Note 176-2 — Chapter VI

Con or Cun I have already explained to mean thunder, Con tici, the mythical thunder vase. Pachacamà is doubtless, as M. Leonce Angrand has suggested, from ppacha, source, and camà, all, the Source of All things (Desjardins, Le Pérou avant la Conq. Espagnole, p. 23, note). But he and all other writers have been in error in considering this identical with Pachacámac, nor can the latter mean creator of the world, as it has constantly been translated. It is a participial adjective from pacha, place, especially the world, and camac, present participle of camani, I animate, from which also comes camakenc, the soul, and means animating the world. It was never used as a proper name. The following trochaic lines from the Quichua poem translated in the previous chapter, show its true meaning and correct accent:—