History of the Incas | Page 8

Even handsome edifices
were erected. Here the Incas continued to maintain their independence
for 35 years.
Ocampo opens his story with a very interesting account of the baptism
of Melchior Carlos, son of Carlos Inca, who had become a Christian,
and lived in the palace on the Colcampata at Cuzco. He then describes
the events which culminated in the capture, of the Inca Tupac Amaru,
and gives a pathetic and touching account of the judicial murder of that
ill-fated young prince. Ocampo was an actor in these events and an
eye-witness. The rest of his narrative consists of reminiscences of
occurrences in Vilcapampa after it was occupied by the Spaniards. He
owned property there, and was a settler holding official posts. He tells
of the wealth and munificence of a neighbour. He gives the history of
an expedition into the forests to the northward, which will form
material for the history of these expeditions when it is written. He tells
the story of an insurrection among the negro labourers, and complains
of the spiritual destitution of his adopted land. He finally returns to
Cuzco and gives an account of a very magnificent pageant and tilting
match. But this story should have preceded the mournful narrative of
the fate of Tupac Amaru; for the event took place at the time of the
baptism of Melchior Carlos, and before the Viceroy Toledo became a
regicide. Ocampo's story is that of an honest old soldier, inclined to be
garrulous, but an eye-witness of some most interesting events in the
history of Peru.
I think it is an appropriate sequel to the history by Sarmiento, because it
supplies material for judging whether the usurpation and tyranny were
on the side of the Incas or of their accuser.
[Illustration: Facsimile (reduced) of PAGE II OF THE SARMIENTO
MS. 1572. From the original, Göttingen University Library.
Reproduced and printed for the Hakluyt Society by Donald Macbeth.]

THE
SECOND PART
OF THE
GENERAL HISTORY
CALLED
"INDICA"
WHICH WAS COMPOSED
BY
THE CAPTAIN PEDRO SARMIENTO DE GAMBOA
BY ORDER OF
THE MOST EXCELLENT LORD DON FRANCISCO DE TOLEDO
VICEROY GOVERNOR AND CAPTAIN-GENERAL OF THE
KINGDOMS OF PERU AND MAYOR-DOMO OF THE ROYAL
HOUSEHOLD OF CASTILLE
1572
[Illustration: Facsimile (reduced) of PAGE I OF THE SARMIENTO
MS. 1572. From the original, Göttingen University Library.
Reproduced and printed for the Hakluyt Society by Donald Macbeth.]

TO HIS SACRED CÆSARIAN MAJESTY THE KING, DON
FELIPE, OUR LORD.
Among the excellencies, O sovereign and catholic Philip, that are the
glorious decorations of princes, placing them on the highest pinnacle of
estimation, are, according to the father of Latin eloquence, generosity,
kindness, and liberality. And as the Roman Consuls held this to be the

principal praise of their glory, they had this title curiously sculptured in
marble on the Quirinal and in the forum of Trajan---"Most powerful
gift in a Prince is liberality[12]." For this kings who desired much to be
held dear by their own people and to be feared by strangers, were
incited to acquire the name of liberal. Hence that royal sentence
became immortal "It is right for kings to give." As this was a quality
much valued among the Greeks, the wise Ulysses, conversing with
Antinous[13], King of the Phæacians, said---"You are something like a
king, for you know how to give, better than others." Hence it is certain
that liberality is a good and necessary quality of kings.
[Note 12: "Primum signum nobilitatis est liberalitas."]
[Note 13: Alcinous.]
I do not pretend on this ground, most liberal monarch, to insinuate to
your Majesty the most open frankness, for it would be very culpable on
my part to venture to suggest a thing which, to your Majesty, is so
natural that you would be unable to live without it. Nor will it happen
to so high minded and liberal a lord and king, what befell the Emperor
Titus who, remembering once, during supper time, that he had allowed
one day to pass without doing some good, gave utterance to this
laudable animadversion of himself. "O friends! I have lost a day[14]."
For not only does your Majesty not miss a day, but not even an hour,
without obliging all kinds of people with benefits and most gracious
liberality. The whole people, with one voice, says to your Majesty what
Virgil sang to Octavianus Augustus:
"Nocte pluit tota, redeunt spectacula mane, Divisum imperium cum
Jove Cæsar habet."
[Note 14: "Amici! diem perdidi." Suetonius.]
But what I desire to say is that for a king who complies so well with the
obligation of liberality, and who gives so much, it is necessary that he
should possess much; for nothing is so suitable for a prince as
possessions and riches for his gifts and liberalities, as Tully says, as
well as to acquire