The Song of the Cid Read online

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  “No one should misunderstand what I’ve said:

  We simply cannot stay in Castejón.

  King Alfonso’s army can’t be far away, he’s looking for us.

  Nor do I wish to damage or destroy this castle:

  I’ll set free a hundred Moorish men and a hundred Moorish

  women,

  So they can’t speak badly of my taking it from them.

  cras a la mañana pensemos de cavalgar,

  con Alfonso mio señor non querría lidiar.”

  Lo que dixo el Cid a todos los otros plaz.

  Del castiello que prisieron todos rricos se parten,

  los moros e las moras bendiziéndol’ están.

  Vanse Fenares arriba quanto pueden andar,

  trocen las Alcarias e ivan adelant,

  por las Cuevas d’Anquita ellos passando van,

  passaron las aguas, entraron al campo de Torancio,

  por essas tierras ayuso quanto pueden andar.

  Entre Fariza e Cetina Mio Cid iva albergar,

  grandes son las ganancias que priso por la tierra dó va.

  Non lo saben los moros el ardiment que an.

  Otro día moviós’ Mio Cid el de Bivar

  e passó a Alfama, la Foz ayuso va,

  passó a Bovierca e a Teca que es adelant

  e sobre Alcocer Mio Cid iva posar

  en un otero rredondo, fuerte e grand,

  acerca corre Salón, agua nol’ puedent vedar.

  Mio Cid don Rrodrigo Alcocer cueda ganar.

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  Bien puebla el otero, fırme prende las posadas,

  los unos contra la sierra e los otros contra la agua.

  El buen Canpeador que en buen ora nasco

  derredor del otero bien cerca del agua

  a todos sos varones mandó fazer una cárcava

  que de día nin de noch non les diessen arrebata,

  que sopiessen que Mio Cid allí avié fıncança.

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  Por todas essas tierras ivan los mandados

  que el Campeador Mio Cid allí avié poblado,

  venido es a moros, exido es de cristianos;

  You’ve all been well paid, no one’s purse is empty,

  So tomorrow morning I want us to ride away.

  Alfonso is still my king, I do not want to fight with him.”

  No one disagreed with my Cid.

  They’d conquered the castle as poor men; they left it rich;

  And Moorish men and women blessed them.

  They rode rapidly along the river Henares,

  Crossed the Alcarria, passed the Anquita caves,

  Then crossed the Tajuña and went through Campo Taranz:

  It was a downward path, and they kept galloping on.

  Finally, between Ariza and Cetina, they pitched their camp,

  Having taken immense amounts of loot along the way.

  The Moors had no idea where they were going.

  The next day, my Cid, the Warrior from Vivar, moved on,

  Passing Alhama, then La Hoz,

  Then Bubierca and even Ateca, further along,

  Making camp, at last, on a round hill, which looked down,

  High and imposing, on the city of Alcocer.

  The river Jalón ran past; their water supply was endless.

  My Cid, Don Rodrigo, decided to capture Alcocer.

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  He built a sturdy campsite, fortified the position,

  Setting some of his men near the hill, others along the river.

  Then the Warrior, born in a lucky hour,

  Ordered his men to dig a deep ditch, starting near the water

  And running all around the hill;

  No one could attack them, now, by night or day.

  The message was clear: my Cid had come to stay.

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  The news was known through all the lands around.

  The Warrior, my Cid, had settled down

  Near Alcocer, exiled by Christians, come to the Moors:

  en la su vezindad non se treven ganar tanto.

  Aguardándose va Mio Cid con todos sus vassallos,

  el castiello de Alcocer en paria va entrando.

  Los de Alcocer a Mio Cid yal’ dan parias de grado

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  e los de Teca e los de Terrer la casa;

  a los de Calataút, sabet, ma[l] les pesava.

  Allí yogo Mio Cid complidas quinze semanas.

  Quando vio Mio Cid que Alcocer non se le dava,

  él fızo un art e non lo detardava:

  dexa una tienda fıta e las otras levava,

  cojó[s’] Salón ayuso, la su seña alçada,

  las lorigas vestidas e cintas las espadas

  a guisa de menbrado por sacarlos a celada.

  Veyénlo los de Alcocer, ¡Dios, cómo se alabavan!

  “Fallido á a Mio Cid el pan e la cevada;

  las otras abés lieva, una tienda á dexada,

  de guisa va Mio Cid como si escapasse de arrancada.

  Demos salto a él e feremos grant ganancia

  antes quel’ prendan los de Terrer, si non, non nos darán dent

  nada;

  la paria qu’él á presa tornar nos la ha doblada.”

  Salieron de Alcocer a una priessa much estraña,

  Mio Cid, quando los vio fuera, cogiós’ como de arrancada,

  cojós’ Salón ayuso, con los sos abuelta anda.

  Dizen los de Alcocer: “¡Ya se nos va la ganancia!”

  Los grandes e los chicos fuera salto dan,

  al sabor del prender de lo ál non piensan nada,

  abiertas dexan las puertas que ninguno non las guarda.

  El buen Campeador la su cara tornava,

  vio que entr’ellos e el castiello mucho avié grand plaça,

  mandó tornar la seña, apriessa espoloneavan:

  “¡Firidlos, cavalleros, todos sines dubdança!

  ¡Con la merced del Criador nuestra es la ganancia!”

  Bueltos son con ellos por medio de la llana.

  Earning a living, with him close by, was hard,

  He and all his men forever on guard.

  And Alcocer was soon paying him tribute.

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  And the people of Teca, too, and also Terrer: all of them

  Paid. And those in Calatayud, for sure, were worried sick.

  My Cid stayed there, waiting, for all of fifteen weeks,

  But saw that Alcocer would not surrender.

  He thought of a simple trick,

  And quickly tried it, taking down the tents, all but one,

  Then riding down along the Jalón, banners flying,

  His men in armor, their swords close-sheathed.

  He thought this plan would draw them out. And it did.

  All Alcocer watched—and God! how they rejoiced!

  “Cid is running out of bread and fodder!

  There’s hardly a tent still standing—one out of ten—

  Cid is running off, he sees he has no choice!

  If we jump on him, now, we’ll make ourselves rich,

  But if we wait for the men of Terrer to attack, we won’t get a bit.

  We can get double what we’ve paid him!”

  They fairly tumbled out their gates, running brainless.

  My Cid saw them, and pretended to panic,

  Galloping down the Jalón faster and faster.

  The Moors shouted, “Look! Our gold is running away!”

  Little and large, they came dashing through the gates,

  Gold dust in their eyes and nothing else in their minds;

  They left the wide-open gates, and no guards, behind them.

  The great Warrior turned his head, looked back,

  And saw how far from the fortress they’d run, to attack him.

  He swung his banner around, ordered his knights to gallop at

  them:

  “Charge! Let no one hesitate!

  With God’s good grace, we’ll smash them!”


  They reached the Moors right on the level plain.

  ¡Dios, qué bueno es el gozo por aquesta mañana!

  Mio Cid e Álbar Fáñez adelant aguijavan,

  tienen buenos cavallos, sabet, a su guisa les andan,

  entr’ellos e el castiello en essora entravan.

  Los vassallos de Mio Cid sin piedad les davan,

  en un ora e un poco de logar trezientos moros matan.

  Dando grandes alaridos los que están en la celada,

  dexando van los delant, por el castiello se tornavan,

  las espadas desnudas a la puerta se paravan.

  Luego llegavan los sos, ca fecha es el arrancada.

  Mio Cid gañó a Alcocer, sabet, por esta maña.

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  Vino Pero Vermúez, que la seña tiene en mano,

  metióla en somo, en todo lo más alto.

  Fabló Mio Cid Rruy Díaz, el que en buen ora fue nado:

  “Grado a Dios del cielo e a todos los sos sanctos,

  ya mejoraremos posadas a dueños e a cavallos.

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  “¡Oíd a mí, Álbar Fáñez e todos los cavalleros!

  En este castiello grand aver avemos preso,

  los moros yazen muertos, de bivos pocos veo;

  los moros e la[s] moras vender non los podremos,

  que los descabecemos nada non ganaremos,

  cojámoslos de dentro ca el señorío tenemos,

  posaremos en sus casas e d’ellos nos serviremos.”

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  Mio Cid con esta ganancia en Alcocer está,

  fızo enbiar por la tienda que dexara allá.

  Mucho pesa a los de Teca e a los de Terrer non plaze

  God, what a gorgeous morning, what a wonderful day!

  My Cid and Alvar Fáñez spurred their fine horses,

  Which went, of course, as fast as anyone wanted,

  And got between the Moors and the fortress.

  My Cid’s men showed no mercy,

  Killing three hundred Moors in an hour, in that tiny space.

  Those who were trapped were screaming away

  As my Cid and his fast-riding men ran to the gates

  And stood on guard, their sword blades naked.

  The fighting was over, the others came to them.

  And that, please understand, is how my Cid conquered Alcocer.

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  Pedro Bermúdez rode up, bearing the banner.

  He planted it high above the walls.

  Then my Cid, Ruy Díaz, born at a fortunate hour, declared:

  “With the grace of God on high, and all his saints,

  We’ve gotten better lodgings for both men and horses.

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  “Now listen to me, Alvar Fáñez and all you knights!

  Winning this castle has earned us a very great prize.

  Many of the Moors are dead, not many are still alive.

  But how could we sell these captives, men or women?

  How would we be better off if we killed them?

  Let them come back, because we’ll be in charge:

  We’ll live in their houses, and be their lords.”

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  My Cid lived in Alcocer, rich as a lord.

  But, still, he took down the last of his tents, and stored it.

  The Moors of Ateca were deeply concerned; those of Terrer

  e a los de Calatayut non plaze;

  al rrey de Valencia enbiaron con mensaje

  que a uno que dizién Mio Cid Rruy Díaz de Bivar:

  “Airólo el rrey Alfonso, de tierra echado lo ha,

  vino posar sobre Alcocer en un tan fuerte logar,

  sacólos a celada, el castiello ganado á.

  Si non das consejo, a Teca e a Terrer perderás,

  perderás Calatayut, que non puede escapar,

  rribera de Salón toda irá a mal,

  assí ferá lo de Siloca, que es del otra part.”

  Quando lo oyó el rrey Tamín por cuer le pesó mal:

  “Tres rreyes veo de moros derredor de mí estar,

  non lo detardedes, los dos id pora allá,

  tres mill moros levedes con armas de lidiar,

  con los de la frontera que vos ayudarán

  prendétmelo a vida, aduzídmelo deland,

  porque se me entró en mi tierra derecho me avrá a dar.”

  Tres mill moros cavalgan e piensan de andar,

  ellos vinieron a la noch en Sogorve posar.

  Otro día mañana piensan de cavalgar,

  vinieron a la noch a Celfa posar;

  por los de la frontera piensan de enviar,

  non lo detienen, vienen de todas partes.

  Ixieron de Celfa, la que dizen de Canal,

  andidieron todo’l día que vagar non se dan,

  vinieron essa noche en Calatayu[t] posar.

  Por todas essas tierras los pregones dan,

  gentes se ajuntaron sobejanas de grandes

  con aquestos dos rreyes que dizen Fáriz e Galve;

  al bueno de Mio Cid en Alcocer le van cercar.

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  Fincaron las tiendas e prendend las posadas,

  crecen estos virtos ca yentes son sobejanas;

  las arrobdas que los moros sacan

  Were angry, and those of Calatayud, too.

  They sent a message to the King of Valencia, a Moor:

  “Someone who calls himself Cid, Ruy Díaz, from Vivar,

  Angered King Alfonso, who banished him from Castile.

  He set up a fortified camp, in front of Alcocer,

  Set a trap for our people, and captured the castle.

  If you don’t get involved and don’t help us, you’ll lose Ateca,

  Terrer and Calatayud, too: there is no other way to stop this.

  And then everywhere along the Jalón will be lost,

  And after that the Jiloca, on the opposite side.”

  This message made King Tamín’s heart feel heavy:

  “Three Moorish kings are staying with me.

  Two of you go, immediately,

  With an army of three thousand, fully equipped.

  Join with the Moors who have asked for our help.

  Capture that man and bring him here, alive:

  Invade my land, and you pay a price.”

  Three thousand Moors galloped along at a good pace,

  Arriving in Segorvé that night.

  They headed off, next morning,

  And stopped that night at Celfa;

  From there they called the local troops to join them,

  As they promptly did, flocking from all adjoining

  Lands. Leaving Celfa (known as the Canal),

  They rode straight on, not pausing to rest,

  And as darkness fell, reached Calatayud, where they stopped for

  the night.

  Heralds were sent in all directions, calling for fighting

  Men—who continued to come, assembling

  A vast army for the two kings, Fáriz and Galvé,

  Who quickly besieged my Cid, in Alcocer.

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  The Moors pitched their tents, taking up positions;

  Their numbers increased to gigantic proportions.

  They sent out patrols, by day and night,

  de día | e de noch enbueltos andan en armas;

  muchas son las arrobdas e grande es el almofalla,

  a los de Mio Cid ya les tuellen el agua.

  Mesnadas de Mio Cid exir querién a la batalla,

  el que en buen ora nasco fırme ge lo vedava.

  Toviérongela en cerca complidas tres semanas.

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  A cabo de tres semanas, la quarta querié e[n]trar,

  Mio Cid con los sos tornós’ a acordar:

  “El agua nos an vedada, exir nos ha el pan,

  que nos queramos ir de noch no nos lo consintrán;

  grandes son los poderes por con ellos lidiar,

  dezidme, cavalleros, cómo vos plaze de far.”

  Primero fabló Minaya, un cavallero de pre
star:

  “De Castiella la gentil exidos somos acá,

  si con moros non lidiáremos, no nos darán del pan.

  Bien somos nós seiscientos, algunos ay de más,

  en el no[m]bre del Criador, que non passe por ál;

  vayámoslos ferir en aquel día de cras.”

  Dixo el Campeador: “A mi guisa fablastes;

  ondrástesvos, Minaya, ca aver vos lo iedes de far.”

  Todos los moros e las moras de fuera los manda echar

  que non sopiesse ninguno esta su poridad;

  el día e la noche piénsanse de adobar.

  Otro día mañana el sol querié apuntar,

  armado es Mio Cid con quantos que él ha,

  fablava Mio Cid como odredes contar:

  “Todos iscamos fuera que nadi non rraste

  sinon dos peones solos por la puerta guardar,

  si nós muriéremos en campo, en castiello non entrarán,

  si venciéremos la batalla, creçremos en rrictad;

  e vós, Pero Vermúez, la mi seña tomad,

  como sodes muy bueno, tener la edes sin art,

  mas non aguijedes con ella si yo non vos lo mandar.”

  Al Cid besó la mano, la seña va tomar.

  Heavily armed, and ready to fight.

  Their army had grown to tremendous might.

  And then they managed to cut off my Cid’s water supply.

  His men were itching to open the gates and charge them,

  But he who was born at a lucky time kept the gates barred.

  The siege went on and on, for three whole weeks.

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  After three weeks, as the fourth began,

  My Cid thought it was best to confer with his men:

  “They’ve blocked our water supply; soon we’ll be out of bread.

  We can’t sneak out at night;

  They’re terribly strong for us to fight them.