Bernal Díaz was an unlikely chronicler of great events. Born poor, he went to America in 1514 as a common soldier and served under conquistadors in Panama and Cuba. In 1519, he joined Cortés’s expedition and garnered an estate in present-day Guatemala, where he lived out his life. In his old age, Díaz wrote The True History of the Conquest of New Spain, a compelling memoir written from a soldier’s perspective.
BERNAL DÍAZ DEL CASTILLO
When we arrived near to [Tenochtitlán], … the Great Moctezuma got down from his litter, and those great Caciques [aristocrats] supported him with their arms beneath a marvelously rich canopy of green coloured feathers with much gold and silver embroidery … which was wonderful to look at. The Great Moctezuma was richly attired according to his usage, and he was shod with sandals, the soles were of gold and the upper part adorned with precious stones. …
Many other Lords walked before the Great Moctezuma, sweeping the ground where he would tread and spreading cloths on it, so that he should not tread on the earth. Not one of these chieftains dared even to think of looking him in the face, but kept their eyes lowered with great reverence. …
When Cortés was told that the Great Moctezuma was approaching, and he saw him coming, he dismounted from his horse, and when he was near Moctezuma, they simultaneously paid great reverence to one another. Moctezuma bade him welcome and our Cortés replied through Doña Marina [Malinali, also called Malinche, Cortés’s Indian mistress and interpreter] wishing him very good health. … And then Cortés brought out a necklace which he had ready at hand, made of glass stones, … which have within them many patterns of diverse colours, these were strung on a cord of gold and with musk so that it should have a sweet scent, and he placed it round the neck of the Great Moctezuma. … Then Cortés through the mouth of Doña Marina told him that now his heart rejoiced having seen such a great Prince, and that he took it as a great honour that he had come in person to meet him. …
Thus space was made for us to enter the streets of Mexico … [despite] the multitude of men and women and boys who were in the streets and in canoes on the canals, who had come out to see us. It was indeed wonderful. …
They took us to lodge in some large houses, where there were apartments for all of us. …
Cortés thanked Moctezuma through our interpreters, and Moctezuma replied, “Malinche, you and your brethren are in your own house, rest awhile,” and then he went to his palaces, which were not far away, and we divided our lodgings by companies, and placed the artillery pointing in a convenient direction, and [we were ordered] … to be much on the alert, both the cavalry and all of us soldiers. A sumptuous dinner was provided for us according to their use and custom, and we ate it at once. So this was our lucky and daring entry into the great city of Tenochtitlan Mexico on the 8th day of November the year of our Saviour Jesus Christ, 1519.
SOURCE : Bernal Díaz del Castillo, The True History of the Conquest of New Spain, trans. A. P. Maudslay (1632; London: Routledge, 1928), 272–275.