Native American Legends
How the Incas began to terrorize over the lands
An Inca Legend
Having explained that, in ancient times, all this land was owned
by the people, it is necessary to state how the Incas began their
tyranny.
Although the tribes all lived in simple liberty without recognizing
any lord, there were always some ambitious men among them, aspiring
for mastery. They committed violence among their countrymen and
among strangers to subject them and bring them to obedience under
their command, so that they might serve them and pay tribute.
Thus bands of men belonging to one region went to others to make
war and to rob and kill, usurping the lands of others.
As these movements took place in many parts by many tribes, each
one trying to subjugate his neighbor, it happened that 6 leagues
from the valley of Cuzco, at a place called Paccari-tampu, there
were four men with their four sisters, of fierce courage and evil
intentions, although with lofty aims.
These, being more able than the others, understood the pusillanimity
of the natives of those districts and the ease with which they could
be made to believe anything that was propounded with authority or
with any force. So they conceived among themselves the idea of being
able to subjugate many lands by force and deception.
Thus all the eight brethren, four men and four women, consulted
together how they could tyrannize over other tribes beyond the place
where they lived, and they proposed to do this by violence.
Considering that most of the natives were ignorant and could easily
be made to believe what was said to them, particularly if they were
addressed with some roughness, rigor and authority, against which
they could make neither reply nor resistance because they are timid
by nature, they sent abroad certain fables respecting their origin,
that they might be respected and feared.
They said that they were the sons of Viracocha Pachayachachi, the
Creator, and that they had come forth out of certain windows to
rule the rest of the people. As they were fierce, they made the
people believe and fear them, and hold them to be more than men,
even worshipping them as gods. Thus they introduced the religion
that suited them.
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