The Song of the Cid (11 page)

“¡Grado a Dios e a las sus vertudes sanctas,
mientra vós visquiéredes, bien me irá a mí, Minaya!”

 

 

50

 

¡Dios, cómo fue alegre todo aquel fonsado
que Minaya Álbar Fáñez assí era llegado,
diziéndoles saludes de primos e de ermanos
e de sus compañas, aquellas que avién dexadas!

 

 

51

 

¡Dios, cómo es alegre la barba vellida
que Álbar Fáñez pagó las mill missas
e quel' dixo saludes de su mugier e de sus fıjas!
¡Dios, cómo fue el Cid pagado e fızo grand alegría!
“¡Ya Álbar Fáñez, bivades muchos días!”

 

 

52

 

Non lo tardó el que en buen ora nasco,
tierras d'Alcañ[
i
]z negras las va parando
e aderredor todo lo va preando;
al tercer día dón ixo, í es tornado.

 

 

53

 

Ya va el mandado por las tierras todas,
pesando va a los de Monçón e a los de Huesca;
porque dan parias plaze a los de Saragoça,
de Mio Cid Rruy Díaz que non temién ninguna fonta.

“I thank God and all his saints on high!
My life will go well, Minaya, as long as you're alive!”

 

 

50

 

O Lord, how everyone was smiling,
Seeing once again their comrade Minaya!
He carried messages from brothers and friends
And cousins they'd left behind them.

 

 

51

 

O Lord, how the bearded Warrior went on smiling,
Happy his thousand masses were paid for,
Delighted to hear from his daughters and his wife!
Dear God! How pleased he was, how he rejoiced!
“I wish you, Alvar Fáñez, a long long life!”

 

 

52

 

He could not wait, he who was born at a fortunate hour,
Riding out with his men to Alcañiz, and all around it,
Everywhere they went, they were paid;
They did not return for three entire days.

 

 

53

 

News of this new raid
Reached Monzón and Huesca, and deeply dismayed them.
But the people of Saragossa were not afraid,
For they'd paid tribute, and my Cid, Ruy Díaz, would never
betray them.

 

 

54

 

Con estas ganancias a la posada tornándose van,
todos son alegres, ganancias traen grandes,
plogo a Mio Cid e mucho a Álbar Fáñez.
Sonrrisós' el caboso, que non lo pudo endurar:
“Ya cavalleros, dezir vos he la verdad:
qui en un logar mora siempre, lo so puede menguar;
cras a la mañana pensemos de cavalgar,
dexat estas posadas e iremos adelant.”
Estonces se mudó el Cid al puerto de Aluca[n]t,
dent corre Mio Cid a Huesa e a Mont Alván;
en aquessa corrida
diez
días ovieron a morar.
Fueron los mandados a todas partes
que el salido de Castiella assí los trae tan mal.
Los mandados son idos a todas partes.

 

 

55

 

Llegaron las nuevas al conde de Barcilona
que Mio Cid Rruy Díaz quel' corrié la tierra toda;
ovo grand pesar e tóvos'lo a grant fonta.

 

 

56

 

El conde es muy follón e dixo una vanidat:
“Grandes tuertos me tiene Mio Cid el de Bivar.
Dentro en mi cort tuerto me tovo grand,
fırióm' el sobrino e non' lo enmendó más;
agora córrem' las tierras que en mi enpara están.
Non lo desafıé, nil' torné enemistad,
mas quando él me lo busca, ir ge lo he yo demandar.”
Grandes son los poderes e apriessa llegando se van,
entre moros e cristianos gentes se le allegan grandes,

 

 

54

 

They made their return, smiling
From ear to ear, all happy with what they'd gotten;
My Cid was delighted; so too was Alvar Fáñez.
My Cid could not restrain his pleasure.
“And yet,” he told his men, “I warn you: leisure
Is not for us. We're lost if we stay in one place.
Tomorrow morning we must leave this camp
And keep on riding, first here, then there.”
He took them through Gallocanta Pass,
Which took them ten long days to cross,
Then on to Huesa and Montalbán, raiding
For ten more treasure-laden days.
The news of these devastating
Forays spread far and wide:
Castile's great exile had become a serious danger.

 

 

55

 

News that my Cid, Ruy Díaz, was ravaging far and wide
Came to the Count of Barcelona,
Who was deeply upset at such an attack on his pride.

 

 

56

 

The count was boastful, stuffed with conceit, and reckless:
“This Cid from Vivar is causing me trouble, he thinks I'm
helpless.
Right here in my court he wounded one of my nephews,
And never apologized.
Now he's raiding lands lying in my protection.
I've never challenged him, or picked a quarrel—
But when he comes looking for me, I'll make him pay.”
He quickly assembled a massive army,

adeliñan tras Mio Cid el bueno de Bivar;
tres días e dos noches pensaron de andar,
alcançaron a Mio Cid en Tévar e el pinar;
assí viene esforçado el conde que a manos se le cuidó tomar.
Mio Cid don Rrodrigo ganancia trae grand,
dice de una sierra e llegava a un val.
Del conde don Rremont venídol' es mensaje,
Mio Cid, quando lo oyó, enbió pora allá:
“Digades al conde non lo tenga a mal,
de lo so non lievo nada, déxem' ir en paz.”
Rrespuso el conde: “¡Esto non será verdad!
Lo de antes e de agora tódom' lo pechará;
¡sabrá el salido a quién vino desondrar!”
Tornós' el mandadero quanto pudo más;
essora lo connosce Mio Cid el de Bivar
que a menos de batalla nos' pueden dén quitar.

 

 

57

 

“Ya cavalleros, apart fazed la ganancia,
apriessa vos guarnid e metedos en las armas;
el conde don Rremont dar nos ha grant batalla,
de moros e de cristianos gentes trae sobejanas,
a menos de batalla non nos dexarié por nada.
Pues adelant irán tras nós, aquí sea la batalla;
apretad los cavallos e bistades las armas.
Ellos vienen cuesta yuso e todos trahen calças
e las siellas coceras e las cinchas amojadas;
nós cavalgaremos siellas gallegas e huesas sobre calças,
ciento cavalleros devemos vencer aquellas mesnadas.
Antes que ellos lleguen a[
l
] llano, presentémosles las lanças,
por uno que fırgades, tres siellas irán vazias;
¡verá Rremont Verenguel tras quién vino en alcança
oy en este pinar de Tévar por tollerme la ganancia!”

Moors and Christians gathered at his call
And followed the tracks of that good man from Vivar, my Cid,
And found him, in the pine woods of Tévar.
The count was sure his massive army would capture my Cid,
Who was coming down from the mountains,
Loaded with treasure he'd taken.
The count's messenger arrived,
My Cid listened, and quickly replied:
“Tell the count I have no quarrel with him;
I've taken nothing of his. He should let me continue in peace.”
The count responded: “He's lying!
I'll make him pay for what he's done and is doing!
This exile will learn just who he's dishonored!”
The messenger ran back as fast as he could,
And then my Cid, he who came from Vivar, understood
That unless he fought this battle, he could not go on.

 

 

57

 

“All right, my knights, lay down your treasure:
First things first! Get ready to fight:
Count Ramón is about to attack us
With a great army of Moors and Christians.
If we try to escape, he'll stop us.
As long as they're advancing, let them come.
Tighten your saddle buckles, put on your armor:
They're riding downhill, not wearing boots or shoes;
Their saddles are light, and loose, and ours are heavy, and we've
got boots.
Our hundred knights have to beat these hordes!
Before they reach the plain, we'll attack with lances—
Every thrust will empty three saddles.
Hah! Count Ramón will see just who he's met,
Here in these woods, trying to steal our treasure!”

 

 

58

 

Todos son adobados quando Mio Cid esto ovo fablado,
las armas avién presas e sedién sobre los cavallos,
vieron la cuesta yuso la fuerça de los francos;
al fondón de la cuesta, cerca es de[
l
] llano,
mandólos ferir Mio Cid, el que en buen ora nasco.
Esto fazen los sos de voluntad e de grado,
los pendones e las lanças tan bien las van enpleando,
a los unos fıriendo e a los otros derrocando.
Vencido á esta batalla el que en buen [ora] nasco;
al conde don Rremont a presón le an tomado.

 

 

59

 

Í gañó a Colada, que más vale de mill marcos de plata.
[Í benció] esta batalla por ó ondró su barba.
Prísolo al conde, pora su tie
nda
lo levava,
a sos creenderos guarda
r
lo manda
va
.
De fuera de la tienda un salto dava,
de todas partes los sos se ajuntaron;
plogo a Mio Cid ca grandes son las ganancias.
A Mio Cid don Rrodrigo grant cozínal' adobavan;
el conde don Rremont non ge lo precia nada,
adúzenle los comeres, delant ge los paravan,
él non lo quiere comer, a todos los sosañava:
“Non combré un bocado por quanto ha en toda España,
antes perderé el cuerpo e dexaré el alma,
pues que tales malcalçados me vencieron de batalla.”

 

 

58

 

When he stopped talking, they all were ready,
Armor on, seated on their horses.
They saw the count's Catalonian forces
Hurrying down the slopes, approaching
The plain. And then my Cid, born in a lucky hour,
Ordered his men to attack.
They'd been eagerly waiting, and gladly
Galloped into battle, making good use of their lances,
Striking some, tumbling others to the ground.
And just like that, it was over; he who'd been born
At a lucky hour had won the battle, and Count Ramón was his
prisoner.

 

 

59

 

He'd also won Colada, a sword worth more than a thousand
Silver marks; the battle brought him still more in honor.
He took his noble captive to his tent
And left him there, under good guard.
And then my Cid strolled out,
And his men swarmed all around him,
Everyone happy at how much this victory had brought them.
My Cid had a huge banquet prepared for the count,
But Count Ramón did not give a damn,
Pushing away all the food brought in for him:
He would not eat, rejecting every dish.
“I won't put a thing in my mouth, not for all the gold in Spain.
Now that I've been beaten in battle by a band of nobodies,
I'd just as soon give up body and soul together.”

 

 

60

 

“Mio Cid Rruy Díaz odredes lo que dixo:
Comed, conde, d'este pan e beved d'este vino;
si lo que digo fıziéredes, saldredes de cativo,
si non, en todos vuestros días non veredes cristianismo.”

 

 

61

 

Dixo el conde don Rremont: . . . . . . . . .
“Comede, don Rrodrigo, e pensedes de fol[gar],
que yo dexar me [
é
] morir, que non quiero comer.”
Fasta tercer día nol' pueden acordar;
ellos partiendo estas ganancias grandes,
nol' pueden fazer comer un muesso de pan.

 

 

62

 

Dixo Mio Cid: “Comed, conde, algo,
ca si non comedes non veredes [cristianos];
e si vós comiéredes dón yo sea pagado,
a vós
e
[
a
] dos fıjos d'algo
quitar vos he los cuerpos e dar vos é de [mano].”
Quando esto oyó el conde, yas' iva alegrando:
“Si lo fıziéredes, Cid, lo que avedes fablado,
tanto quanto yo biva seré dent maravillado.”
“Pues comed, conde, e quando fuéredes yantado,
a vós e a otros dos dar vos he de mano;
mas quanto avedes perdido e yo gané en canpo,
sabet, non vos daré a vós un dinero malo,
ca huebos me lo he e pora estos mios vassallos
que comigo andan lazrados.
Prendiendo de vós e de otros ir nos hemos pagando;
abremos esta vida mientra ploguiere al Padre sancto,

 

 

60

 

Here's what my Cid, Ruy Díaz, told him:
“Eat, Count, eat this bread and drink this wine.
Do as I say, and you'll be a free man.
Don't, and you'll never see Christendom again.”

 

 

61

 

Count Ramón replied: “You eat, Don Ruy, eat and relax,
Because I'd rather die than break bread with you.”
For three whole days he stayed stubborn.
They were dividing all the riches they'd won,
And he wouldn't eat, not even a single crumb.

 

 

62

 

My Cid said: “Eat, Count. Take something,
Because unless you eat you'll never see another Christian,
And if you eat as I want you to,
You and two of your noblemen
Will be released, free to ride where you please.”
Hearing these words, the count began to feel better:
“Cid, if you'll do what you say you will,
For the rest of my life I'll be bewildered.”
“Then eat, Count, and when you've eaten your fill
You and the other two can go where you please.
But what you've lost, and what I've won in battle—
Hear me: I won't give back a wooden nickel,
Because I need it for these men of mine,
Who have, like me, no other way to find it.
We stay alive by taking from others, as we have with you.
And this will be our life for as long as God desires,
como que ira á de rrey e de tierra es echado.”
Alegre es el conde e pidió agua a las manos
e tiénengelo delant e diérongelo privado;
con los cavalleros que el Cid le avié dados
comiendo va el conde, ¡Dios, qué de buen grado!
Sobr'él sedié el que en buen ora nasco:
“Si bien non comedes, conde, dón yo sea pagado,
aquí feremos la morada, no nos partiremos amos.”
Aquí dixo el conde: “De voluntad e de grado.”
Con estos dos cavalleros apriessa va yantando;
pagado es Mio Cid, que lo está aguardando,
porque el conde don Rremont tan bien bolvié la[s] manos.
“Si vos ploguiere, Mio Cid, de ir somos guisados,
mandad nos dar las bestias e cavalg
a
remos privado;
del día que fue conde non yanté tan de buen grado,
el sabor que de[n]d é non será olbidado.”
Danle tres palafrés muy bien ensellados
e buenas vestiduras de pelliçones e de mantos.
El conde don Rremont entre los dos es entrado;
fata cabo del albergada escurriólos el castellano:
“Ya vos ides, conde, a guisa de muy franco,
en grado vos lo tengo lo que me avedes dexado.
Si vos viniere emiente que quisiéredes vengallo,
si me viniéredes buscar, fallarme podredes;
e si non, mandedes buscar:
o me dexaredes | de lo vuestro, o de lo mío levaredes algo.”
“Folguedes ya, Mio Cid, sodes en vuestro salvo;
pagado vos he por todo aqueste año,
de venir vos buscar sól non será pensado.”