The Song of the Cid (28 page)

 

Pedro Bermúdez tried to talk;
His tongue stopped him, would not let a word come out—
But once he began, believe me, no one could stop him!
“Cid, that's becoming a habit!
Especially at court, you call me Dumb Pedro!
You know, in fact, I can't talk better—
But nothing's ever missing from what I
do
.

 

“Fernando, everything you've said is a lie!
Being with Warrior Cid improved your reputation.
I know some Fernando tales worth telling:
Remember, we fought in front of Valencia?
You begged the Cid to let you strike first,
You saw a Moor, and began to ride at him—
Then you turned and ran before you reached him!
He was ready to beat you black and blue,
But I galloped past you and attacked him.
I killed him with a couple of strokes.

fasta este día no lo descubrí a nadi.
Delant Mio Cid e delante todos ovístete de alabar
que mataras el moro e que fızieras barnax;
croviérontelo todos, mas non saben la verdad.
¡E eres fermoso, mas mal varragán!
Lengua sin manos, ¿cuémo osas fablar?

 

 

144

 

“Di, Ferrando, otorga esta rrazón:
¿non te viene en miente en Valencia lo del león,
quando durmié Mio Cid e el león se desató?
E tú, Ferrando, ¿qué fızist con el pavor?
¡Metístet' tras el escaño de Mio Cid el Campeador!
Metístet', Ferrando, por ó menos vales oy.
Nós cercamos el escaño por curiar nuestro señor,
fasta dó despertó Mio Cid, el que Valencia gañó;
levantós' del escaño e fues' pora'l león.
El león premió la cabeça, a Mio Cid esperó,
dexós'le prender al cuello e a la rred le metió.
Quando se tornó el buen Campeador,
a sos vassallos violos aderredor,
demandó por sus yernos, ¡ninguno non falló!
Rriébtot' el cuerpo por malo e por traidor,
éstot' lidiaré aquí ant' el rrey don Alfonso
por fıjas del Cid, don Elvira e doña Sol,
por quanto las dexastes menos valedes vós;
ellas son mugieres e vós sodes varones,
en todas guisas más valen que vós.
Quando fuere la lid, si ploguiere al Criador,
tú lo otorgarás a guisa de traidor;
de quanto he dicho verdadero seré yo.”
D'aquestos amos aquí quedó la rrazón.

Then I let you take his horse,
And never said a word, until today.
I heard you boasting to Cid, and everyone else,
About your great conquest.
Not knowing the truth, they all believed you.
You look good on a horse, but you're a coward!
You talk, you don't
do
! How dare you talk?

 

 

144

 

“Tell me, Fernando, admit it.
Didn't you run from the lion, in Valencia,
When my Cid was sleeping and the beast got out?
And you, Fernando, what did fear make you do?
You hid beneath the bench where Cid was sleeping!
You hid, and now I'm telling the truth!
The rest of us rallied around my Cid,
To protect our sleeping lord,
Until he woke, walked over to the lion,
Which stopped and waited, bending its head,
And Warrior Cid led him, by the mane, back to his cage.
And then my Cid saw you were missing
And asked his men where you were. No one knew!

 

“And now I challenge you, you scoundrel, you traitor.
And we will fight here, in front of King Alfonso,
In the names of Doña Elvira and Doña Sol!
What you did to them destroys your honor!
They're women, and you're supposed to be a man,
But they own far greater honor than you.
When we come to blows—God willing—
I'll make you confess you're a traitor,
And every word I've spoken is true.”
And that was the end of this argument.

 

 

145

 

Diego Gonçález odredes lo que dixo:
“De natura somos de los condes más li[
m
]pios,
estos casamientos non fuessen aparecidos,
por consagrar con Mio Cid don Rrodrigo.
Porque dexamos sus fıjas aún no nos rrepentimos,
mientra que bivan pueden aver sospiros;
lo que les fıziemos ser les ha rretraído,
esto lidiaré a tod' el más ardido,
que porque las dexamos ondrados somos nós.”

 

 

146

 

Martín Antolínez en pie se levantava:
“¡Calla, alevoso, boca sin verdad!
Lo del león non se te deve olbidar,
saliste por la puerta, metístet' al corral,
fústed' meter tras la viga lagar,
¡más non vesti
st
el manto nin el brial!
Yo llo lidiaré, non passará por ál,
fıjas del Cid porque las vós dexastes;
en todas guisas, sabed, que más valen que vós.
Al partir de la lid por tu boca lo dirás
que eres traidor e mintist de quanto dicho has.”
D'estos amos la rrazón fıncó.

 

 

147

 

Assur Gonçález entrava por el palacio,
manto armiño e un brial rrastrando,
vermejo viene, ca era almorzado,
en lo que fabló avié poco rrecabdo:

 

 

145

 

Now hear what Diego González said:
“We are by birth the purest blood in Spain!
These marriages should never have taken place,
Mingling our blood with that of Warrior Cid!
We're not the least bit sorry we deserted your daughters,
But they'll regret it as long as they live:
It will always be thrown in their faces.
I will defend us against the bravest challenger:
What we did has earned us tremendous honor!”

 

 

146

 

Martín Antolínez jumped to his feet:
“Shut up, traitor, who cannot speak truth!
Don't forget what happened with the lion.
You ran out the door, and hid in the yard,
Behind the filthy wine press.
You couldn't wear those clothes again!
I have to fight you on this:
You deserted the Cid's two daughters,
But everyone gives higher honor to them.
I'll make you admit, when the fighting is done,
That you're a traitor, you lie like a drunken sot!”
And thus the two challenges were arranged.

 

 

147

 

Then Ansur González came in,
Dragging his ermine cloak and his coat behind him.
His face was beet red, from eating and drinking,
And his words were tumbled all out of order.

 

 

148

 

“Ya varones, ¿quién vio nunca tal mal?
¿Quién nos darié nuevas de Mio Cid el de Bivar?
¡Fuesse a Rrío d'Ovirna los molinos picar
e prender maquilas, como lo suele far!
¿Quíl' darié con los de Carrión a casar?”

 

 

149

 

Essora Muño Gustioz en pie se levantó:
“¡Calla, alevoso, malo e traidor!
Antes almuerzas que vayas a oración,
a los que das paz fártaslos aderredor.
Non dizes verdad [
a
] amigo ni a señor,
falso a todos e más al Criador;
en tu amistad non quiero aver rración.
Fazer te lo [
é
] dezir que tal eres qual digo yo.”
Dixo el rrey Alfonso: “Calle ya esta rrazón.
Los que an rrebtado lidiarán, ¡sín' salve Dios!”
Assí como acaban esta rrazón,
afé dos cavalleros entraron por la cort,
al uno dizen Ojarra e al otro Yéñego Siménez,
el uno es [
del
] ifante de Navarra | e el otro [
del
] ifante de
Aragón.
Besan las manos al rrey don Alfonso,
piden sus fijas a Mio Cid el Campeador
por ser rreínas de Navarra e de Aragón
e que ge las diessen a ondra e a bendición.
A esto callaron e ascuchó toda la cort.
Levantós' en pie Mio Cid el Campeador:
“¡Merced, rrey Alfonso, vós sodes mio señor!
Esto gradesco yo al Criador,
quando me las demandan de Navarra e de Aragón.
Vós las casastes antes, ca yo non,
afé mis fijas en vuestras manos son;

 

 

148

 

“Hey, good men! Who ever saw such an awful thing?
Has anyone heard of this Cid from Vivar?
Send him to sharpen his millstones, next to a river,
Let him earn his fees, like he always did!
Who said he could marry a Carrión?”

 

 

149

 

Muño Gustioz stood up:
“Shut up, traitor, evil and dangerous!
You eat before you've said a single prayer,
Your greeting kiss stinks like your breath.
You don't speak truth to friends or lords;
You lie to everyone, and mostly to God.
I have no interest in friendship with you:
I'll make you admit you are what I say you are!”
King Alfonso declared: “This matter is closed.
We must proceed to combat, in the name of God!”
Just as they finished this long discussion,
Two messenger knights suddenly entered the court.
One was Ojarra, from the Prince of Navarre,
The other, Iñigo Jiménez, from the Prince of Aragon.
They kissed King Alfonso's hands,
Then turned to Warrior Cid and asked for his daughters
As queens of Aragon and Navarre,
Each one wed to a prince, in full ceremony and honor.
The court was silent, awaiting my Cid's response.
Warrior Cid arose:
“Bless you, King Alfonso, my lord!
I'm grateful to God on high
That Navarre and Aragon have asked for them!
It was you who gave them away, before,
So I hereby place them in your hands again:

sin vuestro mandado nada non feré yo.”
Levantós' el rrey, fizo callar la cort:
“Rruégovos, Cid, caboso Campeador,
que plega a vós e atorgar lo he yo,
este casamiento oy se otorgue en esta cort,
ca crece vos í ondra e tierra e onor.”
Levantós' Mio Cid, al rrey las manos le besó:
“Quando a vós plaze, otórgolo yo, señor.”
Essora dixo el rrey: “¡Dios vos dé dén buen galardón!
A vós, Ojarra, e a vós, Yéñego Ximénez,
este casamiento otórgovosle yo
de fijas de Mio Cid, don Elvira e doña Sol,
pora los ifantes de Navarra e de Aragón,
que vos las den a ondra e a bendición.”
Levantós' en pie Ojarra e Íñego Ximénez,
besaron las manos del rrey don Alfonso
e después de Mio Cid el Campeador,
metieron las fes e los omenajes dados son
que cuemo es dicho assí sea, o mejor.
A muchos plaze de tod' esta cort,
mas non plaze a los ifantes de Carrión.
Minaya Álba[
r
] Fáñez en pie se levantó:
“¡Merced vos pido como a rrey e a señor
e que non pese esto al Cid Campeador:
bien vos di vagar en toda esta cort,
dezir querría yaquanto de lo mío.”
Dixo el rrey: “Plazme de coraçón;
dezid, Minaya, lo que oviéredes sabor.”
“Yo vos rruego que me oyades toda la cort,
ca grand rrencura he de ifantes de Carrión.
Yo les di mis primas por mandado del rrey Alfonso,
ellos las prisieron a ondra e a bendición;
grandes averes les dio Mio Cid el Campeador,
ellos las han dexadas a pesar de nós.
Rriébtoles los cuerpos por malos e por traidores.
De natura sodes de los de Vanigómez
onde salién condes de prez e de valor;
mas bien sabemos las mañas que ellos han.

Whatever you wish will be done.”
The king arose, asking for silence and order:
“Magnificent Warrior, I ask you to accept
These marriages, which I hereby authorize—
If it pleases you as it pleases me.
They will bring you blessings, honor, and lands.”
My Cid rose and kissed his king's hands:
“Since it pleases you, my lord, I agree.”
The king replied: “May God reward you!
Ojarra and Iñigo Jiménez, you have my authority
To proceed with the making of these marriages—
My Cid's daughters, Doña Elvira and Doña Sol,
With the heirs of Aragon and Navarre,
Conducted with full ceremony and honor.”
Ojarra and Iñigo Jiménez rose
And kissed King Don Alfonso's hands,
Then did the same with my Warrior Cid;
They solemnly swore, and gave their oaths
That all would be as they had said, or better.
Most members of the court were delighted,
Though the Carrións were not.
Then Minaya Alvar Fáñez rose:
“I ask permission from my lord and king—
And hope I do not displease my Warrior Cid!
I have been silent in these proceedings,
But now I ask your permission to say something for myself.”
The king said: “Yes, Minaya, with all my heart.
Say whatever you wish to.”
“I would like the entire court to hear me, as I address
The profound quarrel I have with the Carrións.
I gave away those girls, my cousins, at the king's command;
The Carrións took them, in marriages solemnly made.
My Warrior Cid gave them immense gifts,
But they abandoned their wives most painfully.
I challenge them as malicious traitors!
You Carrións belong to the Beni-Gómez line,
From which have come counts courageous and wise.
But we know the evil ways of their descendants!

Esto gradesco yo al Criador
quando piden mis primas don Elvira e doña Sol
los ifantes de Navarra e de Aragón.
Antes las aviedes parejas pora en braços las tener,
agora besaredes sus manos e llamar las hedes señoras,
aver las hedes a servir, mal que vos pese a vós.
¡Grado a Dios del cielo e [
a
] aquel rrey don Alfonso
assil' crece la ondra a Mio Cid el Campeador!
En todas guisas tales sodes quales digo yo:
si ay qui rresponda o dize de no,
yo só Álbar Fáñez pora tod' el mejor.”
Gómez Peláyet en pie se levantó:
“¿Qué val, Minaya, toda essa rrazón?
Ca en esta cort afarto[
s
] ha pora vós
e qui ál quisiesse serié su ocasión.
Si Dios quisiere que d'ésta bien salgamos nós,
después veredes qué dixiestes o qué no.”
Dixo el rrey: “Fine esta rrazón,
non diga ninguno d'ella más una entención.
Cras sea la lid, quando saliere el sol,
d'estos
tres
por tres que rrebtaron en la cort.”
Luego fablaron ifantes de Carrión:
“Dandos, rrey, plazo, ca cras ser non puede,
armas e cavallos tienen los del Canpeador,
nós antes abremos a ir a tierras de Carrión.”
Fabló el rrey contra'l Campeador:
“Sea esta lid ó mandáredes vós.”
En essora dixo Mio Cid: “No lo faré, señor;
más quiero a Valencia que tierras de Carrión.”
En essora dixo el rrey: “A osadas, Campeador.
Dadme vuestros cavalleros con todas vuestras guarnizones,
vayan comigo, yo seré el curiador,
yo vos lo sobrelievo como a buen vassallo faze señor
que non prendan fuerça de conde nin de ifançón.
Aquí les pongo plazo de dentro en mi cort,
a cabo de tres semanas en begas de Carrión
que fagan esta lid delant estando yo: