On the western wall hung an image of the
Sun twenty feet or more across, an enormous graven plate of gold set
about with gems and having eyes and teeth of great emeralds. The roof,
too, and the walls were all panelled with gold, even the cornices and
column heads were of solid gold.
Opening out of this temple also were others dedicated to the Moon and
Stars, that of the Moon being clothed in silver, with her radiant face
shaped in silver fixed to the western wall. So it was with the temple of
the Stars, of the Lightnings and of the Rainbow, which perhaps with its
many colours that sprang from jewels, was the most dazzling of them all.
The sight of so much glory overwhelmed me, and it came into my mind that
if only it were known of in Europe, men would die by the ten thousand
on the chance that they might conquer this country and make its wealth
theirs. Yet here, save for these purposes of ornament and to be used as
offerings to the gods and Incas, it was of no account at all.
But in this temple of the Sun was a marvel greater than its gold.
Pages:
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383