Song and Legend From the Middle Ages [25]
they went forth that day.
The King came out to meet him. with words of hearty cheer; Quoth he, "My good Rodrigo, you are right welcome here; This girl Ximena Gomez would have ye for her lord, Already for the slaughter her grace she doth accord.
"I pray you be consenting, my gladness will be great; You shall have lands in plenty, to strengthen your estate." "Lord King", Rodrigo answers, "in this and all beside, Command, and I'll obey you. The girl shall be my bride."--
But when the fair Ximena came forth to plight her hand, Rodrigo, gazing on her, his face could not command: He stood and blushed before her;--thus at the last said he-- "I slew thy sire, Ximena, but not in villany:-
"In no disguise I slew him, man against man I stood; There was some wrong between us* and I did shed his blood. I slew a man, I owe a man; fair lady, by God's grace, An honoured husband thou shalt have in thy dead father's place."
[1] See the account of this quarrel, "Non es de Sessudos Homes."
--Tr. by Lockhart.
BAVIECA.
The favorite warrior horse of the Cid. There are several more ballads devoted to this charger.
The King looked on him kindly, as on a vassal true; Then to the King Ruy Diaz spake after reverence due,-- "O King, the thing is shameful, that any man beside The liege lord of Castile himself should Bavieca ride:
"For neither Spain or Araby could another charger bring So good as he, and certes, the best befits my King. But that you may behold him, and know him to the core, I'll make him go as he was wont when his nostrils smelt the Moor."
With that, the Cid, clad as he was in mantle furred and wide, On Bavieca vaulting, put the rowel in his side; And up and down, and round and round, so fierce was his career, Streamed like a pennon on the wind Ruy Diaz' minivere.
And all that saw them praised them--they lauded man and horse, As matched well, and rivalless for gallantry and force Ne'er had they looked on horseman might to this knight come near, Nor on other charger worthy of such a cavalier.
Thus, to and fro a-rushing, the fierce and furious steed, He snapt in twain his hither rein:--"God pity now the Cid." "God pity Diaz," cried the Lords,--but when they looked again, They saw Ruy Diaz ruling him, with the fragment of his rein; They saw him proudly ruling with gesture firm and calm, Like a true lord commanding--and obeyed as by a lamb.
And so he led him foaming and panting to the King, But "No," said Don Alphonso, "it were a shameful thing That peerless Bavieca should ever be bestrid By any mortal but Bivar--Mount, mount again, my Cid."
--Tr. by Lockhart.
FROM THE POEM OF THE CID.
The Cid has been banished by King Alphonso, has entered the Moors, country and taken a city. The Moors rally, gather their allies and surround the Cid's army. He turns to consult with his men.
"From water they have out us off, our bread is running low; If we would steal away by night, they will not let us go; Against us there are fearful odds if we make choice to fight; What would ye do now gentlemen, in this our present plight?" Minaya was the first to speak: said the stout cavalier, "Forth from Castile the gentle thrust, we are but exiles here; Unless we grapple with the Moor bread he will never yield; A good six hundred men or more we have to take the field; In God's name let us falter not, nor countenance delay, But sally forth and strike a blow upon to-morrow's day." "Like thee the counsel," said my Cid; "thou speakest to my mind; And ready to support thy word thy hand we ever find." Then all the Moors that bide within the walls he bids to go Forth from the gates, lest they, perchance, his purpose come to know In making their defences good they spend the day and night, And at the rising of the sun they arm them for the fight. Then said the Cid: "Let all go forth, all that are in our band; Save only two of those on foot, beside the gate to stand. Here they will bury us if death we meet on yonder plain, But if we win our battle there, rich booty we shall gain. And thou Pero Bermuez, this my standard
The King came out to meet him. with words of hearty cheer; Quoth he, "My good Rodrigo, you are right welcome here; This girl Ximena Gomez would have ye for her lord, Already for the slaughter her grace she doth accord.
"I pray you be consenting, my gladness will be great; You shall have lands in plenty, to strengthen your estate." "Lord King", Rodrigo answers, "in this and all beside, Command, and I'll obey you. The girl shall be my bride."--
But when the fair Ximena came forth to plight her hand, Rodrigo, gazing on her, his face could not command: He stood and blushed before her;--thus at the last said he-- "I slew thy sire, Ximena, but not in villany:-
"In no disguise I slew him, man against man I stood; There was some wrong between us* and I did shed his blood. I slew a man, I owe a man; fair lady, by God's grace, An honoured husband thou shalt have in thy dead father's place."
[1] See the account of this quarrel, "Non es de Sessudos Homes."
--Tr. by Lockhart.
BAVIECA.
The favorite warrior horse of the Cid. There are several more ballads devoted to this charger.
The King looked on him kindly, as on a vassal true; Then to the King Ruy Diaz spake after reverence due,-- "O King, the thing is shameful, that any man beside The liege lord of Castile himself should Bavieca ride:
"For neither Spain or Araby could another charger bring So good as he, and certes, the best befits my King. But that you may behold him, and know him to the core, I'll make him go as he was wont when his nostrils smelt the Moor."
With that, the Cid, clad as he was in mantle furred and wide, On Bavieca vaulting, put the rowel in his side; And up and down, and round and round, so fierce was his career, Streamed like a pennon on the wind Ruy Diaz' minivere.
And all that saw them praised them--they lauded man and horse, As matched well, and rivalless for gallantry and force Ne'er had they looked on horseman might to this knight come near, Nor on other charger worthy of such a cavalier.
Thus, to and fro a-rushing, the fierce and furious steed, He snapt in twain his hither rein:--"God pity now the Cid." "God pity Diaz," cried the Lords,--but when they looked again, They saw Ruy Diaz ruling him, with the fragment of his rein; They saw him proudly ruling with gesture firm and calm, Like a true lord commanding--and obeyed as by a lamb.
And so he led him foaming and panting to the King, But "No," said Don Alphonso, "it were a shameful thing That peerless Bavieca should ever be bestrid By any mortal but Bivar--Mount, mount again, my Cid."
--Tr. by Lockhart.
FROM THE POEM OF THE CID.
The Cid has been banished by King Alphonso, has entered the Moors, country and taken a city. The Moors rally, gather their allies and surround the Cid's army. He turns to consult with his men.
"From water they have out us off, our bread is running low; If we would steal away by night, they will not let us go; Against us there are fearful odds if we make choice to fight; What would ye do now gentlemen, in this our present plight?" Minaya was the first to speak: said the stout cavalier, "Forth from Castile the gentle thrust, we are but exiles here; Unless we grapple with the Moor bread he will never yield; A good six hundred men or more we have to take the field; In God's name let us falter not, nor countenance delay, But sally forth and strike a blow upon to-morrow's day." "Like thee the counsel," said my Cid; "thou speakest to my mind; And ready to support thy word thy hand we ever find." Then all the Moors that bide within the walls he bids to go Forth from the gates, lest they, perchance, his purpose come to know In making their defences good they spend the day and night, And at the rising of the sun they arm them for the fight. Then said the Cid: "Let all go forth, all that are in our band; Save only two of those on foot, beside the gate to stand. Here they will bury us if death we meet on yonder plain, But if we win our battle there, rich booty we shall gain. And thou Pero Bermuez, this my standard