The Song of the Cid (14 page)

 

 

80

 

And while he was on his way
Valencia, and all around it, remained at peace.
I omit the places he stopped at; they have no interest for me.
He asked for Alfonso, and where he might find him;
The king had been in Sahagún, not long ago,
But now had come back to Carrión, he was told.
Minaya Alvar Fáñez was pleased to hear this;
With the gifts he was bringing, he hurried to Carrión.

 

 

81

 

Mass had just been said, and Alfonso was leaving church:
What a perfect moment for Minaya's arrival!
He went down on his knees in front of the king,
Where everyone could see him, bent with grief,
Kissed the king's hands, and spoke these noble words:

 

 

82

 

“Have mercy, Lord Alfonso, for the love of God, who made us all!
My Cid, the great Warrior, kisses your hands
And feet, as befits so excellent a master,
And begs for your grace—as you beg God for his!
You sent him into exile, he is still out of favor,
Yet in foreign lands he is doing wonderful things:
He has captured Jérica, and also Onda,
He took Almenara, and an even bigger prize, Murviedro;
He's taken Cebolla, Castejón, and that powerful fortress,
Benicadell;
And on top of all this, the Warrior is lord of Valencia
And able, himself, to restore the bishopric there.
He has won five pitched battles against the Moors.
Our God has granted him rich rewards—

fevos aquí las señas, verdad vos digo yo,
cient cavallos gruessos e corredores,
de siellas e de frenos todos guarnidos son,
bésavos las manos que los prendades vós;
rrazonas' por vuestro vassallo e a vós tiene por señor.”
Alçó la mano diestra, el rrey se sanctigó:
“De tan fıeras ganancias como á fechas el Campeador
¡sí me vala Sant Esidro! plazme de coraçón
e plázem' de las nuevas que faze el Campeador;
rrecibo estos cavallos quem' enbía de don.”
Maguer plogo al rrey, mucho pesó a Garcí Ordóñez:
“Semeja que en tierra de moros non á bivo omne
quando assí faze a su guisa el Cid Campeador.”
Dixo el rrey al conde: “Dexad essa rrazón,
que en todas guisas mijor me sirve que vós.”
Fablava Minaya í a guisa de varón:
“Merced vos pide el Cid, si vos cayesse en sabor,
por su mugier doña Ximena e sus fıjas amas a dos:
saldrién del monesterio dó elle las dexó
e irién pora Valencia al buen Campeador.”
Essora dixo el rrey: “Plazme de coraçón;
yo les mandaré dar conducho mientra que por mi tierra
fueren,
de fonta e de mal curial
l
as e de desonor;
quando en cabo de mi tierra aquestas dueñas fueren,
catad cómo las sirvades vós e el Campeador.
¡Oídme, escuelas e toda la mi cort!
Non quiero que nada pierda el Campeador:
a todas las escuelas que a él dizen señor,
por que los deseredé, todo ge lo suelto yo;
sírvanle[
s
] sus herdades dó fuere el Campeador,
atrégoles los cuerpos de mal e de ocasión,
por tal fago aquesto que sirvan a so señor.”
Minaya Álbar Fáñez las manos le besó.
Sonrrisós' el rrey, tan vellido fabló:
“Los que quisieren ir se[
r
]vir al Campeador
de mí sean quitos e vayan a la gracia del Criador.
Más ganaremos en esto que en otra desonor.”

And in proof of what he has won
I bring you a hundred strong horses,
Saddled, harnessed, and ready for riding:
He kisses your hands and hopes you will take them,
For he remains your servant and proclaims you his lord.”
The king raised his right hand and made the sign of the cross:
“In the name of Saint Isidore, I declare my pleasure
At what he has won: it warms my heart,
As do all his wonderful triumphs.
I am glad to accept these gifts from his hands.”
The king was pleased; Count García Ordóñez, my Cid's enemy,
Was not: “I gather no men are left in Moorish lands,
Since our great Warrior, this Cid, can do as he pleases.”
The king declared: “Enough of that,
Since in all things he does more for me than you ever do.”
Then Minaya said, speaking strongly:
“My Cid begs, if it pleases you to grant this,
That his wife, Doña Jimena, and his two daughters
May leave the monastery where he left them,
And join him in Valencia, of which he is now master.”
The king then said: “I grant that most gladly.
I will have them escorted until they leave my lands;
They need fear nothing, neither danger nor dishonor.
But once these ladies reach the borders of Castile,
They fall into your and the Warrior's hands.
“Now hear me, everyone here in my court!
I wish the Warrior to be deprived of nothing—
Neither he nor those who have chosen to fight at his side:
I hereby give them back their former property rights.
Whatever may be earned, while they serve my Cid,
Is theirs, wherever they may be. Nor are they themselves
Subject to any kind of penalty.”
Minaya then kissed the king's hands,
And the king, smiling, spoke most graciously:
“Those who wish to leave my service and join him
Are hereby freed to do so—and God go with them.
Castile is better thus served than by dishonor.”
The nobles of Carrión began to whisper together:

Aquí entraron en fabla los iffantes de Carrión:
“Mucho crecen las nuevas de Mio Cid el Campeador,
bien casariemos con sus fıjas pora huebos de pro;
non la osariemos acometer nós esta rrazón,
Mio Cid es de Bivar e nós de los condes de Carrión.”
Non lo dizen a nadi e fıncó esta rrazón.
Minaya Álbar Fáñez al buen rrey se espidió.
“¡Ya vos ides, Minaya, id a la gracia del Criador!
Levedes un portero, tengo que vos avrá pro;
si leváredes las dueñas, sírvanlas a su sabor,
fata dentro en Medina denles quanto huebos les fuer,
desí adelant piense d'ellas el Campeador.”
Espidiós' Minaya e vasse de la cort.

 

 

83

 

Los iffantes de Carrión . . . . . . . .
dando ivan conpaña a Minaya Álbar Fáñez:
“En todo sodes pro, en esto assí lo fagades:
saludadnos a Mio Cid, el de Bivar,
somos en so pro quanto lo podemos far;
el Cid que bien nos quiera nada non perderá.”
Rrespuso Minaya: “Esto non me á por qué pesar.”
Ido es Minaya, tórnanse los iffantes.
Adeliñó pora San Pero ó las dueñas están,
tan grand fue el gozo quándol' vieron assomar.
Decido es Minaya, a San Pero va rrogar,
quando acabó la oración, a las dueñas se tornó:
“Omíllom', doña Ximena, Dios vos curie de mal,
assí faga a vuestras fıjas amas.
Salúdavos Mio Cid allá onde elle está;
sano lo dexé e con tan grand rrictad.
El rrey por su merced sueltas me vos ha
por levaros a Valencia que avemos por heredad.
Si vos viesse el Cid sanas e sin mal,
todo serié alegre, que non avrié ningún pesar.”
Dixo doña Ximena: “¡El Criador lo mande!”

“My Cid, the Warrior, is certainly standing very high:
Marriage with his daughters would do us very well—
If we could risk saying such a thing,
Since we are nobles of Carrión, and my Cid is just someone from
Vivar.”
So they said nothing, and as yet nothing was done.
Minaya Alvar Fáñez said farewell to the good king.
“You're leaving us, Minaya? May the grace of God go with you!
Take a royal courier: I think he'll be helpful.
If you travel with the three ladies, serve them well,
Be sure they lack for nothing, until they're in Medinaceli,
After which the Warrior will see to their care.”
Then Minaya, having said farewell, departed.

 

 

83

 

The nobles of Carrión escorted Minaya Alvar Fáñez.
“Whatever you touch, Minaya, goes well. Do something for us.
Give our greetings to my Cid, he who comes from Vivar.
Tell him he has our support, in whatever we're able to do,
And he can lose nothing by smiling on us.”
Minaya replied: “That won't cost me much.”
So Minaya left, and the Carrión nobles
Rode back to San Pedro, to the three ladies,
Who smiled, and laughed, and wept to see him.
But he stopped, first, at the church,
And prayed, and then returned to the women.
“My humble greetings, Doña Jimena. May God keep you
From all evil—you and both your daughters!
My Cid greets you, far-off as he is;
I left him healthy and happy with his riches.
King Alfonso has graciously freed you, and I am permitted
To guide you to Valencia, which we now possess.
If my Cid sees you there, healthy, safe from all harm,
His happiness will be complete, his worries will be gone.”
Doña Jimena replied: “May God bring that to pass!”
Minaya Alvar Fáñez directed three knights

Dio tres cavalleros Minaya Álbar Fáñez,
enviólos a Mio Cid a Valencia dó está:
“Dezid al Canpeador, que Dios le curie de mal,
que su mugier e sus fıjas el rrey sueltas me las ha,
mientra que fuéremos por sus tierras conducho nos mandó dar.
De aquestos
quinze
días, si Dios nos curiare de mal,
seremos [
í
] yo e su mugier e sus fıjas que él á
y todas las dueñas con ellas, quantas buenas ellas han.”
Idos son los cavalleros e d'ello pensarán,
rremaneció en San Pero Minaya Álbar Fáñez.
Veriedes cavalleros venir de todas partes,
irse quiere[
n
] a Valencia a Mio Cid el de Bivar;
que les toviesse pro rrogavan a Álbar Fáñez,
diziendo esto Mianaya: “Esto feré de veluntad.”
A Minaya
sessaenta
[
e
]
cinco
cavalleros acrecídol' han
e él se tenié
ciento
que aduxiera d'allá;
por ir con estas dueñas buena conpaña se faze.
Los quinientos marcos dio Minaya al abat,
de los otros quinientos dezir vos he qué faze:
Minaya a doña Ximina e a sus fıjas que ha
e a las otras dueñas que las sirven delant,
el bueno de Minaya pensólas de adobar
de los mejores guarnimientos que en Burgos pudo fallar,
palafrés e mulas, que non parescan mal.
Quando estas dueñas adobadas las ha,
el bueno de Minaya pensar quiere de cavalgar,
afevos Rrachel e Vidas a los pies le caen:
“¡Merced, Minaya, cavallero de prestar!
Desfechos nos ha el Cid, sabet, si no nos val;
soltariemos la ganancia, que nos diesse el cabdal.”
“Yo lo veré con el Cid, si Dios me lieva allá;
por lo que avedes fecho buen cosiment í avrá.”
Dixo Rrachel e Vidas: “¡El Criador lo mande!
Si non, dexaremos Burgos, ir lo hemos buscar.”
Ido es pora San Pero Minaya Álbar Fáñez,
muchas yentes se le acogen, pensó de cavalgar,
grand duelo es al partir del abat:
“¡Sí vos vala el Criador, Minaya Álbar Fáñez!

To bring my Cid this message:
“Say to my Cid—may God keep him from all evil!—
That the king has released his wife and daughters, and I have
them;
He is escorting us, well provided, to the borders of Castile.
In fifteen days—may God be willing!—
Your wife, your daughters, and all the ladies
Who care for them (and good ladies they are) will be with you.”
The knights rode off, knowing what they had to do;
Minaya waited at San Pedro. And knights came
From everywhere, all over Spain,
Wanting to join my Cid, he of Vivar, in Valencia,
Begging Alvar Fáñez to give them his backing.
He told them: “I will be glad to.”
So Minaya added sixty-five knights
To the hundred he came with, which gave him
A fine escort to accompany the ladies.
Minaya gave half the thousand silver marks to the abbot.
Here's what he did with the other five hundred:
In Burgos, he bought Doña Jimena and her daughters,
And all the good ladies who attended on them,
The most beautiful dresses he could find,
As well as the best palfreys and mules he could buy,
So their appearance would be grand and fine.
When everyone was dressed and ready,
And Minaya was about to start their ride,
Raguel and Vidas appeared, and fell at his feet:
“Mercy, Minaya, O worthy knight!
My Cid will destroy us, truly he will, if he doesn't pay on time.
We forgive him the interest, if he'll pay back the loan.”
“I'll talk to my Cid, God willing that I get there.
You'll be well paid for the favor you did him.”
“May God grant it!” said Raguel and Vidas.
“If not, we'll have to leave Burgos and hunt for him.”
Minaya left Burgos, returned to San Pedro;
Eager knights were still appearing, anxious to join him.
The farewell from the abbot was deeply moving:
“You'll be blessed by God, Minaya Alvar Fáñez,

Por mí al Campeador las manos le besad,
aqueste monesterio no lo quiera olbidar,
todos los días del sieglo en levarlo adelant
el Cid siempre valdrá más.”
Rrespuso Minaya: “Fer lo he de veluntad.”
Yas' espiden e piensan de cavalgar,
el portero con ellos que los ha de aguardar,
por la tierra del rrey mucho conducho les dan.
De San Pero fasta Medina en
cinco
días van,
felos en Medina las dueñas e Álbar Fáñez.
Dirévos de los cavalleros que levaron el mensaje,
al ora que lo sopo Mio Cid el de Bivar,
plógol' de coraçón e tornós' a alegrar,
de la su boca conpeçó de fablar:
“Qui buen mandadero enbía tal deve sperar.
Tú, Muño Gustioz, e Pero Vermúez delant,
e Martín Antolínez, un burgalés leal,
el obispo don Jerónimo, coronado de prestar,
cavalguedes con ciento guisados pora huebos de lidiar;
por Sancta María vós vayades passar,
vayades a Molina que yaze más adelant,
tiénela Ave[
n
]galvón, mio amigo es de paz,
con otros ciento cavalleros bien vos consigrá;
id pora Medina quanto lo pudiéredes far,
mi mugier e mis fıjas con Minaya Álbar Fáñez,
as[
s
]í como a mí dixieron, í los podredes fallar;
con grand ondra aduzídmelas delant.
E yo fıncaré en Valencia, que mucho costádom' ha,
grand locura serié si la desenparás;
yo fıncaré en Valencia ca la tengo por heredad.”
Esto era dicho, piensan de cavalgar
e quanto que pueden non fıncan de andar.
Trocieron a Sancta María e vinieron albergar a Frontael
e el otro día vinieron a Molina posar.
El moro Ave[
n
]galvón, quando sopo el mensaje,
saliólos rrecebir con grant gozo que faze:
“¡Venides, los vassallos de mio amigo natural!
A mí non me pesa, sabet, mucho me plaze.”