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The Lay of the Cid

R >> R. Selden Rose and Leonard Bacon >> The Lay of the Cid




CXVI.
"In the name of every charity I tell thee, Campeador,
That today to be their keeper I never will remain.
To me they matter little--let him keep them who is fain.
I with my men about me against their van will smite;
Do thou with thine hold firmly the rearward of the fight.
Then canst thou aid me lightly if peril should arise."

Minaya Alvar Fañez came then to him likewise.
"Oh, Cid, give ear, and hearken, Oh faithful Campeador!
For surely in this battle shall God himself make war,
And He will make thee worthy with Him therein to share.
Where 'er thou deemest fitting bid us attack them there.
Each man must do his duty. Upon them let us thrust.
On God and on thy fortune now hangeth all our trust."
My lord Cid said: "Then prithee tarry here yet awhile."
Lo! don Jerome the Bishop who was armed in gallant style,
He stopped before the Campeador. Fair fortune had he aye.
"The Mass of Holy Trinity I sang for thee this day.
For this cause from mine own country did I seek thee and ensue,
Since in the slaughter of the Moor such great delight I knew.
And I am fain to honor both mine order and mine hand.
In the forefront of the battle it is my desire to stand.
And crosses on my pennant, and blazoned arms have I.
If it be God his pleasure, I am fain mine arms to try,
That so at last my spirit in perfect peace may be,
And thou mayst be, my lord the Cid, better content with me.
If thou cost me not this honor, from thy side I will retire."

The lord Cid gave him answer: "I am pleased with thy desire.
Of the Moors go make a trial, lo, where they are in sight.
From hence we shall behold it, how the Abbot fights the fight."

CXVII.
And don Jerome the Bishop went spurring thence away.
'Gainst the cnd of the encampment lie guided forth the fray.
By his good hap and God's mercy who ever loved him well,
At the first stroke he delivered two Moors before him fell.
When in twain his lance was broken, he set hand upon the blade.
Well was he tried. And Name of God! what a fair fight he made!
Two with the lance, and with the sword five of the foe he slew.
The Moors are very many. Around him close they drew,
They did not pierce his armour, though they laid on strokes of
power.

His eyes beheld the Bishop, who was born in happy hour,
He caught his shield, the battle-spear he laid it low along,
He spurred Baviéca the well-paced steed and strong,
He went to smite against them with all his soul and heart.
The foremost ranks of battle did the lord Cid dispart:
Of the Moors he struck down seven, and five of them hath slain.
God was well pleased, the battle it was granted him to gain.
My lord Cid and his henchmen in hot pursuit they went.
There had you seen the stakes uptorn and may a tent-rope rent,
And all the ten-poles falling that were wrought so rich and brave.
From the tents, my lord Cid's vassals King Búcar's henchmen
drave.

CXVIII.
Out of the tents they drave them; on them in pursuit they flew.
Many arms and many a hauberk, had you seen there cloven through,
And many a head well helmed in the battle fallen low,
And many a steed masterless that galloped to and fro.
For seven miles together they followed up the flight.
As he followed, on King Búcar the Cid my lord did light:
"Turn hither, Búcar. thou hast come from the land over sea.
The Cid whose beard is mighty thou shalt meet with presently.
Let us greet, and in fast friendship let each to each be bound."
To the Cid answered Búcar: "Such a friendship God confound.
A sword in hand thou bearest, and I see thee spur amain,
Seemeth well that thou upon me to try that blade art fain.
If my horse keep from stumbling and falleth not with me.
Thou shalt not overtake me till we ride into the sea."
My lord Cid answered: "With the truth that word no faith shall
keep."
A good steed had Búcar that sprang off great leap on leap.
But the Cid's Baviéca upon him fast did gain.
Three fathoms from the water was Búcar overta 'en.
He has lifted up Coláda. A great stroke did he smite.
The carbuncles upon his heml he has smitten through forthright.
He cut straight through the helmet, all else in twain he crave,
And slashing to the girdle of the King came down the glaive.
Búcar the King from oversea the Cid hath overthrown.
Well worth a thousand golden marks was the great sword Tizón,
That he took there. 'Twas a victory most marvelous and great.
Here my lord Cid got honor and all that on him wait.

CXIX.
And now with all that booty, homeward again they wheeled.
And be it known that steadfastly they plundered all the field.
With him who in good hour was born to the fonts they came once
more;
My lord the Cid Roy Diaz, the famous Campeador,
With two swords he greatly cherished through the carnage swiftly
passed.
O'er his brow his cap was wrinkled, back was his mail-hood cast,
And but a little ruffled was the cap upon his hair.
On every side his henchmen came thronging to him there.
My lord the Cid saw somewhat and was well pleased thereby,
For he looked forth before him lifting up his eyes on high.
And Diégo and Ferrándo he beheld, that near him drew.
Of the Count don Gonzalvo the children were the two.
My lord the Cid smiled beautifully, for a glad man was he.

"Are ye come here, my sons-in-law? Ye are both sons to me.
I know that with the fighting ye are right well content.
To Carrión fair tidings that concern you shall be sent,
How by us the King Búcar unto defeat was thrust.
As sure as unto the Lord God and all his saints I trust,
With the rout of the foeman shall we all we be satisfied.
Minaya Alvar Fañez came now unto his side.
Hacked with the swords was all the shield that at his neck he
wore.
The strokes of many lances had scarred it furthermore.
They that those strokes had stricken, had reaped therefrom no
gain.
Down the blood streamed from his elbows. More than twenty had he
slain.
"To God and to the Father on High now praises be,
And Cid who in good hour wast born so likewise unto thee.
Thou slewest the King Búcar, and we ha' won the day.
To thee and to thy vassals belongeth all the prey.
And as for thy two sons-in-law they have been proved aright,
Who got their fill of Moorish war upon the field of fight."

Said my lord Cid in answer, I therefore am right glad.
Since they are proved, hereafter in esteem shall they be had."

In honesty he said it, but a jest the thing they thought.
The prey unto Valencia they gathered and they brough't.
My lord the Cid was merry and his vassals with him there.
Six hundred marks of silver were allotted to his share.

The sons-in-law of my lord Cid, when they had ta'en away
Their war-prize, when the booty safe in their hand had they,
Took care that no decrease thereof should in their time be made.
In the city of Valencia they were splendidly arrayed,
Feeding well, and wearing noble cloaks and gallant capes of fur.
The Cid and all his henchmen exceeding glad they were.

CXX.
'Twas a great day in the palace of the Cid Campeador,
When he had slain King Búcar and they won the field of war.
He raised his hand, he plucked his beard: "To Christ now glory be,
Who is the Lord of all the Earth, for my desire I see,
That with me in the battle my two sons should front the foe.
Of them most noble tidings to Carrión shall go:
How they are greatly honored, and what renown they gain."

CXXI.
It was a mighty booty that the Cid his host had ta 'en.
Part is their own. In safety they kept the rest aside.
My lord the Cid gave orders who was born in a good tide,
That to all men of that conquest his true share they should allot,
And that the fifth of my lord Cid should nowise be forgot.
And all mcn did according, being prudent one and all.
For his fifth, six hundred horses to my lord Cid did fall,
And there were many camels and, moreover, mules as well.
Of them there were so many, that their number none might tell.

CXXII.
All of this prey was captured by the great Campeador:
"Now unto God be glory who is Lord the whole world o'er.
Before I was in poverty who have grown rich and great,
For now I have possessions, gold, honor, and estate;
And the two Heirs of Carrión my sons-in-law are they.
And since it is God's pleasure I win in every fray;
And the Moors and the Christians they have great dread of me.
And over in Morocco, where many mosques there be,
Where all men are in terror lest upon them I descend
On some fine night. That venture in no way I intend--
I shall not go to seek them. In Valencia I shall stay.
By God's aid, to me their tribute they shall render up and pay.
To me or unto whom I will, they shall pay the money down."

Very great was the rejoicing in Valencia the town
That rose in all the levies of the Cid Campeador,
That God's will hath vouchsafed them to triumph in the war.
Likewise of both his sons-in-law excelling was the mirth,
For each of them won booty five thousand marks in worth.
Themselves they deem right wealthy, those Heirs of Carrión twain.

And they with all the others to the palace came again.
With my lord the Cid the Bishop don Jerome standeth here.
And the good AIvar Fañez, the fighting cavalier.
Of the Campeador his household are many others by.
When the heirs of Carrión entered, they were given greeting high.
By Minaya for the sake of my lord Cid Campeador:
"Come, brothers, by your presence now are we honored more."
When they were come the Campeador was merry of his cheer:
"Lo! now behold, my sons-in-law, my faithful wife and dear,
With Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra that are my daughters twain,
Now nobly may they serve you and nobly entertain.
Now glory to Saint Mary, Mother of our Lord! God's name!
You are like from these your marriages to win abundant fame.
Unto the land of Carrión fair tidings shall be sped."

CXXIII.
Out spake the Heir Ferrándo when all the word was said:
"Glory to the Creator, and, noble Cid, to thee.
We have so many riches that numberless they be.
Through you we have much honor, and we have fought for you;
We conquered the Moriscos in the battle, and we slew
King Búcar, proven traitor, so pray you have a care
Now for some other matter; well marcheth our affair."

My lord the Cid his henchmen spake smiling round about
Of whoso fought most fiercely or best pursued the rout.

But Diégo and Ferrándo mid such men they did not find.
And now in all the japing the henchmen had designed
Both day and night together they mocked sore the Heirs again.
A very evil counsel together took the twain.
Verily they are brothers, forthwith apart they turn
To the thing that they have spoken, let us have no concern.
"Let us return to Carrión. Here overlong we wait.
The riches wc have gathered are excellent and great.
We cannot hope to spend them in the mountance of our lives.

CXXIV.
"Now of the Cid the Campeador let us demand our wives.
Let us say that we will bear them to the lands of Carrión.
The place where they are heiresses shall unto them be shown.
We shall take them from Valencia, from the Campeador his reach.
And then upon the journey we shall work our will on each,
Ere the matter of the lion for a sore reproach and scorn
They turn to our discomfort who are heirs of Carrión born.
We shall bear with us of treasure nigh priceless a fair stock.
Of the daughters of the Campeador we two shall make our mock.
We shall be rich men always who possess such valiant things,
And fit to marry daughters of emperors or kings,
Who art the Counts of Carrión by virtue of our birth.
The Campeador his daughters we shall mock at in our mirth.
Ere the matter of the lion they throw at us in disdain."

When this they had decided the two returned again.
Ontspake Ferránd Golzalvez for silence in the Court:

"Cid Campeador, so may our God abide thy strong support,
May it please Dame Xiména, but first seem good to thee,
And Minaya Alvar Fañez and all men here that be
Give us our wives. By marriage are they ours in very deed.
Unto our lands in Carrión those ladies we will lead.
With the dower-lands to enfeoff them that we gave for bridal right
Of the lands of our possession, thy daughters shall have sight,
And those wherein the children to be born to us shall share."

The Cid my lord the Campeador scented no insult there:
"I shall give you my daughters and of my wealth dispone.
Ye gave them glebe of dowry in the lands of Carrión,
Three thousands marks of dower shall to my girls belong.
I will give mules and palfreys both excellent and strong,
And great steeds of battle swift and of mighty thew,
And cloth and silken garments with the gold woven through.
Coláda and Tizón the swords I will give to you likewise
Full well ye know I got them in very gallant guise.
My sons ye are, for to you do I give my daughters two.
My very heart's blood thither ye carry home with you.
In León and in Galicia and Castile let all men hear
How I sent forth my sons-in-law with such abundant gear.
And serve you well my daughters, your wedded wives that be.
An you serve them well rich guerdon ye shall obtain of me."
To this the heirs of Carrión their full assent made plain.
The daughters of the Campeador were given them and ta'en,
And they began receiving as the Cid's orders went.
When of all their heart's desire they were at last content,
Then Carrión's heirs commanded that the packs be loaded straight,

Through Valencia the city was the press of business great,
And all have taken weapons and all men gallop strong,
For they must forth the daughters of the Cid to speed along
Unto the lands of Carrión. To mount all men prepare,
Farewell all men are saying. But the two sisters there,
Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra, kneeled to the Cid Campeador:
"A boon, so may God keep thee, O father, we implore.

Thou begottest us. Our mother she brought us forth in pain.
Our liege-lord and our lady, here do ye stand ye twain.
Now to the lands of Carrión to send us is your will;
It is our bounden duty thy commandment to fulfil.
And so we two together ask but this boon of thee,
That in the lands of Carrión thy tidings still may be."
My lord the Cid has clasped them, and he has kissed the twain.

CXXV.
This hath he done. Their mother hath doubled it again.
"Go, daughters! the Creator of you henceforth have care
Mine and your father's blessing you still with you shall bear.
Go forth where you are dowered in Carrión to dwell.
I have, after my thinking, married you passing well."
The hands of their father and their mother kissed the two.
Blessing and benediction they gave to them anew.

My lord Cid and the others have fettled them to ride,
With armor and with horses and caparisons of pride.
From Valencia the splendid were the Heirs departing then.
They took leave of the ladies and all their bands of men.
Through the meadow of Valencia forth under arms they went.
The Cid and all his armies were very well content.
He who in good hour belted brand in signs had seen it plain
That these marriages in no way should stand without a stain.
But since the twain are married, he may not repent him now.

CXXVI.
"My nephew Felez Múñoz, I prithee where art thou?
Thou art my daughters' cousin in thy soul and in thine heart.
With them even unto Carrión I command thee to depart.
Thou shalt see what lands for dower to my girls are given o'er,
And shalt come again with tidings unto the Campeador.''

Quoth Felez Múñoz: "Heart and soul that duty pleases me."
Minaya Alvar Fañez before the Cid came he:
"Back to the town of Valencia, Oh Cid, now let us go;
For if our God and Father the Creator's will be so,
To Carrión's lands thy daughters to visit we shall wend.
Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra, to God do we commend.
Such things may you accomplish as will make us glad and fain."

The sons-in-law gave answer: "Now that may God ordain."

They lamented much at parting. Daughters and sire wept sore,
So also wept the cavaliers of the Cid Campeador.
"Thou, cousin, Felez Múñoz, now hark to this aright.
Thou shalt go by Molína, and there shalt lie one night,
And greet fair the Morisco Avengalvón my friend;
That he may most fair reception to my sons-in-law extend.
Tell him I send my daughters to the lands of Carrión,
In all their needs his courtesy as beseemeth shall be shown.
Let him ward them to Medína for the love he beareth me.
For all that he cloth for them I will give him a rich fee."

They parted then, as when the nail out of the flesh is torn.

He turned back to Valencia who in happy hour was born.
And now the Heirs of Carrión have fettled them to fare.
Saint Mary of Alvarrazín, their halting-place was there.

From thence the Heirs of Carrión plied furiously the spur.
Ho! in Molína with the Moor Avengalvón they were.
The Morisco when he heard it in his heart was well content,
And forth with great rejoicings to welcome them he went.
Ah, God! how well he served them in what e 'er their joy might be!
The next day in the morning to horse with them got he.
He bade two hundred horsemen for escort forth to ride.
They crossed the mountains of Luzón (so are they signified),
And the Vale of Arbujuélo to the Jalón they came.
The place where they found lodging, Ansaréra is its name.
Unto the daughters of the Cid, the Moor fair presents gave,
And to either Heir of Carrión beside a charger brave.
For the love he bore the Campeador, all this for them he wrought.

They looked upon the riches that the Moor with him had brought
And then together treason did the brothers twain concert.
"Since the daughters of the Campeador we shortly shall desert,
If but we might do unto death Aengalvon the Moor,
The treasure he possesses for ourselves we should secure
Safe as our wealth in Carrión those goods we will maintain.
And ne'er will the Cid Campeador avenge on us the stain."
While they of Carrión this shame complotted each with each,
In the midst a Moor o'erheard them, that could of Latin speech.
He kept no secret. With it to Avengalvón he ran:
"Thou art my lord. Be wary of these persons, Castellan.
I heard the heirs of Carrión that plotted death for thee."

CXXVII.
This same Avengalvón the Moor, a gallant man was he
He got straightway on horseback with servitors ten score.
He brandished high his weapons, he came the Heirs before.
And the two Heirs with what he said but little pleased they are:
"If for his sake I forebore not, my lord Cid of Bivár,
I would do such deeds upon you as through all the world should
ring,

And then to the true Campeador his daughters would I bring.
And unto Carrión never should you enter from that day.

CXXVIII.
What I have done against you, ho! Heirs of Carrión, say,
For without guile I served you, and lo, my death ye plot.
For wicked men and traitors I will leave you on the spot.
Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra with your good leave I go;
For of these men of Carrión I rate the fame but low.
God will it and command it, who is Lord of all the Earth.
That the Campeador hereafter of this match have joy and mirth."
That thing the Moor has told them, and back he turned him there.
When he crossed over thee Jalón, weapon he waved in air.
He returned unto Molína like a man of prudent heart.

And now from Ansaréra did Carrión's Heirs depart;
And they began thereafter to travel day and night.
And they let Atiénza on the left, a craggy height.
The forest of Miédes, now have they overpassed,
And on through Montes Claros they pricked forward spurring fast.
And then passed Griza on the left that Alamos did found.
There be the caves where Elpha he imprisoned underground.
And they left San Estévan, on their right that lay afar.
Within the woods of Corpes, the Heirs of Carrión are.
And high the hills are wooded, to the clouds the branches sweep,
And savage are the creatures that roundabout them creep;
And there upon a bower with a clear spring they light
And there the Heirs of Carrión bade that their tent be pight.
There with their men about them, that night they lay at rest.
With their wives clasped to their bosom their affection they
protest,
But ill the twain fulfilled it, when the dawn came up the East.
They bade put goods a plenty on the back of every beast.
Where they at night found lodging, now have they struck the tent.
The people of their household far on before them went.
Of the two Heirs of Carrión so the commandment ran,
That none behind should linger, a woman or a man.
But Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra their wives shall tarry still,
With whom it is their pleasure to dally to their fill.

The others have departed. They four are left alone.
Great evil had been plotted by the Heirs of Carrión.
"Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra, ye may take this for true:
Here in the desert wildwood shall a mock be made of you.
Today is our departure, we will leave you here behind.
And in the lands of Carrión no portion shall you find.
Let them hasten with these tidings to the Cid Campeador.
Thus, the matter of the lion, we avenge ourselves therefor."

Their furs and their mantles, from the ladies they have whipped.
In their shifts and their tunics they left the ladies stripped.
With spur on heel before them those wicked traitors stand,
And saddle-girths both stout and strong they have taken in the
hand.
When the ladies had beheld it, then out spake Sol the dame:
"Don Diégo, don Ferrándo, we beeech you in God's name.
You have two swords about you, that for strength and edge are
known.
And one they call Coláda, the other is Tizón.
Strike off our heads together, and martyrs we shall die.
The Moriscos and the Christians against this deed shall cry.
It stands not with our deserving that we should suffer thus.
So evil an example, then do not make of us.
Unto our own abasement, if you scourge us, you consent,
That men will bring against you in parle and parliament."

Naught profits it the ladies, however hard they pray.
And now the Heirs of Carrión upon them 'gan to lay.
With the buckled girths they scourged them in fashion unbeseen,
And exceeding was their anguish from the sharp spurs and keen.
They rent the shifts and wounded the bodies of the two,
And forth upon the tunics the clear blood trickled through.
In their very hearts the ladies have felt that agony.
What a fair fortune were it, if God's will it might be,
Had then appeared before them the Cid the Campeador.

Powerless were the ladies, and the brothers scourged them sore.
Their shifts and their sullies throughout the blood did stain.
Of scourging the two ladies wearied the brothers twain,

Which man should smite most fiercely they had vied each with each.
Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra had no longer power of speech.
Within the wood of Corpes for dead they left the pair.

CXXIX.
Their cloaks and furs of ermine along with them they bare,
In their shifts and tunics, fainting, they left them there behind,
A prey to every wild-fowl and beast of savage kind.

Know you, for dead, not living, they left them in such cheer.
Good hap it were if now the Cid, Roy Diaz, should appear.

CXXX.
The Heirs of Carrión for dead have left them thus arrayed,
For the one dame to the other, could give no sort of aid.
They sang each other's praises as they journeyed through the wood:
"For the question of our marriage we have made our vengeance good.
Unbesought, to be our lemans we should not take that pair,
Because as wedded consorts for our arms unfit they were.
For the insult of the lion vengeance shall thus be ta'en."

CXXXI.
They sang each other's praises, the Heirs of Carrión twain.
But now of Felez Múñoz will I tell the tale once more.
Even he that was nephew to the Cid Campeador.
They had bidden him ride onward, but he was not well content.
And his heart smote within him as along the road he went.
Straightway from all the others' a space did he withraw.
There Felez Múñoz entered into a thick-grown straw,
Till the coming of his cousins should be plain to be perceived
Or what the Heirs of Carrión as at that time achieved.
And he beheld them coming, and heard them say their say,
But they did not espy him, nor thought of him had they.
Be it known death he had not scaped, had they on him laid eye.
And the two Heirs rode onward, pricking fast the spur they ply.
On their trail Felez Múñoz has turned him back again.
He came upon his cousins. In a swoon lay the twain.
And crying "Oh my cousins!" straightway did he alight.
By the reins the horse he tethered, and went to them forthright.

"Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra, cousins of mine that be,
The two Heirs of Carrión have borne them dastardly.
Please God that for this dealing they may get a shameful gain."
And straightway he bestirred him to life to bring the twain.
Deep was their swoon. Of utterance all power they had forlorn.
Of his heart the very fabric thereby in twain was torn.
"Oh my cousins Dame Elvíra and Dame Sol," he cried and spake,
"For the love of the Creator, my cousins twain, awake,
While yet the day endureth, ere falls the evening-hour,
Lest in the wood our bodies the savage beast devour."

In Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra fresh life began to rise;
And they looked on Felez Múñoz when at last they oped their eyes:
"For the love of God my cousins, now be of courage stout.
From the time the Heirs of Carrión shall miss me from their rout,
With utmost speed thereafter will they hunt me low and high.
And if God will not help us, in this place we then must die."
To him out spoke the Lady Sol in bitter agony:
"If the Campeador, our father, deserveth well of thee,
My cousin give us water, so may God help thee too."
A hat had Felez Múñoz, from Valencia, fine and new,
Therein he caught the water, and to his cousins bore.
To drink their fill he gave them, for they were stricken sore.
Till they rose up, most earnestly he begged them and implored.
He comforts them and heartens them until they are restored.
He took the two and quickly set them a-horse again.
He wrapped them in his mantle. He took the charger's rein
Aud sped them on, and through Corpes Wood they took their way.
They issued from the forest between the night and day.
The waters of Duéro they at the last attain.
At Dame Urráca's tower he left behind the twain,
And then unto Saint Stephen's did Felez Múñoz fare.
He found Diégo Tellez, Alvar Fañez' vassal, there.
When he had heard those tidings on his heart great sorrow fell.
And he took beasts of burden and garments that excel.
Dame Sol and Dame Elvíra to welcome did he go.
He lodged the in Saint Stephen's. Great honor did he show
Those ladies. In Saint Stephen's very gentle are the men,
When they had heard the tidings their hearts were sorry then.
To the Cid's daughters tribute of plenteous fare they yield.
In that place the ladies tarried, till the time when they were
healed.

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