Necoc Yáotl — The Enemy of both ends
In case the title didn’t clarify, I’ll focus on one of Tezcatlipoca’s {my favorite(tied with Nergal and Khonsu) deity to talk about} epithets. The one displayed above that is. Do note that any answer or reasoning I give is purely speculative. But I will present proof of it. Do enjoy going down this rabbit hole!
Let’s look at the word Necoc Yáotl first to establish a basis. In the Nahuatl script, it is written as 𐤔𐤒𐤊𐤒𐤇𐤈 𐤉𐤀𐤅𐤋 {that is if we use the standardized orthography developed by the Mexican government in the 20th century}. Based on that it is roughly translated as “The Enemy of both ends” or “The Enemy of both sides”. You may also see it rendered as “The Two-Sided War God”. This might be because the word Yáotl {𐠁𐠄𐠕𐠒𐠒𐠖𐠔𐠣𐠴} can also mean warrior or fighter apart from {meaning} enemy.
In case you’re wondering why Yáotl appears to be written far larger than Necoc Yáotl, that may have to do with how the scribe chose to write them. The Nahuatl script which takes its root and basis in the Aztec/Mexica script changes depending on the surface it was written on {since we mostly have only the well-preserved ones}. This could just be because of the scribe wanting to give it some visual effect. However, it is also noteworthy that this is something I nabbed online from sites that uses the orthography system I mention earlier. It is plausible that the rendition might have been wrong.
Now that that’s out of the way, we first need to establish where and when it was used. The most popular instance is in the Florentine Codex from where it took off and appeared in other {more modern} books on the matter.
“Tezcatlipoca, whose name means Smoking Mirror, was a very powerful god, the enemy of both sides, he who sees and has power over all things. He was also called Titlacauan, We Are His Slaves; and Yoalli Tlauana, Night Drinker; and Telpochtli, Youth; and Mazateuctli, Lord of the Deer; and Ipalnemohuani, He by Whom We Live; and Necoc Yaotl, Enemy of Both Sides.”
Source: Florentine Codex, Book 1, Chapter 2, p. 5
“Tezcatlipoca, the ‘Smoking Mirror,’ was the god who saw everything and was the enemy of both sides — a god who could give life or take it away. In his aspect as lord of the night, he was the lord of the stars, the lord of the nocturnal sky, and the lord of the underworld. He was also the god of war, a god who could be both fierce and protective, and he was the patron of warriors.”
Source: “The Aztecs” by Richard F. Townsend
“Tezcatlipoca, the ‘Smoking Mirror,’ was the enemy of both sides, a god who could bring either fortune or misfortune to humans. He was a mercurial deity who could be both generous and vengeful. His ability to see everything made him a god of prophecy, and his power to change human fate made him a god of magic.”
Source: “The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya” by Mary Miller and Karl Taube
“Tezcatlipoca was the enemy of both sides, the god of duality and opposition, often associated with war, sorcery, and human sacrifice. He was a complex and enigmatic figure, associated with both creation and destruction, light and darkness, life and death. Tezcatlipoca was known for his ability to bring both good and evil to the world, and his dual nature made him a powerful and unpredictable force in Aztec mythology.”
Source: “The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures” edited by Davíd Carrasco
While I might have provided the aforementioned modern sources, the one that will only be considered is the Florentine Codex. Which is still interesting since it is a piece of work by non-Aztec {i.e. European} people. The others just go over the traditional “as a god he can bring misfortune or fortune to mankind” or the {just as generic} “he has conflicted spheres of control” stuff. And I beg to ask; which pagan god doesn’t? Not only in polytheism/paganism but it’s true for monotheists too. Any higher power can have both of them and that still doesn’t change who they are.
Which is why I want to take a look at it. There must be a specific reason as to why this epithet is attributed to Tezcatlipoca and not any other deity. Why him in particular? That’s what I’ll try to explore {when we get there}.
Since we’re already here, I want to focus on the more merciless aspect of Tezcatlipoca. He is inevitably a scary entity. His being an enigma just helps power that explanation up. For instance, he is often times called fearsome and/or is shown as such.
“Tezcatlipoca, the Smoking Mirror, was a god of war and death. He was a fearsome and frightening figure, with eyes that could see into the hearts of men and a mirror on his chest that revealed their true natures. Those who looked into his mirror saw their own deaths reflected back at them, and they trembled in fear.”
Source: The Aztec Creation Myth
“Tezcatlipoca appeared before the warriors in a cloud of smoke and fire, his obsidian knife flashing in the light of the setting sun. His eyes were like burning coals, and his voice was deep and menacing. ‘I demand blood and sacrifice,’ he thundered. ‘Without it, the sun will not rise, and the world will fall into darkness.’”
Source: The Legend of the Fifth Sun
“Tezcatlipoca was a god of the night, and his power was strongest when the world was shrouded in darkness. He was a god of secrets and hidden knowledge, with the ability to see into the hearts of men and reveal their darkest fears and desires. Those who encountered him in the night knew to fear him, for he was a master of the unknown and could strike from the shadows.”
Source: The Night of Tezcatlipoca
But to only cite that is improper. Just as he was merciless he was also merciful. Icnoacatzintli {𐤏𐤍𐤍𐤀𐤅𐤄𐤕𐤍} and Tehimatini {𐤕𐤇𐤌𐤕𐤌𐤍𐤍} which mean “the merciful” and “the one who understands people” respectively are both his epithets as well. So he isn’t scary {completely}. Which is why I have come up with two probable solutions as to why he is called Necoc Yáotl. Disagree if you want to. I’m open to discussions.
Authority
Honestly, this explanation is far-fetched and I don’t exactly agree with it either. But to an extent, it can be used to explain things. For it to work, I’d like you to take a look at the following epithets attributed to Tezcatlipoca:
- Tloque Nahuaque {𐤓𐤋𐤒𐤀 𐤍𐤇𐤁𐤒𐤊𐤀}: “The Lord of the Near and Nigh”, “the one who owns what is close”, or “the one who owns what surrounds [us]”
- Titlacahuan, Titlacahua, or Titlacaua {𐤆𐤄𐤋𐤀𐤏𐤔𐤍𐤍, 𐤆𐤄𐤋𐤀𐤏𐤔𐤀, or 𐤆𐤄𐤋𐤀𐤏𐤔𐤉}: “He who owns human {slaves}”, “{he of} whom we are slaves”, or “whose men we are”
- Teyocoyani {𐤕𐤂𐤅𐤃𐤈𐤆𐤔𐤍𐤀}: “The creator {of people}”
- Ipalnemoani {𐤑𐤐𐤋𐤀𐤍𐤌𐤀𐤍𐤀𐤌𐤀𐤒}: “By whom all live”
- Ilhuicahua {𐤇𐤋𐤉𐤆𐤏𐤀𐤏𐤀}: “Possessor of Heaven/Sky”
- Tlalticpaque {𐤏𐤋𐤇𐤒𐤄𐤏𐤀}: “Possessor of the Earth”
- Tlacatlé Totecué {𐤆𐤋𐤏𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤏𐤀 𐤍𐤕𐤑𐤆𐤌𐤀}: “Oh Master” or “Our Lord”
The simplest explanation that I can think of with these is that Tezcatlipoca had dominion over all there was. And in that sense, it was purely up to him to support both the enemy and the Aztecs. He could bring misfortune to both. Remember, that misfortune for the enemy is a fortune for you, so by that explanation, you can say he is the enemy of both sides. An impartial being. But since it’s way too similar to what most say I don’t like it not one bit.
Change
Now we move to my second solution. I previously described Tezcatlipoca as a god of mysteries and paradoxes and I don’t disagree with that assumption. However, it would be just as fitting to call him a god of change. For that we once more take a look at one of his epithets: Monenequi {𐤑𐤍𐤌𐤀𐤈𐤀𐤐𐤏}; “the arbitrator” or “the one who pretends”. And I think it to be quite fitting for who he is. You see, even some of his epithets dispute as to what Tezcatlipoca is:
- Tlazopilli {𐤏𐤋𐤆𐤅𐤀𐤏𐤉𐤈𐤄}: “Precious Noblemen/son”
- Pilhoacatzintli {𐤐𐤋𐤇𐤏𐤀𐤒𐤕𐤍𐤌𐤋𐤀}: “Revered Father”
- Monantzin {𐤑𐤍𐤌𐤀𐤈𐤍𐤍𐤆𐤉}: “My/your Mother”
- Motatzin {𐤑𐤌𐤄𐤆𐤏𐤍𐤍𐤉}: “My/your father {or brother}”
- Telpochtli {𐤏𐤋𐤇𐤑𐤆𐤏𐤉}: “Youth” or “Young Man”
Why do these matter? Because they imply change. Constant change. Let’s revisit the Quetzalcoatl comparison. OSP {Overly Sarcastic Productions} likened the Feathered Serpent concept to a modern-day toilet. In the sense that it was so commonplace that there was no need to describe what it was. Which is why we don’t see much mention of it in written works. Why would you go to the trouble of describing something that everybody knows about? It’s the same reason we won’t write a manual detailing how to flush a toilet or how to defecate.
And I claimed Tezcatlipoca is the exact opposite. You see regardless of which rendition, which form of the Feathered Serpent you’re looking at; be it Kukulkan or Quetzalcoatl, they are inevitably just that. The Feathered Serpent. Certain characteristics are always in common between them. Even if they are portrayed as humans or not. Tezcatlipoca isn’t like that. He isn’t set in stone. There are multiple forms he can take, and multiple roles he can play. Each of which may only share one similarity. The name Tezcatlipoca.
Take, for instance, the two myths that explain his relation to the god Huitzilopochtli. In the variant which involves the dual god Ometeotl both Tezcatlipoca and Huitzilopochtli are siblings. However, in the one that details Huitzilopchtli’s birth through a mother and his having to fight his siblings, Tezcatlipoca takes the form of {the sorceror} Omacatl. In it, he conspires with Coatlicue to kill Huitzilopochtli.
“Then Tezcatlipoca appeared in the form of Omacatl, a wise old man. He went to visit Coatlicue, the mother of Huitzilopochtli, and spoke to her in secret, saying: ‘Your son is wicked and arrogant. He is not the true lord of the gods. He must be killed before he causes any more harm.’
Coatlicue was frightened by these words, and she agreed to help Tezcatlipoca. Together, they made a plan to kill Huitzilopochtli. But the god was not so easily defeated. He knew of their plan and he took action to defend himself.
Huitzilopochtli appeared before his mother and Tezcatlipoca in all his glory, armed with his weapons and ready for battle. He fought fiercely against Tezcatlipoca, driving him away and exposing his treachery. Coatlicue was ashamed of what she had done and begged her son’s forgiveness.
Huitzilopochtli forgave his mother and offered her protection. He declared himself to be the true lord of the gods and vowed to protect his people from all enemies, both within and without.”
Source: Florentine Codex, Book 2
Exhibit #2 is his relationship with Quetzalcoatl. He worked with him to slay Cipactli and make the Earth yes, but it was later he who wrought havoc on the different Suns. And for my final example, his relation with Xochiquetzal.
“Tezcatlipoca, the Smoking Mirror, desired Xochiquetzal, the goddess of love and beauty. He appeared before her in the guise of a handsome young man and seduced her with sweet words and promises of love. Xochiquetzal was smitten with the god and gave herself to him willingly.
But Tezcatlipoca had no intention of staying with Xochiquetzal. He soon grew bored with her and abandoned her, leaving her heartbroken and alone. Xochiquetzal wept and mourned for her lost love. She felt ashamed and dishonored by what had happened to her.
The other gods took pity on Xochiquetzal and tried to console her. They told her that she was still beautiful and worthy of love, and that Tezcatlipoca was a fickle and cruel god who had brought pain and suffering to many others. Xochiquetzal eventually recovered from her heartbreak, but she never forgot the betrayal of Tezcatlipoca”
Source: Florentine Codex, Book 10
If anything he’s fickle. Whimsical, even more so than others. When the people revere and venerate him, they also fear him for being so mysterious and unpredictable. What he did was what he wanted to do at that moment. Nothing else. If he could protect the Aztecs he could also bring them down {as he did with Tollan}. One of his epithets {there are loads more} is Yoalli Ehecatl {𐤉𐤔𐤇𐤕𐤑 𐤄𐤇𐤇𐤍𐤔𐤕}: “The Night Wind”.
This epithet portrays Tezcatlipoca as impalpable but it also has to do with how he caused nightmares and madness. How he manipulated one’s dreams.
“In the same way, they said that Tezcatlipoca was the ruler of the night, that he was the north, that he was black, that he was the jaguar; and he had the title ‘Yoalli Ehecatl.’ They said that he made people go mad, that he made them ill, that he made them suffer aches and pains. And they said that he was the lord of the sorcerers and the masters of the earth. And they called him ‘the invisible, omnipresent one,’ and they said that nothing escaped his notice, that he saw and knew all things.”
Source: Florentine Codex
“Tezcatlipoca was a complex deity who embodied many different aspects of life and the cosmos. One of his titles was ‘Yoalli Ehecatl,’ which means ‘Night Wind’ or ‘Night Breeze.’ This title emphasized Tezcatlipoca’s connection to the night, darkness, and the mysterious powers associated with them. According to myth, Tezcatlipoca had the power to enter people’s dreams and manipulate their thoughts and emotions. He was believed to be a master of sorcery and was often associated with fate and the cycles of life and death. While there are stories of Tezcatlipoca causing people to go mad, it is important to remember that these are mythological tales rather than historical accounts.”
Source: The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures
Moreover, he also brought liberation by providing drinks such as the pulque. The thing is in my opinion this is what Necoc Yáotl means. Remember the two-sided war god interpretation? Two-sided could just mean that he represented what fights led to. He signified both glory and death, destruction and conquest, victory and loss. And as such he is an enemy to both sides. To him, it could be that everything is just a game. Maybe as a god of fate, he manipulated everything and favored both sides.
It is also very likely that what he was, was seen as a bother. It was difficult to appease him yet he wanted to be appeased. Or in simpler terms, he was so contradictory, whimsical, fickle, and mysterious that people couldn’t understand him. He wasn’t a literal enemy that killed you. Like a work out of Lovecraft’s books, he was ineffable. He was the enemy of your senses. You just can’t understand him. Can’t comprehend him.
Maybe I’m wrong. Who knows? But his being an enemy may have to do with this aspect of his being. Tezcatlipoca isn’t an abomination, he’s an anomaly. Something so simple yet so difficult. Although that’s just my rambling. What do you guys think? I hope you enjoyed it. Have a nice day!
