The Song of the Cid (13 page)

 

 

73

 

“Quien quiere ir comigo cercar a Valencia,
todos vengan de grado, ninguno non ha premia;
tres días le speraré en Canal de Celfa.”

 

 

74

 

Esto dixo Mio Cid, el que en buen ora nasco.
Tornavas' a Murviedro ca él ganada se la á.
Andidieron los pregones, sabet, a todas partes,
al sabor de la ganancia non lo quiere[
n
] detardar,
grandes yentes se le acojen de la buena cristiandad.
Creciendo va en rriqueza Mio Cid el de Bivar,
quando vio Mio Cid las gentes juntadas,
conpeçós' de pagar.
Mio Cid don Rrodrigo non lo quiso detardar,
adeliñó pora Valencia e sobr'ellas' va echar,
bien la cerca Mio Cid que non í avía art,
viédales exir e viédales entrar.
Sonando va[n] sus nuevas todas a todas partes,
más le vienen a Mio Cid, sabet, que nos' le van.
Metióla en plazo, si les viniessen uviar;
nueve meses complidos, sabet, sobr'ella yaz[e],
quando vino el dezeno oviérongela a dar.
Grandes son los gozos que van por és logar
quando Mio Cid gañó a Valencia e entró en la cibdad.
Los que fueron de pie cavalleros se fazen;
el oro e la plata ¿quién vos lo podrié contar?
Todos eran rricos, quantos que allí ha.
Mio Cid don Rrodrigo la quinta mandó tomar,
en el aver monedado
treínta
mill marcos le caen,
e los otros averes ¿quién los podrié contar?

Come join my Cid, who's planning a siege
Of Valencia, to make it Christian once more!

 

 

73

 

“Come, whoever would like to join me.
Come, if you want to; I pressure no one.
I'll wait three days for you, down south at Celfa.”

 

 

74

 

My Cid sent out these words, he who was born at the right time,
And then rode back to Murviedro, which was already his.
His messengers, let me tell you, went everywhere,
And anyone who could smell good prizes came running,
A great assembly of decent Christians.
My Cid from Vivar could see himself growing richer,
Observing these crowds of new men. How pleased he was!
Nor did he wait any longer, my Cid, Ruy Díaz:
He set out at once, and began the siege,
Made it so tight, no one could escape,
No one could enter, no one could leave.
News of this siege went everywhere,
And more men came, by God, than ever left him!
The city hoped for relief; he gave them a limit on waiting,
Then gave them the full nine months, believe me, perched at its
gates.
When the tenth month came, they had no choice but surrender.
Valencia was shaken with their rejoicing
When my Cid and his men entered the city.
Now those who fought on foot had horses of their own,
And gold, and silver beyond description.
All his men were suddenly rich.
My Cid, Ruy Díaz, had his share of one-fifth,
Including thirty thousand marks in money—
But who could count the rest?
Alegre era el Campeador con todos los que ha
quando su seña cabdal sedié en somo del alcáçar.

 

 

75

 

Ya folgava Mio Cid con todas sus conpañas.
[
A
] aquel rrey de Sevilla el mandado llegava
que presa es Valencia, que non ge la enparan;
vino los ver con
treínta
mill de armas.
Aprés de la huerta ovieron la batalla,
arrancólos Mio Cid, el de la luenga barba.
Fata dentro en Xátiva duró el arrancada,
en el passar de Xúcar í veriedes barata,
moros en arruenço amidos bever agua.
Aquel rrey de Marruecos con tres colpes escapa.
Tornado es Mio Cid con toda esta ganancia;
buena fue la de Valencia quando ganaron la casa,
más mucho fue provechosa, sabet, esta arrancada,
a todos los menores cayeron
ciento
marcos de plata.
Las nuevas del cavallero ya vedes dó llegavan.

 

 

76

 

Grand alegría es entre todos essos cristianos
con Mio Cid Rruy Díaz, el que en buen ora nasco.
Yal' crece la barba e vále allongando,
dixo Mio Cid de la su boca atanto:
“Por amor del rrey Alfonso que de tierra me á echado,”
nin entrarié en ella tigera, ni un pelo non avrié tajado
e que fablassen d'esto moros e cristianos.
Mio Cid don Rrodrigo en Valencia está folgando,
con él Minaya Álbar Fáñez que nos' le parte de so braço.
Los que exieron de tierra de rritad son abondados,
a todos les dio en Valencia casas, e heredades | de que son
pagados.
El amor de Mio Cid ya lo ivan provando,

The Warrior, and every one of his men, cheered
When, at the soaring top of the fortress, his banner appeared.

 

 

75

 

My Cid and his men took time to rest.
But when the King of Morocco and lord of Seville was informed
Valencia had fallen, for lack of support,
He came to see for himself, with thirty thousand men.
My Cid, he of the long and flowing beard,
Came to meet him just beyond the orchards.
The king's defeated army fled, pursued as far as Játiva—
And what a desperate, floundering fight
The Moors then fought, against the fast-flowing Júcar!
They drank a lot more water than they wanted.
Three times wounded, the king escaped,
And my Cid took back more loot than when he'd taken Valencia,
So much, believe me, that every common soldier
Received a hundred silver marks.
It isn't hard to see how high his reputation rose.

 

 

76

 

All the Christians who'd come with my Cid, Ruy Díaz,
He who was born at just the right time, were delighted.
His beard kept growing, and he meant
To let it grow as long as it liked:
“Because of my love for King Alfonso, who sent me into exile,
No scissors will touch it, not a single hair will be cut.
And let this be told to Moors and Christians alike.”
My Cid, Ruy Díaz, rested in Valencia,
Along with Minaya Alvar Fáñez, never more than an arm's
length away.
Those who had left their homes were now tremendously rich,
They'd been given homes in Valencia, they had lucrative estates:
My Cid had proved his goodwill, and they were pleased,
los que fueron con él e los de después todos son pagados;
véelo Mio Cid que con los averes que avién tomados
que sis' pudiessen ir fer lo ien de grado.
Esto mandó Mio Cid, Minaya lo ovo consejado,
que ningún omne de los sos ques' le non spidiés, o nol' besás la
ma[no],
sil' pudiessen prender o fuesse alcançado,
tomássenle el aver e pusiéssenle en un palo.
Afevos todo aquesto puesto en buen rrecabdo,
con Minaya Álbar Fáñez él se va consejar:
“Si vós quisiéredes, Minaya, quiero saber rrecabdo
de los que son aquí e comigo ganaron algo;
meter los he en escripto e todos sean contados,
que si algunos' furtare o menos le fallaren,
el aver me avrá a tornar | [
a
] aquestos mios vassallos
que curian a Valencia e andan arrobdando.”
Allí dixo Minaya: “Consejo es aguisado.”

 

 

77

 

Mandólos venir a la cort e a todos los juntar,
quando los falló, por cuenta fízolos nonbrar;
tres mill e seiscientos avié Mio Cid el de Bivar,
alégras'le el coraçón e tornós' a sonrrisar:
“¡Grado a Dios, Minaya, e a Sancta María madre!
Con más pocos ixiemos de la casa de Bivar;
agora avemos rriquiza, más avremos adelant.
Si a vós ploguiere, Minaya, e non vos caya en pesar,
enbiarvos quiero a Castiella, dó avemos heredades,
al rrey Alfonso mio señor natural;
d'estas mis ganancias que avemos fechas acá
darle quiero
ciento
cavallos e vós ídgelos levar.
Desí por mí besalde la mano e fırme ge lo rrogad
por mi mugier e mis fıjas, . . . . . . .
si fuere su merced, | quen' las dexe sacar;
enbiaré por ellas e vós sabed el mensage:
‘la mugier de Mio Cid e sus fıjas las infantes

Both those who'd come first, and those who'd come later.
My Cid could tell that some who were suddenly rich
Might slip away, if they were able.
On Minaya's advice, he ordered no one to leave
Without a farewell kiss of their leader's hand,
For he would come after them, and when he caught them
He would take back their wealth, and hang them.
Once this was properly made known,
He spoke to Minaya again:
“Minaya, I'd like you to keep a written record
Of those who came to us and earned a reward—
Set down how many came, and their names,
So if a man leaves us, or something is missing,
He'll give it back to me, and it will be given
To those who stay, guarding the city and patrolling
around it.”
Minaya said: “This is both wise and sensible.”

 

 

77

 

His men were called to the courtyard, all of them together,
And once they'd assembled, he had them counted.
My Cid, from Vivar, was now followed by three thousand
six hundred—
Which warmed his heart and made him smile:
“Minaya, our thanks to God, and Saint Mary, his holy mother!
There were not so many of us, when we left Vivar.
We are rich men, now, and will be much richer.
If you will, Minaya, and it isn't too much trouble,
I'd like to send you to Castile, where you can find my lord
Alfonso, and my estates.
A hundred of the horses we've won
Will go with you, for King Alfonso.
Kiss his hand for me, and beg him
To grant me, if he will, my wife and daughters.
I will send for them; give them this message:
‘My Cid's wife and his two little daughters

de guisa irán por ellas que a grand ondra vernán
a estas tierras estrañas que nos pudiemos ganar.'”
Essora dixo Minaya: “De buena voluntad.”
Pues esto an fablado, piénsanse de adobar;
ciento omnes le dio Mio Cid a Álbar Fáñez
por servirle en la carrer[a] . . . . . .
e mandó mill marcos de plata a San Pero levar
e que los diesse a don Sancho [
e
]l abat.

 

 

78

 

En estas nuevas todos se alegrando,
de parte de orient vino un coronado,
el obispo don Jerónimo so nombre es llamado,
bien entendido es de letras e mucho acordado,
de pie e de cavallo mucho era arreziado.
Las provezas de Mio Cid andávalas demandando,
sospirando el obispo ques' viesse con moros en el campo,
que sis' fartás lidiando e fıriendo con sus manos
a los días del sieglo non le llorassen cristianos.
Quando lo oyó Mio Cid, de aquesto fue pagado:
“¡Oíd, Minaya Álbar Fáñez, por Aquel que está en alto!
Quando Dios prestar nos quiere, nós bien ge lo gradescamos,
en tierras de Valencia fer quiero obispado
e dárgelo a este buen cristiano;
vós, quando ides a Castiella, levaredes buenos mandados.”

 

 

79

 

Plogo a Álbar Fáñez de lo que dixo don Rrodrigo;
a este don Jerónimo yal' otorgan por obispo,
diéronle en Valencia ó bien puede estar rrico.
¡Dios, qué alegre era tod
o
cristianismo
que en tierras de Valencia señor avié obispo!
Alegre fue Minaya e spidiós' e vinos'.

Will be very happy, and received with great honor,
Here in these foreign lands which we have fought for
and won.'”
Then Minaya said: “Gladly.”
Plans for this journey were quickly made.
My Cid gave Alvar Fáñez a hundred men for the trip,
And asked him, if he would, to take with him
A thousand silver marks for the church at San Pedro,
And hand them to the abbot, Don Sancho.

 

 

78

 

Castile received Minaya's message with great applause.
A priest newly arrived from France—
Named Bishop Don Jerónimo,
Well-educated, sensible, and knowing,
An accomplished fighter, on foot or on a horse—
Was trying to learn as much as he could
Of my Cid's great deeds, yearning to fight with the Moors,
Saying he'd be more than satisfied to die in such warfare,
And no one would ever need to mourn him.
When my Cid heard this, he was delighted:
“Hear me, Minaya Alvar Fáñez! O blessèd God on high!
How grateful we should be, when the Lord himself helps us!
I want there to be a bishop here in Valencia
And this good Christian wearing that holy headdress.
On your next visit to Castile, you'll carry good news!”

 

 

79

 

Alvar Fáñez was pleased by these words of Don Rodrigo.
Valencia's bishop was to be this Don Jerónimo,
Who could live there like a king.
Lord, what happiness for all of Christendom,
Knowing Valencia would finally have a bishop!
Minaya was happy, said his farewells, and headed to Castile again.

 

 

80

 

Tierras de Valencia rremanidas en paz,
adeliñó pora Castiella Minaya Álbar Fáñez;
dexarévos las posadas, non las quiero contar.
Demandó por Alfonso, dó lo podrié fallar.
Fuera el rrey a San Fagunt aún poco ha,
tornós' a Carrión, í lo podrié fallar.
Alegre fue de aquesto Minaya Álbar Fáñez,
con esta presenteja adeliñó pora allá.

 

 

81

 

De missa era exido essora el rrey Alfonso,
afé Minaya Álbar Fáñez dó llega tan apuesto,
fıncó sos inojos ante tod' el pueblo,
a los pies del rrey Alfonso cayó con grand duelo,
besávale las manos e fabló tan apuesto:

 

 

82

 

“¡Merced, señor Alfonso, por amor del Criador!
Besávavos las manos Mio Cid lidiador,
los pies e las manos, como a tan buen señor,
quel' ayades merced, ¡sí vos vala el Criador!
Echástesle de tierra, non ha la vuestra amor,
maguer en tierra agena él bien faze lo so:
ganada [
á
] a Xérica e a Onda por nombre,
priso a Almenar e a Murviedro que es miyor,
assí fızo Cebolla e adelant Castejón
e Peña Cadiella que es una peña fuert;
con aquestas todas de Valencia es señor,
obispo fızo de su mano el buen Campeador
e fızo cinco lides campales e todas las arrancó.
Grandes son las ganancias quel' dio el Criador,