Notes for Song XXII
The ordinary sad burden of the Nahuatl poets is repeated with emphasis in this plaint. It is a variation of the Epicurean advice, “Eat, drink, and be merry, for to-morrow we die.” Both the sentiment and the reference to Mictlan in verse 7, point it out as a production uninfluenced by Christian teaching.
7. The word ahuicaloyan, place of sweetness, would seem to be identical with ohuicaloyan, place of difficulty, in v. 8; I have regarded the latter as an error of transcription.