I always loved the sardonic line "And like some angel's haloed brow You reek of purity" which fits the historical narrative well.
When the Spaniards arrived in the New World they were seen by the Native people as aliens with white skin and facial hair. They had bad hygiene and stank horribly.
As such, the Native people followed them around with incense burners to mask the horrible smell. The Spaniards mistakenly interpreted this as a sign of reverence and a mark of holy honor.
I always loved the sardonic line "And like some angel's haloed brow You reek of purity" which fits the historical narrative well.
When the Spaniards arrived in the New World they were seen by the Native people as aliens with white skin and facial hair. They had bad hygiene and stank horribly.
As such, the Native people followed them around with incense burners to mask the horrible smell. The Spaniards mistakenly interpreted this as a sign of reverence and a mark of holy honor.