also be noted that quetzal, the name of
the most precious feathers the natives possessed, resembles in sound, the
second part of the Nahuatl words for flame=tle-cuecal-lotl, or for "tongue
of fire"=tle-cuecal-nenepilli. That the feathered serpent was an image of
the divinity is finally proven, I think, by the following passage from
Sahagun which establishes that the earliest form, under which the divinity
was revered by the Mexicans, was that of fire: "Of all the gods the [most]
ancient one is the God of Fire, who dwells in the midst of flowers, in an
abode surrounded by four walls and _is covered with shining feathers like
wings_" (_op. cit._ book VI, chap. IV). It is thus shown that whilst the
word ihuitl=feather suggested something divine, the word quetzal, besides
being the name of a particular kind of feather, conveyed the idea of
something resplendent or shining [like fire]. The name for serpent, coatl,
signified twin; thus there is a profound analogy between the Maya and
Mexican symbol, pointing, however, to the Yucatan form as the most
ancient.

Let us see how the name Quetzal-coatl occurs in Mexico. It is given as the
name of the "supreme god whose substance was as invisible and intangible
as air," but who was also revered as the god of fire. The constant
reference to air in connection with the supreme divinity caused him to be
also adored as the god of air and of the four winds. On the other hand,
the divine title of Quetzal-coatl was carried by the culture-hero whose
personality has been discussed and who was a Yucatec ruler and high
priest. Sahagun (_op. cit._ book III, chap. IX) informs us that
"Quequet-zalcoa," the plural form of the word Quetzalcoatl, was employed
to designate "_the high priests_ (elsewhere designated as the 'supreme
pontiffs') _who were the successors of Quetzalcoatl_." He also states that
"the high priest of the temple was [the representative of] the god
Quetzalcoatl" (book I, chap. 5). "The priest who was most perfect in his
conduct and in wisdom was elected to be high priest and assumed the name
of Quetzalcoatl.... There were two such high priests equal in rank and
honours.... One of these, the Quetzalcoatl Totec Tlamacazqui, was in the
service of Huitzilopochtli." Without pausing here to analyze this title
since it will be discussed in detail in another publication I will only
repeat that, after years of careful research, I have obtained the
certainty that the foregoing title and off