The Song of the Cid (29 page)

I thank our God in heaven
That these girls, my cousins, will marry
The heirs of Navarre and Aragon!
They were yours, you Carrións, to have and to hold,
And now you'll call them ‘my lady' and kiss their royal hands.
You'll have to serve them, in spite of yourselves!
I thank both God and our good king, Don Alfonso,
For the honor this gives my Cid, the Warrior!
You Carrións are exactly what I have called you—
If anyone says you're not,
I am Alvar Fáñez, and every bit as good as you!”
Gómez Peláez arose:
“What's the use, Minaya, of all this discussion?
Many in this court would like to fight you;
There's no denying that.
Wait and see how God decides,
And then we'll know who's wrong and right.”
The king declared: “All talking is done.
No one declares a further position.
The fighting begins tomorrow at dawn,
Three pairs of those who argued in court.”
Then the Carrión heirs spoke up:
“Give us time to get ready; tomorrow's too soon.
The Warrior has our horses and armor;
We have to ride to Carrión to equip ourselves.”
The king turned to my Cid:
“Should they fight tomorrow? The choice is yours.”
Warrior Cid replied: “I make no choice,
Except that I prefer Valencia to Carrión.”
The king said: “Of course, Cid.
Let me have your challengers, fully equipped;
They'll come with me as their guardian.
You are in my service, and as your lord
I guarantee there'll be no problems
With any Carrión count or lord.
Here in my court I fix the time for battle:
Three challenges shall be fought in my presence
quien non viniere al plazo pierda la rrazón,
desí sea vencido e escape por traidor.”
Prisieron el juizio ifantes de Carrión.
Mio Cid al rrey las manos le besó
e dixo: “Plazme, [señor].
Estos mis tres cavalleros en vuestra mano son,
d'aquí vos los acomiendo como a rrey e a señor;
ellos son adobados pora cumplir todo lo so,
¡ondrados me los enbiad a Valencia, por amor del Criador!”
Essora rrespuso el rrey: “¡Assí lo mande Dios!”
Allí se tollió el capiello el Cid Campeador,
la cofia de rrançal, que blanca era como el sol,
e soltava la barba e sacóla del cordón.
Nos' fartan de catarle quantos ha en la cort;
adeliñó a él el conde don Anrich e el conde don Rremond.
Abraçólos tan bien e rruégalos de coraçón
que prendan de sus averes quanto ovieren sabor.
A éssos e a los otros que de buena parte son,
a todos los rrogava assí como han sabor,
tales í á que prenden, tales í á que non.
Los
dozientos
marcos al rrey los soltó,
de lo ál tanto priso quant ovo sabor.
“¡Merced vos pido, rrey, por amor del Criador!
Quando todas estas nuevas assí puestas son,
beso vuestras manos con vuestra gracia, señor,
e irme quiero pora Valencia, con afán la gané yo.”

 

 

150

 

El rrey alçó la mano, la cara se sanctigó:
“¡Yo lo juro par Sant Esidro el de León
que en todas nuestras tierras non ha tan buen varón!”
Mio Cid en el cavallo adelant se llegó,

On the open meadows of Carrión.
Whoever fails to appear has lost his cause,
And will be known as a traitor.”
The Carrións accepted these orders.
My Cid kissed the king's hand,
And said: “I agree, my lord.
I put these three knights in your hands.
They serve you, now, you are their lord.
Send them back with honor, in the name of God!”
The king replied: “May the Lord so arrange it!”
Warrior Cid pulled back his cap,
White linen as white as the sun,
Untied and shook out his beard.
People at the court couldn't stop gaping.
Count Don Ramón approached him, and Count Enrique:
He hugged them both and warmly offered
Anything he had that they might want.
He gave the king back his two hundred marks;
Don Alfonso took what he liked.
And to all the others who'd taken Cid's side
The Warrior offered what they desired.
“And now, my king, for the love of God,
Since all these affairs are settled and gone,
Let me kiss your hands, and with your permission
I'd love to go home to Valencia, which I fought for and won.”

 

 

150

 

The king raised his hand, and made the sign of the cross:
“Cid, I swear in the name of Saint Isidore of León
No knight as good as you exists in all this land!”
My Cid rode closer and kissed the hand
fue besar la mano a Alfonso so señor:
“Mandástesme mover a Bavieca el corredor,
en moros ni en cristianos otro tal non ha oy,
y[
o
] vos le do en don, mandédesle tomar, señor.”
Essora dixo el rrey: “D'esto non he sabor;
si a vós le tolliés el cavallo no havrié tan bue[
n
] señor.
Mas atal cavallo cum ést pora tal como vós
pora arrancar moros del canpo e ser segudador,
quien vos lo toller quisiere nol' vala el Criador,
ca por vós e por el cavallo ondrados somo[
s
] nós.”
Essora se espidieron e luegos' partió la cort.
El Campeador a los que han lidiar tan bien los castigó:
“Ya Martín Antolínez e vós, Pero Vermúez | e Muño Gustioz,
fırmes sed en campo a guisa de varones;
buenos mandados me vayan a Valencia de vós.”
Dixo Martín Antolínez: “¿Por qué lo dezides, señor?
Preso avemos el debdo e a passar es por nós,
podedes oír de muertos, ca de vencidos no.”
Alegre fue d'aquesto el que en buen ora nació,
espidiós' de todos los que sos amigos son;
Mio Cid pora Valencia e el rrey pora Carrión.
L
as tres semanas de plazo todas complidas son.
Felos al plazo los del Campeador,
cunplir quieren el debdo que les mandó so señor,
ellos son en p[
o
]der del rrey don Alfonso el de León;
dos días atendieron a ifantes de Carrión.
Mucho vienen bien adobados de cavallos e de guarnizones
e todos sus parientes con ellos son,
que si los pudiessen apartar a los del Campeador
que los matassen en campo por desondra de so señor.
El cometer fue malo, que lo ál nos' enpeçó,
ca grand miedo ovieron a Alfonso el de León.
De noche belaron las armas e rrogaron al Criador.
Trocida es la noche, ya quiebran los albores,
muchos se juntaron de buenos rricos omnes
por ver esta lid, ca avién ende sabor;
demás sobre todos í es el rrey don Alfonso
por querer el derecho e non consentir el tuerto.
Of his lord and king, Don Alfonso:
“You asked me to show you Babieca in action.
No Moor, no Christian, owns so fine a horse.
And I hereby give him to you, my lord. Accept him.”
“No,” said the king, “I cannot accept this.
Were you to give him to me, he'd lose a better rider.
A horse like this deserves a rider like you,
A man who beats Moors in battle, then chases them down.
Accepting this horse from you, I'd offend our Lord:
You and the horse together bring us honor!”
They said their farewells and left the court.
Then Warrior Cid cheered on those who were fighting:
“Eh, Martín Antolínez, and you, Pedro Bermúdez
And Muño Gustioz, ride hard like the fighters you are.
Let's have good news of you in Valencia!”
Martín Antolínez said: “Why say this, my lord?
We have a job to do and it's up to us to do it.
Maybe you'll hear we're dead—but defeated? No!”
Then my Cid and his friends rode to Valencia;
The king and his friends rode to Carrión.

 

The three-week intermission was over;
The Warrior's men were there, and ready to fight,
As Warrior Cid had ordered,
Protected by Don Alfonso of León.
They waited two days for the Carrións to come,
And they came, with fine horses and equipment,
Supported by their entire family—
Who longed to catch the Warrior's men alone
And kill them, to dishonor my Cid.
They had this planned, but didn't attempt it,
For fear of Alfonso de León.
The Cid's men sat and prayed that night.
Darkness ebbed, dawn was about to break,
When a crowd of well-bred knights assembled,
Anxious to watch these fights.
But most important of all was King Alfonso,
Affirming justice and blocking what was wrong.

Yas' metién en armas los del buen Campeador,
todos tres se acuerdan, ca son de un señor.
En otro logar se arman los ifantes de Carrión,
sediélos castigando el conde Garcí Ordóñez:
andidieron en pleito, dixiéronlo al rrey Alfonso,
que non fuessen en la batalla las espadas tajadores | Colada e
Tizón,
que non lidiassen con ellas los del Canpeador,
mucho eran rrepentidos los ifantes por quanto dadas son,
dixiérongelo al rrey, mas non ge lo conloyó:
“Non sacastes ninguna quando oviemos la cort;
si buenas las tenedes, pro abrán a vós,
otros[
s
]í farán a los del Canpeador.
Levad e salid al campo, ifantes de Carrión,
huebos vos es que lidiedes a guisa de varones,
que nada non mancará por los del Campeador.
Si del campo bien salides, grand ondra avredes vós,
e si fuére[
de
]s vencidos, non rrebtedes a nós,
ca todos lo saben que lo buscastes vós.”
Ya se van rrepintiendo ifantes de Carrión,
de lo que avién fecho mucho rrepisos son;
no lo querrién aver fecho por quanto ha en Carrión.
Todos tres son armados los del Campeador,
ívalos ver el rrey don Alfonso;
dixieron los del Campeador:
“Besámosvos las manos como a rrey e a señor
que fıel seades oy d'ellos e de nós;
a derecho nos valed, a ningún tuerto no.
Aquí tienen su vando los ifantes de Carrión,
non sabemos qués' comidrán ellos o qué non;
en vuestra mano nos metió nuestro señor:
¡tenendos a derecho, por amor del Criador!”
Essora dixo el rrey: “¡D'alma e de coraçón!”
Adúzenles los cavallos buenos e corredores,
santiguaron las siellas e cavalgan a vigor,
los escudos a los cuellos que bien blocados son,
e[
n
] mano prenden las astas de los fierros tajadores,
estas tres lanças traen seños pendones,

The Warrior's men put on their armor,
Three who were as one, serving one lord.
In a different spot, the Carrións put on their armor,
Count García Ordóñez advising and instructing;
Then they approached the king, protesting
That Colada and Tizón, those gleaming swords, should be
barred
From this battle. They now regretted handing them over.
They told the king this, but their plea was rejected:
“You made no objection when this was discussed in court.
If you have good swords, let them serve you well;
This also applies to the Warrior's men.
Carrións: rise and take the field!
Words won't help you: all you need
Is to fight like men. No man on the Warrior's side will yield
To words. You'll gain great honor if you win,
But don't blame us if you lose:
You asked for this, and here it is.”
The Carrión heirs were sick at heart,
Deeply regretting all the part they'd played.
All of Carrión would gladly be paid
If they could escape. The Warrior's men were waiting.
King Alfonso paid them
An inspection visit, and they said to him:
“Please let us kiss your hands, our king and lord,
For you will ensure that justice is done today.
That's all we ask for. Give us no favor.
Supporters are all around the Carrións:
Who knows what they might plan, what might be done?
We place ourselves in your hands, O lord!
Give us justice, for the love of God!”
The king replied: “With all my heart!”
Their horses were brought, swift and strong;
First they blessed the saddles, then mounted,
Shields hung down from the neck.
They took up sharp-pointed lances,
Three banners fluttering on each.
Many fine fighters around them,

e derredor d'ellos muchos buenos varones.
Ya salieron al campo dó eran los mojones.
Todos tres son acordados los del Campeador
que cada uno d'ellos bien fos ferir el so.
Fevos de la otra part los ifantes de Carrión,
muy bien aconpañados, ca muchos parientes son.
El rrey dioles fieles por dezir el derecho e ál non,
que non varajen con ellos de sí o de non.
Dó sedién en el campo fabló el rrey don Alfonso:
“Oíd qué vos digo, ifantes de Carrión:
esta lid en Toledo la fiziérades, mas non quisiestes vós.
Estos tres cavalleros de Mio Cid el Campeador
yo los adux a salvo a tierras de Carrión;
aved vuestro derecho, tuerto non querades vós,
ca qui tuerto quisiere fazer, mal ge lo vedaré yo,
en todo mio rreino non avrá buena sabor.”
Ya les va pesando a los ifantes de Carrión.
Los fieles e el rrey enseñaron los mojones,
librávanse del campo todos aderredor;
bien ge lo demostraron a todos
seis
cómo son,
que por í serié vencido qui saliesse del mojón.
Todas las yentes esconbraron aderredor,
más de
seis
astas de lanças que non llegassen al mojón.
Sorteávanles el campo, ya les partién el sol,
salién los fieles de medio, ellos cara por cara son,
desí vinién los de Mio Cid a los ifantes de Carrión
e llos ifantes de Carrión a los del Campeador,
cada uno d'ellos mientes tiene al so.
Abraçan los escudos delant los coraçones,
abaxan las lanças abueltas con los pendones,
enclinavan las caras sobre los arzones,
batién los cavallos con los espolones,
tembrar querié la tierra do[
n
]d eran movedores.
Cada uno d'ellos mientes tiene al so,
todos tres por tres ya juntados son;
cuédanse que essora cadrán muertos los que están aderredor.
Pero Vermúez, el que antes rrebtó,

My Cid's men rode to the well-marked field of battle:
They had agreed how each
Would strike the man he'd challenged.
Across from them were the Carrións,
Many men around them, mostly family.
The king appointed judges, to say what was fair or not;
Once they decided, no one could dispute them.
Six fighters were on the field, and the king declared:
“Listen to me, you Carrións!
You could have fought in Toledo; you refused.
These three of Warrior Cid's good men
Are under my personal care.
Behave yourselves, do nothing unfair,
For I will be harsh on anyone playing tricks:
He'll never be seen in Castile again.”
The Carrións were clearly unhappy at these words.
The king and his judges rode around the field,
Displaying the boundaries; then the field was cleared.
All six fighters were told, and very plainly,
That to cross the boundaries meant defeat.
No one watching could approach a boundary
Closer than the length of six lances.
They drew lots for positions; no one got the sun in his eyes.
The judges stood beside the field, at its center; it was time
to fight.
As my Cid's good men attacked
The Carrións, too, advanced,
Each aiming straight at his man.
They pulled their shields over their chests,
Lowered lances hung with banners,
Bent their heads toward the saddlebows,
And spurred their horses forward.
The earth seemed to tremble with the sound of the charge.
Each aiming straight at his man,
Three on three they fought:
The watchers thought they'd all fall dead at once!
Pedro Bermúdez, who'd made the first challenge,