The Song of the Cid
Page 10
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.
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“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!”
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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.
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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 tienda lo levava,
a sos creenderos guardarlo mandava.
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.”
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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.
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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.”
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“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.”
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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.
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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,
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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.”
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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.
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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 cavalgaremos 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.”
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Aguijava el conde e pensava de andar,
tornando va la cabeça e catandos’ atrás;
miedo iva aviendo que Mio Cid se rrepintrá;
Living as men must, when their king has thrown them into exile.”
The happy count asked for water, to wash his hands;
It was brought at once, as he had asked,
And he and the two noblemen, as my Cid had agreed,
Began to eat. And eat. And eat!
He who was born in just the right time sat next to him:
“Remember, Count: you need to eat freely—
Or else we’ll have to sit here forever, and never leave.”
The count replied: “O, I agree, I agree!”
He and his two noblemen fairly attacked their food,
And my Cid was pleased, seeing
For himself how quickly the count was wielding
His hands.
“At your pleasure, my Cid, we’re ready to leave.
Have them bring our horses, and off we’ll go.
In all my life as a count I’ve never eaten
Better. I’ll never forget the delight of this meal.”
They were given three palfreys, very well saddled,
And also fine clothes, fur-lined, and mantles.
Count Ramón rode between the two nobles,
With the exiled Castilian as their escort, beside them.
“So here you leave us, Count, and you ride
As a free Catalonian. I’m grateful for all you’ve left
Behind. If ever you feel the need to find me
Again, and revenge yourself, do let me know.
Or not: just come and find me,
And either I’ll take something from you, or you from me.”
“Ah, don’t worry, my Cid, be at ease!
I’ve already paid you a year’s assessment:
Returning for more is not my intention.”
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The count spurred his horse and rode right off,
But kept turning his head and looking behind him,
Afraid my Cid might change his mind
lo que non ferié el caboso por quanto en el mundo ha,
una deslea[l]tança, ca non la fızo alguandre.
Ido es el conde, tornós’ el de Bivar,
juntós’ con sus mesnadas, conpeçós’ de pagar
de la ganancia que an fecha maravillosa e grand.
And retake them—a betrayal this untainted hero could never
make:
In all his life he had never gone back on his word.
The count had gone. The man from Vivar
Turned back and joined his men, still delighted
With the marvelous wealth they’d earned in that day’s fighting.
His men were now so rich they couldn’t count it!
CANTO TWO
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Aquís’ conpieça la gesta de Mio Cid el de Bivar.
Tan rricos son los sos que non saben qué se an.
Poblado ha Mio Cid el puerto de Alucant,
dexado á Saragoça e las tierras ducá
e dexado á Huesa e las tierras de Mont Alván.
Contra la mar salada conpeçó de guerrear,
a orient exe el sol e tornós’ a essa part.
Mio Cid gañó a Xérica e a Onda e [a] Almenar,
tierras de Borriana todas conquistas las ha.
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Ayudól’ el Criador, el Señor que es en cielo.
Él con todo esto priso a Murviedro;
ya v[e]yé Mio Cid que Dios le iva valiendo.
Dentro en Valencia non es poco el miedo.
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Pesa a los de Valencia, sabet, non les plaze,
prisieron so consejo quel’ viniessen cercar;
trasnocharon de noch, al alva de la man
acerca de Murviedro tornan tiendas a fıncar.
Violo Mio Cid, tomós’ a maravillar;
“¡Grado a ti, Padre spiritual!
En sus tierras somos e fémosles todo mal,
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Here begin the true heroics of my Cid, from Vivar.
He’d made his camp near the Olocau Pass,
Having left Saragossa and the duke’s other lands,
Riding past Huesa and Montalbán.
Then he rode toward the sea, to fight down there—
As the sun rises in the east, that’s where
He headed. He conquered Jérica, Onda, and Almenara,
And everything around Burriana, on the coast.
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He was helped by God, the Lord of heaven on high.
And when he took Murviedro
He was convinced that God was on his side.
But to the south, in Moorish Valencia, people were afraid.
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They were really concerned, God knows, not pleased at all.
Deciding to besiege him, there in the city he’d conquered,
They marched all night and, next morning, at break of dawn,
Their tents were set around Murviedro.
Seeing all this, my Cid was amazed:
“Our Father in heaven, thank you!
We’ve invaded their lands, we’ve wronged them over and over,
bevemos so vino e comemos el so pan;
si nos cercar vienen, con derecho lo fazen.
A menos de lid aquesto nos’ partirá;
vayan los mandados por los que nos deven ayudar,
los unos a Xérica e los otros a Alucad,
desí a Onda e los otros a Almenar,
los de Borriana luego vengan acá;
conpeçaremos aquesta lid campal,
yo fío por Dios que en nuestro pro eñadrán.”
Al tercer día todos juntados son,
el que en buen ora nasco compeçó de fablar:
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“¡Oíd, mesnadas, sí el Criador vos salve!
Después que nos partiemos de la linpia cristiandad,
non fue a nuestro grado ni nós non pudiemos más,
grado a Dios, lo nuestro fue adelant.
Los de Valencia cercados nos han,
si en estas tierras quisiéremos durar,
fırmemientre son éstos a escarmentar.
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“Passe la noche e venga la mañana,
aparejados me sed a cavallos e armas,
iremos ver aquella su almofalla;
como omnes exidos de tierra estraña,
allí pareçrá el que merece la soldada.”
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Oíd qué dixo Minaya Álbar Fáñez:
“Campeador, fagamos lo que a vós plaze.
A mí dedes ciento cavalleros, que non vos pido más,
vós con los otros fırádeslos delant,
bien los ferredes, que dubda non í avrá;
yo con los ciento entraré del otra part,
como fío por Dios, el campo nuestro será.”
We’ve eaten their bread and drunk their wine,
Here they are to besiege us; surely, they have that right.
But unless they beat us in battle, we will not leave.
Messages must be sent to those who should shield us—
Some to Jérica, others to Olocau,
Then on to Onda, and others to Almenara.
Men from Burriana should come at once.
We’ll begin the fighting out in the open,
I trust in God to help us.”
It took three days for his troops to assemble;
Then he who was born in a lucky hour addressed them: