Read Online The Song of the Cid by Anonymous - Free Book Online Page A

Galín García,
Good men to go with Minaya.
Ride like proud demons, afraid of nothing.
Go down along the Hita, right through Guadalajara,
As far as Alcalá, taking everything
You find, don’t leave them a thing—
And pay no attention to the Moors: they’re nothing to worry
about.
I’ll bring up the rear, with another hundred men,
Based in Castejón—a good defensive position.
If you’re attacked and need assistance,
Send me word immediately:
You’ll have the kind of help no one in Spain will ever forget!”
Those who were in the raiding party were named,
And those who would stay with my Cid.
Daylight began to break through, and morning came,
And the sun with it. Lord, what a beautiful dawn!
People woke up, in Castejón,
Opened their doors and left their houses,
Going out to check on their fields and their workers,
Leaving almost no men in town.
Then the Warrior came out of hiding
And galloped straight into the place.
He captured Moorish men and Moorish women,
And all the cattle being herded out.
My Cid rode straight up to the gate,
And those who guarded it were terribly afraid,
Seeing him come; they ran for their lives.
My Cid rode right through, and into the town,
His sword held high and bare in his hand.
He killed fifteen Moors as they ran.
There was silver, there was gold,
And his knights kept coming to him with more,
Free and easy, piling treasure on his horde.
    Afevos Jos dozientos e tres en el algara
e sin dubda corren; . . . . . . . . . . .
fasta Alcalá llegó la seña de Minaya
e desí arriba tórnanse con la ganancia,
Fenares arriba e por Guadalfajara.
Tanto traen las grandes gana[ n ]cias,
muchos gañados | de ovejas e de vacas,
e de rropas e de otras rriquizas largas;
derecha viene la seña de Minaya,
non osa ninguno dar salto a la çaga.
Con aqueste aver tórnanse essa conpaña,
fellos en Castejón ó el Campeador estava;
el castiello dexó en so poder, el Canpeador cavalga,
saliólos rrecebir con esta su mesnada,
los braços abiertos rrecibe a Minaya:
“¡Venides, Álbar Fáñez, una fardida lança!
Dó yo vos enbiás bien abría tal esperança;
esso con esto sea ajuntado,
dovos la quinta, si la quisiéredes, Minaya.”
    Â 
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    â€œMucho vos lo gradesco, Campeador contado;
d’aquesta quinta que me avedes mand[ ad ]o
pagar se ía d’ella Alfonso el castellano.
Yo vos la suelt o e avello quitado;
a Dios lo prometo, a Aquel que está en alto,
fata que yo me pague sobre mio buen cavallo
lidiando con moros en el campo,
que enpleye la lança e al espada meta mano
e por el cobdo ayuso la sangre destellando
ante Rruy Díaz el lidiador contado,
non prendré de vós quanto vale un dinero malo.
Pues que por mí ganaredes quesquier que sea d’algo,
todo lo otro afelo en vuestra mano.”
    His two hundred and thirty men in the raiding party
Never slowed or stopped, sacking everywhere they went.
Minaya’s banner was seen as far as Alcalá,
And from that point they turned back,
Following the Henares through Guadalajara,
Carrying great quantities of loot—oxen,
Sheep, cows, all kinds of clothing and other rich things.
Minaya’s banner flew high, he went wherever he wanted;
No one dared to bother his rear guard.
And so they returned, richly burdened,
Right into Castejón, where they found my Cid.
He rode out from the castle he’d conquered,
He and his men, welcoming their comrades,
And the Warrior threw his arms around Minaya:
“Here you are, Alvar Fáñez, you daring knight!
Bringing back the kind of victory I always expect from you.
What we already have, together with what you bring,
Minaya, is one-fifth yours, if you want it.”
    Â 
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    â€œI am deeply grateful to you, famous Warrior,
And I am sure King Alfonso himself would be pleased
If he had this one-fifth share you have offered me.
But I hand it back to you, and there let it be.
I