3. ‘Ocho años antes de la venida de los españoles, ... y esto se vió cuatro años.’ _Id._, _Hist. Gen._, ii. 271. It occurred in 1509, and lasted over forty days. _Codex Tell. Rem._, in _Kingsborough’s Mex. Antiq._, v. 154; vi. 144. The interpreter of the Codex enters into a lengthy argument to prove it a volcanic eruption, one of his points being that the original picture-writing places the light as appearing behind, or from, the mountains east of the city. In 1510, _Ixtlilxochitl_, _Hist. Chich._, 278, or year five, toxtli. _Codex Chimalpopoca_, MS.; _Camargo_, _Hist. Tlax._, 139. Torquemada, who had no other authority for the preceding comet than Herrera, considered that by the comet was meant this light, i. 234. Humboldt suggests that the fiery pyramid may have been a zodiacal light. Astrologers announced that it portended wars, famine, pestilence, mortality among the lords, every imaginable ill, in fact, and causing one general cry of fear and lament. Montezuma himself was so troubled that he applied for advice to Nezahualpilli, although they had not been on speaking terms for some time. This royal astrologer showed his apprehensions by ordering all campaigns then upon his hands to be suspended, and announced to his confrère that the disasters in store would be brought upon the empire by a strange race. Montezuma expressed his disbelief, and proposed a game of _tlachtli_ to decide the interpretation. As if resigned to the fate predicted for himself, and desirous of showing how little he appreciated wealth and power, Nezahualpilli is said to have staked on the result his kingdom against three turkey-cocks. The wager was not so hazardous, however, as it seemed, for the king of Tezcuco was a good player. After allowing Montezuma to win the first two points, and raising high his hopes, he stopped his exultation by scoring the rest for himself. Still doubtful, Montezuma called on an astrologer famous for his many true announcements, only to receive confirmation of Nezahualpilli’s utterance, whereupon the irate monarch caused the house to be pulled down over the diviner, who perished in the ruins. _Ixtlilxochitl_, _Hist. Chich._, 278-9; _Veytia_, _Hist. Ant. Méj._, iii. 345-7. Clavigero, who connects the game with a comet, is quite earnest in asserting his belief in traditions and presages of the coming of Spaniards, as attested by native paintings and by witnesses of high standing. ‘Se il Demonio pronosticava le future calamità per ingannar que’ miserabili Popoli, il pietosissimo Dio le annunziava per disporre i loro spiriti al Vangelo.’ _Storia Mess._, i. 288-9. According to Duran, the summoning of Nezahualpilli was due to a comet with an enormous tail, which burst upon the view of a temple-watcher