The Poem of the Cid

By Ashton Lackey

The Poem of the Cid, (El Cantar de mio Cid), is a Spanish epic written it is widely considered Spain’s national folktale, telling of fictionalized events of medieval Spain in the 11th century. It is based on the true story of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, a Castilian knight who in reality fought for both Christian and Muslim forces, and explores chivalric themes such as loyalty, honor, and justice.
The legendary Cid is the story of his exile by Alfonso VI and his reconciliation to the monarch. The Cid’s situation seems hopeless, but while his exile isolates him from family, friends, and those who want to house him, but cannot, the Cid turns his unfortunate situation into one of loyalty, honor, and courage. Due to the missing first half of the manuscript, the poem begins “in medias res” with the sad exit of the Cid in Burgos. With tears on the men and women, the brave warrior charges out with a few other knights. As the poem moves it intends to make the most of his exile by boldly conquering many Moorish towns throughout Spain. As he races through the country conquering Moorish strongholds, he gains a reputation for being invincible plundering towns loaded with treasure and plenty of warriors joining to help him fight. He sends Alfonso many luxuries from his conquests, which Alfonso gladly accepts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ashton Lackey
• Release date: Jun 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005704148

Ashton Lackey

Ashton Lackey (Harrington A. Lackey) has been a Spanish instructor, translator, tutor and writer for the past 30 years. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Anthropology from Eckerd College, a Master of Arts degree in Hispanic Literature from Auburn University, PhD candidate in Hispanic Literature at the University of Kentucky, and an Associate of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Nashville State Technical Institute. Ashton has taught Spanish classes at Auburn University, Louisiana State University, University of Kentucky, Columbia State Community College, and Belmont University. He started a successful tutoring business- "Learning Strategies," but is now retired.Ashton has completed 10 years of studying French from grammar school to high school. Also, he completed a semester of advanced French in Angers, France at the l’Université Catholique de l’Ouest.He has written three novels, based on historical fiction: "Rare Gold," "Disciple's Curse," and "The Admiral's Signature." He has also published over 150 articles on various subjects and short stories. Ashton is now retired and currently lives in Bluffton, SC with his wife, Diana, and one furry daughter.Ashton has translated over 10 novels from Spanish to English, ("La Celestina", "Lazarillo de Tormes") and from English to Spanish: ("The Healing Of Gala"). I have recently been translating into English: "La Primera Catedral", "Surreal (Y otros relatos), and "MainCastle: La leyenda del caballero blanco".His hobbies are: collecting coins, comic books, books and metal detecting.

Book preview

The Poem of the Cid

by

Anonymous

Translated by Ashton Lackey

Published by Ashton. Lackey at Smashwords

Copyright © 2022 Ashton Lackey

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

References

FIRST SONG (The Exile)

SECOND SONG (The Weddings of the Daughters of the Cid)

THIRD SONG (The Dishonor of Corpes)

Introduction

From the 6th century AD, Spain was controlled by the Visigoths who were a Germanic tribe that participated in the fall of Rome in 476 AD. The Visigoths were defeated by tribes of Muslims who sought to spread their empire from Africa to the northern most part of Spain. The Visigoths were quickly defeated and in 711 AD by the Moors.

For almost eight centuries Spain was partly controlled by Muslims, but slowly, Spanish Christians and Muslims fought each other for control of the peninsula. From the north to the south of Spain, Christians slowly gained most of the towns and cities occupied by Moors. By 1492, Spanish Christians defeated the Moors in Granada by the Christian knights under Spain’s rulers, King Ferdinand of Aragon and Queen Isabel of Castille.

The names of many Spanish knights who fought the Muslims for eight hundred years were hardly remembered, except for one, (Rodrigo) Ruy Díaz of Vivar, also known as El Cid (From ‘al-sīd’, or lord in Arabic.). He is also called el Campeador(the Champion), in addition to warrior, who was nació en buena hora (born at a good time).

This eight-hundred-year-old epic detailing the legendary exploits of this soldier-adventurer and of his part in the long struggle between Christianity and Islam. El Cid who lived in the 11th century (1043-1099 AD) is unjustly ostracized by Alfonso de Leon, the Spanish king who condemns him after hearing false accusations by noblemen who are jealous of the Cid that he stole part of the taxes paid to the crown by the Moorish king of Seville.

The real history about the Cid reflects a man of honor who did no wrong to King Alfonso, except Rodrigo Diaz served under the service of King Fernando, father of Alfonso and Sancho. The Cid served a short time under Sancho II. Later Cid was tested his loyalty due to an unfortunate accident to Alfonso VI who exiled him. During his exile, Cid was in the service of a Moorish king until 1086, but he returned to the Alfonso’s court. After being exiled again by the king in 1089, Rodrigo started to wage war on his own account, and in 1094 he conquered Valencia, where he died in 1099.

The legendary Cid is the story of his exile by Alfonso VI and his reconciliation to the monarch. The Cid’s situation seems hopeless, but while his exile isolates him from family, friends, and those who want to house him, but cannot, the Cid turns his unfortunate situation into one of loyalty, honor, and courage. Due to the missing first half of the manuscript, the poem begins in medias res with the sad exit of the Cid in Burgos. With tears on the men and women the brave warrior charges out with a few other knights. As the poem moves it intends to make the most of his exile by boldly conquering many Moorish towns throughout Spain. As he races through the country conquering Moorish strongholds, he gains a reputation for being invincible plundering towns loaded with treasure and plenty of warriors joining to help him fight. He sends Alfonso many luxuries from his conquests, which Alfonso gladly accepts.

With one of the Cid’s loyal commanders, Minaya Álvar Fáñez, his sturdy steed, Babieca, and of his two famous swords, Colada and Tizón; of his wife, Doña Jimena, and his two daughters, Doña Elvira and Doña Sol, who found sanctuary with Abbot Don Sancho in the monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña during the Cid's exile; and of the despicable and dark-hearted princes (Infantes) of Carrión, Diego and Fernando González.

The composition of this entire poem was memorized and narrated by wandering minstrels, which was copied in 1207 by Per Abbad (Abbot Peter). However, this work did not gain fame until the early 20th century, when the renowned Ramón Menéndez Pidal, Spanish philologist and historian researched and wrote extensively and popularized El Cantar del mio Cid as never before.

The Poem of the Cid is the first literary treasure of Spain, and the Cid is recognized as Spain’s national hero. Although the only known incomplete poem which was copied in old Spanish in 1207 AD, it was divided into 152 stanzas with 3730 lines of verse, which gave the poem a beautiful musical quality.

When translated into English, the work loses its rhythm and rhyming. I translated the work into prose, so it could be read more easily in modern form. Although there is no musical quality, it is best understood as if reading a novel. The translation is for the reader to judge.

Ashton Lackey

REFERENCES:

Anonymous, The Poem of the Cid, Berkeley, 2016, trans. Lesley Byrd Simpson.

Anonymous, The Poem of My Cid, Peter Such, John Hodgkinson, , Ares &Philips, 1987.

Ramón Menéndez Pidal, Cantar de mio Cid: Crítica del texto. Gramática, (Vols 1-2),Madrid, 1908-1911.

David Nicolle, El Cid and the Reconquista 1050-1492 (Men-At-Arms, No 200), Osprey Publishing, 1988.

FIRST SONG

The Exile

The eyes of The Cid overflowed with tears. He turned and looked back and gazed at them. He saw how the gates were open, without padlocks, the hangers were empty neither with skins nor with mantles no hawks to hunt and no molted goshawks. And he sighed with a heavy heart, and he spoke wisely as he always speaks: Blessed are you, my God, Father you are on high! My evil enemies have plotted against me.

They had already spurred the horses and slackened the reins. When they leave Vivar they see the crow at the right hand, but when they went to enter Burgos, they took her to their left. The Cid moved his shoulders and shook his head: Courage, Álvar Fáñez, from our land we are forced out, but full of honor we must return to it!

The Cid Ruy Díaz already left through the city of Burgos. Sixty banners are carried behind the Champion. Everyone went out to see him, every man woman and child peeked out of the windows of Burgos. How many eyes that cried, overcome with sorrow! And everyone's lips said the same thought: What a good vassal he would be if he had a good lord!

They wanted to shelter him so much, but none dared, because the king was furious at Ruy Díaz of Vivar. Last night a royal letter was sent to Burgos with severe preventions and strongly sealed commanding that no one give The Cid an inn, that if anyone gave it to him, they knew what awaited them: loss of everything they owned, plus the eyes of every face, as well as no salvation of body and soul. Every Christian soul in Burgos was in great pain. They all hid from the Cid: they couldn't tell him anything.

The Cid went where he always stopped, but when he arrived at the door which had been bolted shut by the people inside, out of fear of King Alfonso. Yet unless the Cid did not break it down, they would never open it. My Cid loudly called those inside, but nobody replied. The Cid spurred the horse and rode up to the door. He took his foot out of the stirrup and hit the door; but the door would not open, which was very tightly closed.

A nine-year-old girl very close appeared to the Cid and said: Champion, you have worn your sword with such pride. The king has forbidden it, last night his letter arrived in Burgos, strongly sealed with severe preventions; we dare not, Cid, give you asylum for nothing, for, it we did so, we’d lose all our belongings and property, as well as lose our eyes in the evil of us you are not gaining anything. Follow and may God protect you with his holy virtues.

The girl told him, and she returned to her house. Ruy Díaz had seen that he did not expect grace from the king. From there he departed through Burgos at a good pace he crossed, arriving at St Mary. He dismounted from the horse, his knees sank into the ground and from his heart he begged God. When he finished his prayer the Cid rode again, through the city gates he came out, and crossed the Arlanzón River. Next to Burgos, with sand all around, ordering the tents be planted and dismounted from his horse.

The Cid of Vivar who wore his sword with pride camped in a sandy area, since no one opened their house to him. But around him were warriors who accompanied him. This is how The Cid camped as if he were walking in the mountains. The king forbade anyone in Burgos to sell him anything, among all those things was food, not even the most diminished ration.

The good Martín Antolínez, that sturdy one of Burgos, supplied the Cid and his men with bread and wine; he did not buy it, because he had some himself. Provisions also gave them food along the way. The Champion was happy and so were the other knights who marched in his service.

Martín Antolínez spoke, listen well to what he said: My Cid Champion, who in such a fortunate hour had been born, let's rest tonight and tomorrow be on the way! For I should be accused, Cid, for having served you and will anger the king since I will also be involved. If I manage to escape with you healthy and alive, Champion, sooner or later the king must love me as a friend; the things I leave here are not that important. Thus the Cid, who raised his sword in a good time spoke: "Good Martin Antolínez, the bold one with the brave spear! If