The Song of the Cid
Page 24
Mio Cid la mano besó al rrey e en pie se levantó:
“Mucho vos lo gradesco como a rrey e a señor
por quanto esta cort fıziestes por mi amor.
Esto les demando a ifantes de Carrión:
por mis fıjas quem’ dexaron yo non he desonor,
ca vós las casastes, rrey, sabredes qué fer oy;
mas quando sacaron mis fıjas de Valencia la mayor,
yo bien los quería d’alma e de coraçón,
diles dos espadas a Colada e a Tizón,
éstas yo las gané a guisa de varón,
ques’ ondrassen con ellas e sirviessen a vós;
quando dexaron mis fıjas en el rrobredo de Corpes
comigo non quisieron aver nada e perdieron mi amor;
denme mis espadas quando mios yernos non son.”
Atorgan los alcaldes: “Tod’ esto es rrazón.”
Dixo el conde don García: “A esto fablemos nós.”
Essora salién aparte iffantes de Carrión
con todos sus parientes e el vando que í son,
And at his long beard, tied up by a cord:
He was every inch a man!
The Carrións were too ashamed to look.
Then good King Alfonso rose:
“Hear me, gentlemen, in the name of God!
Since I’ve been king, I’ve called only two courts,
One in Burgos, and one in Carrión.
This third one has been called, here in Toledo,
For love of my Cid, he who was born at a blessèd time,
To give him justice against the Carrión heirs.
We all know the immense wrongs they have done him.
The judges, here, will be Count Don Enrique and Count Don
Ramón,
Along with counts who are not allied to the accused.
Pay close attention, and as the learnèd men you are
Determine what is proper, for I do not enforce malice.
Let everyone be peaceful, today,
For I swear by Saint Isidore that he who disrupts this court
Will be sent into exile, and will lose my favor.
I am on whichever side is proven right.
My Cid, the Warrior, will present his claim,
And then we’ll hear what the Carrións say.”
My Cid kissed the king’s hands, and rose to his feet:
“I am deeply grateful to you, my king and lord,
For your concern in calling this court.
Here is what I ask of the Carrión heirs:
Deserting my daughters brings no dishonor to me,
Because it was you who gave them away, my king; you will do as
you please.
But when you Carrións took my daughters away—
And I acted with love, from my heart and my soul—
I gave you two swords, Colada and Tizón,
Precious swords that I won
In battle, hoping they’d win more honor with you.
By abandoning my daughters, in the Corpes forest,
You broke all connection with me, and my love was lost:
Give back my swords, since you’re no longer my sons-in-law!”
The judges agreed: “This is completely just.”
apriessa lo ivan trayendo e acuerdan la rrazón:
“Aún grand amor nos faze el Cid Campeador
quando desondra de sus fıjas no nos demanda oy,
bien nos abendremos con el rrey don Alfonso.
Démosle sus espadas quando assí fınca la boz,
e quando las toviere partir se á la cort;
ya más non avrá derecho de nós el Cid Canpeador.”
Con aquesta fabla tornaron a la cort:
“¡Merced, ya rrey don Alfonso, sodes nuestro señor!
No lo podemos negar ca dos espadas nos dio,
quando las demanda e d’ellas ha sabor
dárgelas queremos delant estando vós.”
Sacaron las espadas Colada e Tizón,
pusiéronlas en mano del rrey so señor,
saca las espadas e rrelumbra toda la cort,
las maçanas e los arriazes todos d’oro son.
Maravíllanse d’ellas todos los omnes buenos de la cort.
Rrecibió [el Cid] las espadas, las manos le besó,
tornós’ al escaño dón se levantó,
en las manos las tiene e amas las cató,
nos’ le pueden camear ca el Cid bien las connosce,
alegrós’le tod’ el cuerpo, sonrrisós’ de coraçón,
alçava la mano, a la barba se tomó:
“¡Par aquesta barba que nadi non’ messó,
assís’ irán vengando don Elvira e doña Sol!”
A so sobrino por nónbrel’ llamó,
tendió el braço, la espada Tizón le dio:
“Prendetla, sobrino, ca mejora en señor.”
A Martín Antolínez, el burgalés de pro,
tendió el braço, el espada Coládal’ dio:
“Martín Antolínez, mio vassallo de pro,
prended a Colada, ganéla de buen señor,
del conde do Rremont Verenguel de Barcilona la mayor.
Por esso vos la do que la bien curiedes vós;
sé que si vos acaeciere . . . . . . .
con ella ganaredes grand prez e grand valor.”
Besóle la mano, el espada tomó e rrecibió.
Luego se levantó Mio Cid el Campeador:
Count García Ordóñez said: “We’ll talk about this.”
They went off all together, the Carrión heirs,
Their family and friends. Their talk went quickly;
They all decided, almost at once, to give in on this:
“He’s doing us a favor, Warrior Cid,
Not asking a thing for his daughters’ dishonor.
We can settle up nicely, just with the king.
Let’s give him the swords, since that’s all he wants,
And once he’s gotten them, he’ll leave the court.
Then no more righteous claims for justice, from Warrior Cid!”
This decided, they went back to court:
“By your grace, King Don Alfonso and our lord!
We cannot deny that he gave us two swords.
Since he wants them back, and he has that right,
We’ll gladly hand them over, here in your presence.”
They brought the two swords, Colada and Tizón,
And put them in the king’s hands.
He drew them, and they lit up the room,
Their pommels and hand guards made of gold:
All the good men in the court stared in wonder.
My Cid took them, kissed the king’s hands,
Then turned and went back to his place,
Where he made a careful examination:
He couldn’t be fooled, he knew them well.
His whole body spoke his joy; his heart was smiling.
He raised his hand, and grasped his beard:
“By my beard, which no one has ever pulled,
This begins my daughters’ revenge!”
He called to his nephew, Pedro Bermúdez,
Took him by the arm and gave him Tizón.
“Take it, nephew: it suits you better.”
Then he called to Martín Antolínez, worthy man from Burgos,
Took his arm, and gave him Colada:
“Martín Antolínez, my first-class warrior,
Accept Colada—which I won from a very fine lord,
Count Ramón Berenguer, from great Barcelona—
I make this gift knowing you will treat it well.
Take it; it will earn you honor and praise.”
“Grado al Criador e a vós, rrey señor,
ya pagado só de mis espadas, de Colada e de Tizón.
Otra rrencura he de ifantes de Carrión:
quando sacaron de Valencia mis fıjas amas a dos
en oro e en plata tres mill marcos les di [y]o,
yo faziendo esto,
ellos acabaron lo so;
denme mis averes quando mios yernos non son.”
¡Aquí veriedes quexarse ifantes de Carrión!
Dize el conde don Rremond: “Dezid de sí o de no.”
Essora rresponden ifantes de Carrión:
“Por éssol’ diemos sus espadas al Cid Campeador
que ál no nos demandasse, que aquí fıncó la boz.”
“Si ploguiere al rrey, assí dezimos nós:
a lo que demanda el Cid quel’ rrecudades vós.”
Dixo el buen rrey: “Assí lo otorgo yo.”
Levantós’ en pie el Cid Campeador:
“D’estos averes que vos di yo
si me los dades, o dedes [d’ello rraçón].”
Essora salién aparte ifantes de Carrión,
non acuerdan en consejo ca los haveres grandes son,
espesos los han ifantes de Carrión.
Tornan con el consejo e fablavan a so señor:
“Mucho nos afınca el que Valencia gañó
quando de nuestros averes assil’ prende sabor,
pagar le hemos de heredades en tierras de Carrión.”
Dixieron los alcaldes quando manifestados son:
“Si esso ploguiere al Cid, non ge lo vedamos nós,
mas en nuestro juvizio assí lo mandamos nós
que aquí lo enterguedes dentro en la cort.”
A estas palabras fabló el rrey don Alfonso:
“Nós bien la sabemos aquesta rrazón
que derecho demanda el Cid Campeador.
D’estos tres mill marcos los dozientos tengo yo,
entr’amos me los dieron los ifantes de Carrión;
tornárgelos quiero, ca tan desfechos son,
enterguen a Mio Cid, el que en buen ora nació;
quando ellos los an a pechar, non ge los quiero yo.”
Fabló Ferrán Go[n]çález: “Averes monedados non tenemos nós.”
His hand was kissed, the sword was given and received,
Then he rose, my Warrior Cid:
“Thanks to God, and to you, my lord the king,
My swords, Colada and Tizón, are mine again!
I have other complaints against the Carrión heirs:
When they took my daughters from Valencia,
I gave them three thousand marks in silver and gold.
I did my duty, but they did what they meant to do.
Give me back my money, for you are no longer my sons-in-law.”
You should have seen the Carrións moaning and groaning!
Count Don Ramón of Burgundy: “Answer him, yes or no.”
Then the Carrións said:
“The only reason we gave him back the swords
Was to stop him from claiming more, so this would end.”
“We declare,” said Don Ramón, “if the king so pleases,
That you must pay him what he asks.”
The good king said: “I hereby confirm this.”
Warrior Cid immediately rose:
“Either give me what I ask of you,
Or give some reason for refusing.”
Then the Carrións went out to discuss this;
They could not satisfy the claim, it was huge,
And most of the money had been spent.
They came back in, and said:
“He who conquered Valencia asks too much,
But if he wants more of what we have,
We’ll pay him with land in Carrión.”
When they admitted this much, the judges said:
“If Warrior Cid approves, we’ll allow it,
But we think he should receive his money
Here and now, right in this court.”
At these words, Don Alfonso, the king, declared:
“We fully approve this claim,
Asserted here by Warrior Cid.
I have in hand two hundred marks,
Given me by the Carrións.
I wish to return this, their purses being so drained;
Let them hand it to him who was born at a lucky hour;
Luego rrespondió el conde don Rremond:
“El oro e la plata espendiésteslo vós,
por juvizio lo damos ant’el rrey don Alfonso:
páguenle en apreciadura e préndalo el Campeador.”
Ya vieron que es a fer los ifantes de Carrión:
veriedes aduzir tanto cavallo corredor,
tanta gruessa mula, tanto palafré de sazón,
tanta buena espada con toda guarnizón;
rrecibiólo Mio Cid como apreciaron en la cort.
Sobre los dozientos marcos que tenié el rrey Alfonso,
pagaron los ifantes al que en buen ora nasco,
enpréstanles de lo ageno, que non les cumple lo suyo,
mal escapan jogados, sabed, d’esta rrazón.
138
Estas apreciaduras Mio Cid presas las ha,
sos omnes las tienen e d’ellas pensarán,
mas quando esto ovo acabado pensaron luego d’ál:
“¡Merced, ya rrey señor, por amor de caridad!
La rrencura mayor non se me puede olbidar.
Oídme toda la cort e pésevos de mio mal:
de los ifantes de Carrión, quem’ desondraron tan mal,
a menos de rriebtos no los puedo dexar.
139
“Dezid, ¿qué vos merecí, ifantes [de Carrión],
en juego o en vero | o en alguna rrazón?
Aquí lo mejoraré a juvizio de la cort.
¿A quém’ descubriestes las telas del coraçón?
A la salida de Valencia mis fıjas vos di yo
con muy grand ondra e averes a nombre;
quando las non queriedes, ya canes traidores,
Seeing how much they must pay, I don’t want to keep this.”
Fernando González said: “There is no money in our purse.”
Then Count Don Ramón replied:
“Since you have spent all the silver and all the gold,
With the king’s approval we judges decide
Payment must be made in kind, if Warrior Cid accepts this.”
And now the Carrións understood what had to be done.
You should have seen the racing horses brought in,
The fat mules, the first-rate palfreys,
Good swords with their accouterments.
My Cid accepted them, as the court had decreed.
In addition to two hundred marks the king had been holding,
The Carrións paid and paid Warrior Cid, born at a lucky hour,
Borrowing from whoever would lend, for they had to.
The court, please understand, had squeezed them dry as a bone.
138
My Cid took all of this property.
His men took it, and would guard it.
With this issue settled, he presented another:
“I ask your favor, my king and lord, in charity’s name.
I cannot forget my most bitter complaint.
Let the court hear me, today, and feel my pain.
The Carrión heirs have so maliciously dishonored me,
I cannot accept anything less than a challenge to battle.
139
“Tell us what I deserved from you Carrións—
In jest? in truth? or some other way?
Let your actions be judged by this court.
Why did you pull at the deepest strings of my heart?
When you left Valencia, I gave you my daughters
With great honor and many gifts.
If you did not want my daughters—ah, you treacherous dogs!—
¿por qué las sacávades de Valencia sus honores?
¿A qué las fıriestes a cinchas e a espolones?
Solas las dexastes en el rrobredo de Corpes
a las bestias fıeras e a las aves del mont;
por quanto les fıziestes menos valedes vós.
Si non rrecudedes, véalo esta cort.”
140
El conde don García en pie se
levantava:
“¡Merced, ya rrey, el mejor de toda España!
Vezós’ Mio Cid a llas cortes pregonadas;
dexóla crecer e luenga trae la barba,
los unos le han miedo e los otros espanta.
Los de Carrión son de natura tal
non ge las devién querer sus fıjas por varraganas,
o ¿quién ge las diera por parejas o por veladas?
Derecho fızieron por que las han dexadas.
Quanto él dize non ge lo preciamos nada.”
Essora el Campeador prisos’ a la barba:
“¡Grado a Dios que cielo e tierra manda!
Por esso es lue[n]ga que a delicio fue criada;
¿qué avedes vós, conde, por rretraer la mi barba?
Ca de quando nasco a delicio fue criada,
ca non me priso a ella fıjo de mugier nada,
nimbla messó fıjo de moro nin de cristiana,
como yo a vós, conde, en el castiello de Cabra;
quando pris a Cabra e a vós por la barba,
non í ovo rrapaz que non messó su pulgada.
La que yo messé aún non es eguada.”
141
Ferrán Go[n]çález en pie se levantó,
a altas vozes odredes qué fabló:
“Dexássedes vós, Cid, de aquesta rrazón;
Why did you steal them from their life in Valencia?
Why did you beat them with buckles and spurs?
You abandoned them, alone in the Corpes forest,
Food for wild beasts and mountain birds.
What you did to them was shameful, infamous!
Let this court pass judgment, if you refuse our challenge.”
140
Count Don García Ordóñez rose:
“May I speak, O greatest king in Spain?
Warrior Cid is an old hand at courts like this;
He carefully lets his beard grow long,
So some will fear him, and others will shake in terror.
The Carrións come from such noble stock
They couldn’t conceivably want these girls as mistresses!
Who was it that gave them as wives and lawful spouses?
The Carrións were right to desert them.
Everything Cid says amounts to nothing whatever!”
Warrior Cid took hold of his beard:
“Thanks to God, who made heaven and earth!
This beard is long because he wants it long.
What has my beard done to you, Count, to be scolded like this?