg?150|}} |
| **Astaroth** is a male figure in demonology typically described as the Great Duke of Hell, forming part of the evil trinity with Beelzebub and Lucifer. The first literary account of Astaroth can be traced to the 15th century text [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Abramelin|The Book of Abramelin]]. Astaroth can also be found in Kabbalistic literature, ruling over evil spiritual forces known as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qlippoth|qlippoth]]. | **Astaroth** is a male figure in demonology typically described as the Great Duke of Hell, forming part of the evil trinity with Beelzebub and Lucifer. The first literary account of Astaroth can be traced to the 15th century text [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Abramelin|The Book of Abramelin]]. Astaroth can also be found in Kabbalistic literature, ruling over evil spiritual forces known as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qlippoth|qlippoth]]. In a section on //Kabbalah in Spain// in its poetry book, Peter Cole explains the development of Kabbalistic circles active around mid-thirteenth century, involved in a dualistic gnostic notion of good and evil, as well as the mythic descriptions of evil. He adds that Ya'akov HaKohen's translated poetry depicts symbolism "including magical or numerological permutations of the Divine Name and mention of the kelippot—“shards,” “shells,” or “husks” that embody the forces of evil in the world." (Cole 93) The archdemon Astaroth is depicted in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astaroth#Appearances_in_literature|literature]] high up in the hierarchy of hell, who entices men through "laziness, self-doubt, and rationalized philosophies" among other things. In Villalobos's //Canto//, he appears as a 'mighty tiger' to Moctezuma with eyes filled with the fire of hell and rage against surrendering to the new rulers' gods and power. |
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| | ===== Themes ===== |
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| | A major theme that stands out in **Astaroth Appears to Moctezuma** taken from the //A Canto Titled Mercury// appears to be anger, shame, and fear of being erased in epic propositions. On the first read of the specific section chosen by Rothenberg and Taboada, all that seeps through is the desperate 'infernal' cries (of ancestors perhaps) upon Moctezuma's signing of the pact with Cortes. The ruler's shame is embodied in Astaroth's form as a frightful tiger. It is also interesting to note that tiger and jaguar were often symbolized as sacred or untouchable creatures in Aztec [[https://www.thoughtco.com/aztec-creation-myth-169337|mythology]] and [[https://glorian.org/books/aztec-christic-magic/the-sacred-tiger|rituals]]. Moreover, in the creation myth, one of the five suns are destroyed as jaguars attack the creatures and leave no survivors. Looking past the appearance of Astaroth as an archdemon meant to mislead, mock, and inflame the war and destruction that Moctezuma embodies as he grabs "the axe of vengeance," it can be understood as an ancestral oppression at the hands of 'parvenu' projected outwards. A means for him to embrace 'his eternal shame' in the name of 'Freedom' and perhaps, transformation or birth. As the "pregnancy of Death" (53) betrays a new cry of the fallen and old ones rise up. |
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| ===== Form ===== | ===== Form ===== |
| * Juxtaposition is used in the last couple lines in the poem between "soothing words" and "DEATH," "ANGER," "FIRE," "FRIGHT," AND "THREAT" to show Moctezuma's descent into madness and loss of humanity (53). | * Juxtaposition is used in the last couple lines in the poem between "soothing words" and "DEATH," "ANGER," "FIRE," "FRIGHT," AND "THREAT" to show Moctezuma's descent into madness and loss of humanity (53). |
| * The poem uses several [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahuatl|Nahuatl]] words, which come from the language of the Uto-Aztecan family. A few examples of these words include //macegual// (lower-caste natives), //teponaztle// (sacred drum), and //mitote// (ritual dances), which are referenced in the death omen from Astaroth (53). | * The poem uses several [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nahuatl|Nahuatl]] words, which come from the language of the Uto-Aztecan family. A few examples of these words include //macegual// (lower-caste natives), //teponaztle// (sacred drum), and //mitote// (ritual dances), which are referenced in the death omen from Astaroth (53). |
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| | **See also** |
| | * [[https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Lethaeus|Letheus/Lethaeus]] |
| | * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laestrygonians|Laestrygones]] |
| | * [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy#Troy_in_legend|Troy in Legend]] |
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| | ===== References ===== |
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| | - Cole, Peter., and Aminadav. Dykman. //The Poetry of Kabbalah : Mystical Verse from the Jewish Tradition//. 1st ed. New Haven, [CT]: Yale University Press, 2012. Print. The Margellos World Republic of Letters. |
| | - Rothenberg, Jerome, and Javier Taboada. //The Serpent and the Fire: Poetries of the Americas from Origins to Present//. University of California Press, 2024. |
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| | {{tag>Spanish Spain_Mexico History Moctezuma Demons Transcreated Relineated}} |
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