two hours before midday
It was bare but not empty , for on that side of it which looked towards the Spanish quarters were stationed some hundreds of men who hurled missiles into their camp without ceasing . On the other side also were gathered a concourse of priests awaiting the ceremony of my death . Below the great square , fringed round with burnt-out houses , was crowded with thousands of people , some of them engaged in combat with the Spaniards , but the larger part collected there to witness my murder . Now we reached the top of the pyramid , two hours before midday , for there were still many rites to be carried out ere the moment of sacrifice . First I was led into the sanctuary of Tezcat , the god whose name I bore . Here was his statue or idol , fashioned in black marble and covered with golden ornaments . In the hand of this idol was a shield of burnished gold on which its jewelled eyes were fixed , reading there , as his priests fabled , all that passed upon the earth he had created .