The return of a lord from the east
The story, found in Cortés's second letter and in later Spanish and Nahua accounts, that the Mexica expected a former lord to come back and reign, and took Cortés for him or for his envoy. Historians disagree about how far it reflects Mexica belief before the conquest.
Moctezuma Comes Out to Meet the Strangers
Bernardino de Sahagún and his Nahua informants, History of the Conquest of Mexico (Book XII of the General History of the Things of New Spain), chapters 15–16, edited by Carlos María de Bustamante (1829) · compiled from the 1550s to the 1570s (events of November 1519)
Ellos estan ausentes señor nuestro, ni estoy dormido, ni soñando, con mis ojos veo vuestra cara y vuestra persona: dias ha que yo esperaba esto: dias ha que mi corazon estaba mirando aquellas partes por donde habeis venido; habeis salido de entre las nubes, y de entre las nieblas, lugar á todos escondido. Esto es por cierto lo que nos dejaron dicho los reyes que pasaron, que habiais de volver á reinar en estos reinos, y que habiades de asentaros en vuestro trono, y en vuestra silla: ahora veo que es verdad lo que nos dejaron dicho. Seais muy bien venido, trabajos habreis pasado viniendo tan largos caminos, descansad ahora, aquí está vuestra casa y vuestros palacios, tomadlos y descansad en ellos con todos vuestros capitanes y compañeros que han venido con vos.”
But they are gone, our lord. I am not asleep or dreaming. With my own eyes I see your face and your person. For a long time I have been waiting for this. For a long time my heart has been looking toward the lands you have come from. You have come out from among the clouds and the mists, a place hidden from everyone. This is surely what the kings who went before us told us: that you would return to reign in these kingdoms, and sit on your throne, on your seat. Now I see that what they told us is true. You are most welcome. You must have suffered hardships on such long roads. Rest now. Here is your house, and here are your palaces. Take them and rest in them with all your captains and companions who have come with you.”