("The" INCA "discovered seated on the tiana. To him enter the" Uillac Uma, \"in full dress".)
\"Tupac Yupanqui". I greet thee, great and noble Priest!
Hast thou no news of Rumi-aui.
"Uillac Uma". Last night, with guards, I wandered out
On heights towards Uilcauta.
p. 392
Far off I saw a crowd in chains,
No doubt the Anti prisoners,
For they are all defeated quite.
The "cacti" 1 on the mountains smoke,
E'en now the fortress is in flames.
"Tupac Yupanqui". And Ollantay, is he taken?
Perhaps--I hope his life is saved.
"Uillac Uma". Ollantay was among the flames,
'Tis said that no one has escaped.
"Tupac Yupanqui". The Sun, my Father, is my shield,
I am my father's chosen child.
We must subdue the rebel host,
For that I am appointed here.
("Enter a" CHASQUI "with a" quipu "in his hand".)
\"The Chasqui". This morning at the dawn of day,
Rumi-aui despatched this "quipu".
"Tupac Yupanqui" ("to the" Uillac Uma). See what it says.
"Uillac Uma". This knot, coloured burnt "ahuarancu",
Tells us that Tampu too is burnt;
This triple knot to which is hung
Another which is quintuple,
In all of quintuples are three,
Denotes that Anti-suyu's thine,
Its ruler prisoner of war.
"Tupac Yupanqui" ("to the" Chasqui). And thou. Where wert thou?
"The Chasqui". Sole King and Lord! Child of the Sun!
I am the first to bring the news,
That thou mayst trample on the foe,
And in thine anger drink their blood.
"Tupac Yupanqui". Did I not reiterate commands
p. 393
To spare and not to shed their blood--
Not anger but pity is my rule.
"The Chasqui". O Lord, we have not shed their blood;
They were all captured in the night,
Unable to resist our force.
"Tupac Yupanqui". Recount to me in full detail
The circumstances of the war.
\"The Chasqui". For a signal thy warriors wait.
The nights passed at Tinquiqueru, 1
Concealed in the cavern below,
Yanahuara 2 men joining us late.
We waited within the large cave,
Thy men always ready to fight,
Behind foliage well out of sight,
Thy warriors patient and brave.
But for three long days and dark nights,
No food for the zealous and bold;
Feeling hungry, thirsty, and cold,
We waited and watched for the lights. 3
Rumi-aui sent orders at length,
When the "Raymi" 4 they carelessly keep,
And all of them drunk or asleep,
We were then to rush on with our strength.
Word came to surprise our foes,
Rumi-aui had opened the gate,
As cautious and silent as fate--
We were masters with none to oppose.
p. 394
Those rebels fell into the trap,
The arrows came on them like rain,
Most died in their sleep without pain,
Not knowing their fatal mishap.
Ollantay, still trusting, was ta'en,
The same Urco Huaranca befell;
Hanco Huayllu is captive as well,
We thy rebels in fetters detain.
The Antis by thousands are slain,
A fearful example is made,
They are beaten, crushed, and betrayed,
Their women in sorrow and pain.
\"Tupac Yupanqui". As witness of what has occurred,
On Vilcamayu's storied banks,
No doubt thou hast told me the truth.
It was a well designed attack.
(\"Enter" Rumi-aui \"followed by several chiefs".)
\"Rumi-aui". Great Inca, I kneel at thy feet,
This time You will hear my report,
I beseech thee to deign to restore
The trust that I forfeited once.
(\"Kneels".)
\"Tupac Yupanqui". Rise, great Chief, receive my regard,
I accept thy great service with joy;
Thou didst cast o'er the waters. thy net,
And hast captured a marvellous fish.
"Rumi-aui". Our enemies perished in crowds,
Their chiefs were captured and bound,
Overwhelmed by my terrible force,
Like a rook detached from the heights.
"Tupac Yupanqui". Was much blood shed in the assault?
p. 395
\"Rumi-aui". No, Lord, not a drop has been shed,
To thine orders I strictly adhered.
Those Antis were strangled in sleep,
But the fort is entirely razed.
"Tupac Yupanqui". Where are the rebels?
"Rumi-aui". They are waiting with agonised fear,
For their fate, to perish by cords.
The people are sending up cries,
Demanding their deaths without fail.
Their women are now in their midst,
The children raise hideous cries;
It is well that thine order should pass
To finish their traitorous lives.
"Tupac Yupanqui". It must be so without any doubt,
That the orphans may not be alone,
Let all perish, not sparing one,
Thus Cuzco recovers her peace,
Let the traitors be brought before me.
In my presence the sentence they'll hear.
(\"Exit Rumi-aui, and re-enter followed by guards in charge of" Ollantay, Urco Huaranca, \"and" Hanco Hauyllu, \"bound and blindfold, followed by guards with" Piqui Chaqui \"bound".)
\"Tupac Yupanqui". Take the bands off the eyes of those men.
And now, Ollantay, where art thou?
And where art thou, O Mountain Chief?
Soon thou wilt roll down from the heights.
(\"To the soldiers who bring in" Piqui Chaqui.)
Whom have we here?
"Piqui Chaqui". Many fleas in the "Yuncas" abound,
392:1 A kind of cactus, of which they make needles, grows abundantly on the mountains round Ollantay-tampu. It is called "ahuarancu". They set fire to the cacti as a war signal. Zegarra calls it a thistle. The word in the Justiniani text is "ahuarancu".
393:1 See note, p. 371.
393:2 Yanahuara, a ravine near Urubamba, where some of the troops of Rumi-aui had been posted.
393:3 Signal lights.
393:4 Ccapac Raymi, the great festival of the Sun. December 22.
396:1 \"Piqui Chaqui" is literally 'flea foot.' He is punning on his name.
396:2 \"Tocarpu", a pole or stake used at executions. Condemned prisoners were fastened to a "tocarpu" before being hurled over a precipice.
396:3 Piqui Chaqui had an inkling that the Inca had expressed dislike at the shedding of blood. He ventured to say these words in the faint hope that they might remind the Inca of this dislike.
397:1 Rumi-aui at it again: for ever ringing changes on his name "rumi", a stone.
397:2 The plume and the arrow were the insignia of a general.
397:3 Rather a staggerer for Rumi-aui! Perhaps, too, the change is too sudden, and infringes the probabilities. Tupac Yupanqui may have thought that his father had been unjust and that there were excuses. It is known that the young Inca was indignant at some other cruelties of his father. As a magnanimous warrior he may have despised the treacherous methods of Rumi-aui. He may have valued Ollantay's known valour and ability, and have been loth to lose his services. All these considerations may have influenced him more or less. The rebels were the best men he had.
399:1 \"Ranti", a deputy.
400:1 \"Caari", a warlike tribe of Indians, in the south part of the kingdom of Quito. They were first conquered by Tupac Yupanqui, and they became devoted to him.