The Lay of the Cid Part 10

"Let the night pa.s.s and morning come. Look that ye ready be With arms and horses. We will forth that host of theirs to see.'.

Like men gone out in exile into a strange empire, There shall it be determined who is worthy of his hire."

VIII.

Minaya Alvar Fanez, hark what he said thereto: "Ho! Campeador, thy pleasure in all things may we do.

Give me of knights an hundred, I ask not one other man.

And do thou with the others smite on them in the van While my hundred storm their rearward, upon them thou shalt thrust-- Ne'er doubt it. We shall triumph as in G.o.d is all my trust."

Whatsoever he had spoken filled the Cid with right good cheer

And now was come the morning, and they donned their battle gear.

What was his task of battle every man of them did know.

At the bleak of day against them forth did the lord Cid go.

"In G.o.d's name and Saint James', my knights, strike hard into the war, And manful. The lord Cid am I, Roy Diaz of Bivar!"

You might see a many tent-ropes everywhither broken lie, And pegs wrenched up; the tent-posts on all sides leaned awry.

The Moors were very many. To recover they were fain, But now did Alvar Fanez on their rearward fall amain.

Though bitterly it grieved them, they had to fly and yield.

Who could put trust in horsehoofs, and forthwith fled the field.

Two kings of the Moriscos there in the rout they slew; And even to Valencia the chase did they pursue.

And mighty is the booty my lord the Cid had ta 'en.

They ravaged all the country and then turned back again.

They brought to Murviedro the booty of the foes.

And great was the rejoicing in the city that arose.

Cebolla have they taken and all the lands anear.

In Valencia they knew not what to do for very fear.

Of my lord Cid the great tidings, be it known, on all sides spread.

LXIX.

His renown afar is spreading. Beyond the sea it sped.

Glad were the companies the Cid a glad man was he That G.o.d had given him succor and gained that victory.

And they sent forth their harriers. By night they marched away, They reached unto Cullera, and to Jativa came they.

And ever downward even to Denia town they bore.

And all the Moorish country by the sea he wasted sore.

Penacadell, outgoing and entrance, have they ta'en.

LXX.

When the Cid took Penacadell, it was great grief and pain To them who in Cullera and in Jativa did dwell, And sorrow without measure in Valencia befell.

LXXI.

Three years those towns to conquer in the Moorish land he bode, Winning much; by day he rested, and at night was on the road.

LXXll.

On the dwellers in Valencia they wrought chastis.e.m.e.nt sore, From the town they dared not sally against him to make war.

He harried all their gardens and a mighty ruin made; And all those years their harvest in utter waste he laid.

Loud lamented the Valencians, for sore bested they were, Nor could find in any quarter any sort of provender; Nor could the father aid the son, nor the son aid the sire, Nor comrade comfort comrade. Gentles, 'tis hards.h.i.+p dire To lack for bread, and see our wives and children waste away.

They saw their own affliction and no hope of help had they.

To the King of Morocco had they sent the tidings on.

'Gainst the lord of Montes Claros on a great war was he gone.

He counselled not. He came not to aid them in the war.

My lord the Cid had heard it. His heart was glad therefor; And forth from Murviedro he marched away by night.

He was in the fields of Monreal at the breaking of the light.

Through Aragon the tidings he published, and Navarre, And through the Marches of Castile he spread the news afar: Who poverty would put away and riches would attain, Let him seek the Cid, whoever of a soldier's life is fain.

Valencia to beleaguer he desireth to go down, That he may unto the Christians deliver up the town

LXXIII.

"Valencia to beleaguer, who fain would march with me Let none come hither to me, if his choice be not free.

Is nought that may compel him along with me to fare-- Ca.n.a.l de Celfa for three days I will tarry for him there."

LXXIV.

So my lord Cid hath spoken, the loyal Campeador.

He turned back to Murviedo that he had ta'en in war.

Be it known into all quarters went the word forth. None were fain To delay who smelt the plunder. Crowds thronged to him amain, Good christened folk, and ringing went his tidings far and wide; And more men came unto him than departed from his side.

He of Bivar, my lord the Cid, great growth of riches had.

When he saw the bands a.s.sembled, he began to be right glad.

My lord Cid, don Rodrigo, for nothing would delay.

He marched against Valencia and smote on it straightway.

Well did the Cid surround it; till the leaguer closed about.

He thwarted their incomings, he checked their goings out.

To seek for alien succor he gave them time of grace; And nine full months together he sat down before the place, And when thc tenth was coming, to yield it were they fain.

And great was the rejoicing in the city that did reign, When the lord Cid took Valencia and within the town had won.

All of his men were cavaliers that erst afoot had gone.

Who the worth of gold and silver for your pleasure could declare?

They all were rich together as many as were there.

For himself the Cid Rodrigo took the fifth part of all, And coined marks thirty thousand unto his share did fall.

Who could tell the other treasure? Great joy the Cid befell And his men, when the flag-royal tossed o'er the citadel.

LXXV.

The Cid and his companions they rested in the place Unto the King of Seville the tiding came apace: Ta'en is Valencia city; for him 'tis held no more.

With thirty thousand armed men he came to look them o'er.

Nigh to the plain a battle they pitched both stiff and strong.

But the lord Cid long-bearded hath overthrown that throng.

And even unto Jativa in a long rout they poured.

You might have seen all bedlam on the Jucar by the ford, For there the Moors drank water but sore against their will.

With bet thee strokes upon him 'scaped the Sovereign of Seville.

And then with all that booty the Cid came home again.

Great was Valencia's plunder what time the town was ta'en, But that the spoils of that affray were greater yet, know well.

An hundred marks of silver to each common soldier fell.

How had shed that n.o.ble's fortune now lightly may you guess.

LXXVI.

There was among those Christians excelling happiness For my lord Roy Diaz that was born in a season of good grace.

And now his beard was growing; longer it grew apace.

For this the Cid had spoken, this from his mouth said he, "By my love for King Alphonso the king who banished me,"

That the shears should not shear it, nor a single hair dispart, That so the Moors and Christians might ponder it at heart.

And resting in Valencia did the lord Cid abide, With Minaya Alvar Fanez who would not leave his side.