# Ollanta: An Ancient Ynca Drama/Notes

NOTES.
(1) Pachacutec. The ninth Ynca, according to Garcilasso de la Vega. The meaning of the word is, "The earth overturned." Pacha (earth), Cutini (I overturn). So called from his having been a great reformer.
(2) Yupanqui, son of Pachacutec, and tenth Ynca. It was a title of all the Yncas. Literally "You will count," 2d person singular of the indicative future, from Yupani (I count). He who bears the title will count as one who is excellent in virtue and piety. (G. de la Vega, I. lib. ii. cap. 17.)
(3) The name does not occur elsewhere, and has no meaning. But see note in Introduction, p. 11.
(4) Rumi (a stone) and ñahui (eye). The name occurs again, as that of a general of Atahuallpa.
(5) Uillac Umu, the title of the High Priest. Uillac is the past participle of Uillani (I say), and Umu (a diviner). He was the diviner who said to the people what the Sun ordained. (G. de la Vega, III. cap. 22.)
(6) Urco (a male) Huarancca (a thousand).
(7) Hancu (raw) Huayllu (love), Auqui, a nobleman, an unmarried prince. There was a famous rebel chief of the Chancas named Hanco-hualla, but this does not appear to be the same word.
​ (8) Piqui (a flea) Chaqui (foot).
(9) Ana Huarqui. The sister and wife of the Ynca Pachacutec. See G. de la Vega, II. p. 203.
(10) Cusi (joyful) Coyllur (star).
(11) Yma (how) Sumac (beautiful).
(12) Ccacca (rock) Mama (mother).
(13) Pitu (equal) Salla (rocky ground).
(14) A genitive form, common in early Quichua writing, for Yncap. cc or cca as genitives, in place of p and pa, often occur in this drama.
(15) Urpi (a dove): a term of endearment.
(16) Raicuni, I invite, mislead, bewitch.
(17) Musphani, I wander, am puzzled.
(18) This is the perfect optative. Von Tschudi criticises the passage and thinks that sipiyquiman would have been better.
(19) Allco is the Peruvian dog (Canis Ingæ. Tsch.) It has been found buried at the feet of mummies.
(20) I gave an erroneous translation of this passage in my Cuzco and Lima, p. 174, which was furnished to me by a young student of Cuzco. The blunder is noted by Señor Barranca, p. 56.
(21) Ccepi is a burden or load, and it is here used figuratively by Piqui Chaqui for a porter or menial.
(22) Laicca, a soothsayer or wizard. See G. de la Vega and Arriaga.
(23) Cachapuriy, your messenger. Garcilasso has Chaca, and Chasqui. See G. de la Vega, II. p. 119.
​ (24) Von Tschudi and Barranca have Huillca uma in their copies; and Von Tschudi, in a note, says that Uillca uma would be better. Barranca gives a derivation from Huillca, "grandfather," and uma, "head." But my copy has Uillac Umu, the correct term for the High Priest of the Sun. Garcilasso derives it from Uillani (I say), and Umu, a diviner or soothsayer. Uillac is the present participle, and the meaning of Uillac Umu is "The diviner who speaks." Garcilasso has V for U. (G. de la Vega, I. p. 227.)
(25) Rupicola Peruviana (Dum), a beautiful bird with a rich orange plumage and a tuft, used with other birds in sacrifices.
(26) Llautu, the crimson fringe of the Ynca, equivalent to saying that the Ynca will share the throne with him.
(27) Toclla, a lasso. Tocllani, I catch with a lasso.
(28) The copies of Von Tschudi and Barranca have Quellca, "to write," a word of doubtful antiquity. In my copy the ancient word quipu is used.
(29) Hatun Yaya, Great Father, a term applied to the High Priest.
(30) Atoc, the Peruvian fox. Von Tschudi's copy has Asnu (from the Spanish for an ass), and Barranca's Llama. Barranca points out that asnu is the insertion of a careless modern copyist. I believe llama to be a correction hazarded by Señor Barranca. Atoc alone suits the text; and is, no doubt, the most ancient reading.
(31) Rirpu is a mirror, made of polished metal. This speech of Cusi Coyllur is given in the Antiguedades Peruanas, p. 117.
(32) In my copy it is Accochinchay, a comet. In those of Von Tschudi and Barranca the word is Chasca, the planet Venus.
(33) Here Von Tschudi's copy is faulty. He has chaquirichei. It should be chaquichicuy (dry again).
​ (34) The Tuya is a bird that is very mischievous at harvest time (Coccoborus chrysogaster). lla is a diminutive, and y is the first possessive pronoun.
(35) Barranca tells us that eleven species of Peruvian doves have been described, four by Von Tschudi. Urpi is the general name for a dove.
(36) Yarahui, an elegy.
(37) The ending chis, which often occurs in the drama, is an ancient form.
(38) Huanca Uillca was a great chief of the Chancas, who rebelled against the Yncas.
(39 a) Here the particle ñi is inserted for euphony.
(39 b) This speech of Ollanta is given in the Antiguedades Peruanas, p. 117, but without any translation.
(40) The Antis were the inhabitants of the region east of Cuzco.
(41) Sacsahuaman was the hill on which the famous fortress of Cuzco was built.
(42) Here Von Tschudi has misi, a modern word for a cat, instead of allco, as in my copy. See G. de la Vega, II. p. 476.
(43) The doors were fastened by a rope, called huascar.
(44) Achancaray, a red and white flower with which the Indians adorn their hair; a begonia.
(45) Lloclla, a flood or torrent. In the country of Chincha-suyu the word for a torrent is Thuancu, and in the Mochica language, on the coast, it is Yapana.
(46) Urubamba is a pleasant town near Cuzco, in the valley of the Vilca-mayu.
(47) Yacollo, a mantle.
(48) Puna-runa. Puna, the lofty and thinly inhabited regions of the ​Andes. Runa, a man. It seems to imply that the inhabitants of the Punas were timid.
(49) Llullu ccachu. Literally a feeble herb, scarcely raising its head above the ground. The word ccachu belongs to the dialect of the Collas.
(50) Miu is poison.
(51) Queru, a mountain stream, flowing into the Vilca-mayu.
(52) Pachar is a ravine near Ollanta-tambo, opening on to the Vilca-mayu valley.
(53) Aclla, chosen. "The chosen ones," as the Virgins of the Sun were called.
(54) Taparacu is a large butterfly; the appearance of which inside a room was looked upon as a bad omen.
(55) i.e., surrounded by dangers.
(56) The birds used for sacrifice were the Tunqui (Rupicola Peruviana), the Cuntur, and the Parihuana or flamingo.
(57) Rumi-tunqui is a play on the name of the general.
(58) Barranca compares this strategy of Rumi-Ñahui to that of Zopyrus, as described by Herodotus.
(59) Here Rumi-Ñahui is again punning on his name of a stone.
(60) Nucchu, the Salvia. Sunchu is a large yellow composita. The Indians used to boil the leaves, dry them in the sun, and keep them to eat in winter (G. de la Vega, II. p. 376.) The exact meaning of the passage is obscure.
(61) For an account of the celebration of the Raymi, see G. de la Vega, II. p. 22, 155, 162, 445. Ynti-huatana was a circle of stones whence the sun was observed by the priests and people. Ynti is the sun. Huatana is from Huatani (I seize.) (G. de la Vega, I. p. 177.) Hence Huatana, a lasso or halter; and hence a circle, and Huata a year. (G. de la Vega, I. p. 177.)
(62) Siclla, a blue flower.
​ (63) Chayña, a little singing bird (Chrysomitris Magellanica).
(64) Panti, a bush with a beautiful purple flower (Lasiandra Fontanesiana).
(65) Yanahuara, a ravine opening on the valley of the Vilca-mayu between Urubamba and Ollanta-tambo.
(66) Chucchu is the cold fit, in an ague. Hence shivering.
(67) Ccarac yllapa, thunder and lightning, all the accompaniments of a thunderstorm.
(68) Luychu (Cervus Antisiensis, D'Orb.)
(69) This is obscure. Arpay means a blood sacrifice. Barranca says that it also signifies a throne of gold, synonymous with tiana.
(70) Huancar, a drum.
(71) Pincullu, a flute.
(72) Purutu, a bean. Some sort of rattle.
(a) Dances of straw. The ancient Peruvians hung fertile stalks of maize, called huantay-sara and arihuay-sara, on the branches of trees, and danced the arihuay or harvest dance under them. The stalks were afterwards burnt as a sacrifice to the thunder god. See Extirpacion de la idolatria de los Indios del Peru. Pedro de Arriaga, 1621.
(b) The Raymi was the chief festival of the Sun. For a full account of the ceremonies connected with it, see G. de la Vega, II. p. 155.
(c) Rupicola, a bird from the warm forests, with bright orange plumage and tuft.
(d) Situa Raymi was the fourth annual feast in honour of the Sun. See G. de la Vega, II. p. 228.
(e) Auqui is the title of an unmarried prince. In the dialects of the Collas, as well as in those of Chinchay-suyu, this word is used for father.
​ (f) A district to the south of Lake Titicaca.
(g) Rumi-Ñahui is represented as the general or leader of Hanan-Suyu or the upper district, which I take to mean Hanan (or upper) Cuzco.
(h) Natives of the coast valleys.
(i) The Chancas inhabited the country between Cuzco and Guamanga. They were utterly defeated and conquered by Uira-ccocha, the father of Pachacutec, but not before their formidable insurrection had shaken the Ynca power to its foundations.
(j) The heroic chief of the Chancas, defeated in the time of the Ynca Uira-ccocha.
(k) Macana is a war club.
(l) This is a pun of Piqui Chaqui. Huarancca means a thousand, but it is also the name of Ollanta's chief lieutenant.
(m) Uillcañuta is the snowy peak in sight from Cuzco (G. de la Vega, II. p. 255). Ollanta, as the highest of men, is compared to the loftiest among peaks. Uillca means anything sacred.
(n) The use of the word count in these passages, is intended as a pun on the name of the Ynca Yupanqui ("You will count"). See note (2.)
(o) "I would be thy Cañari." This line fixes the date of the play, as in the reign of the Ynca Huayna Ccapac, who died in 1525; or, at the earliest, in that of his father Tupac Yupanqui, who conquered the province of the Cañaris (G. de la Vega, II. p. 335). The Cañaris were famous for their loyalty as vassals of the Yncas; and hence the word Cañari became synonymous for a loyal subject (G. de la Vega, II. p. 336 and note). Afterwards their character changed, and they traitorously helped the Spanish invaders, and betrayed their old masters on all occasions.
(p) "Is it a rock?" This is a play on the name of Mama Ccacca, a woman as relentless and hard as a rock. Cacca means a rock in Quichua; while Caca is an uncle, being brother of the mother.