The Song of the Cid by Anonymous Page A

incarnated in our Mother, Saint Mary,
Who, as you chose to, appeared in Bethlehem,
Glorified by shepherds, who sang your praise,
And three great Arab kings who came,
Melchior, and Gaspar, and Balthasar,
Offering gold, and fragrant myrrh, and frankincense,
Which also was your wish.
You who saved Jonah, who fell in the sea,
You who protected Daniel in the den of lions,
And saved Saint Susannah from lecherous liars,
You who saved Saint Sebastian, in harsh old Rome—
For thirty-two years you walked and roamed
The earth, performing wonders we must remember:
The water you turned to wine, the bread you made of stones,
And Lazarus you raised from the grave, returned from the dead;
Allowing Jews to take you high on Calvary
And, at Golgotha, putting you on the cross,
Along with two thieves, on either side of you,
One of whom came to heaven, the other did not.
And even on the cross you worked your miracles:
    diot’ con la lança en el costado dont ixió la sangre,
corrió por el astil ayuso, las manos se ovo de untar,
alçólas arriba, llególas a la faz,
abrió sos ojos, cató a todas partes,
en ti crovo al ora, por end es salvo de mal;
en el monumento rresucitest, fust a los infıernos | como fue tu
voluntad,
quebranteste las puertas e saqueste los sanctos padres.
Tú eres rrey de los rreyes e de tod’ el mundo padre,
a ti adoro e creo de toda voluntad
e rruego a San Peidro que me ayude a rrogar
por Mio Cid el Campeador que Dios le curie de mal;
quando oy nos partimos, en vida nos faz juntar.”
La oración fecha, la missa acabada la an,
salieron de la eglesia, ya quieren cavalgar.
El Cid a doña Ximena ívala abraçar,
doña Ximena al Cid la mánol’ va besar,
llorando de los ojos que non sabe qué se far,
e él a las niñas tornólas a catar:
“A Dios vos acomiendo, fıjas, e al Padre spiritual,
agora nos partimos, Dios sabe el ajuntar.”
Llorando de los ojos que non viestes atal,
assís’ parten unos d’otros como la uña de la carne.
Mio Cid con los sos vassallos pensó de cavalgar,
a todos esperando, la cabeça tornando va;
a tan grand sabor fabló Minaya Álbar Fáñez:
“Cid, ¿dó son vuestros esfuerços? En buen ora nasquiestes de
madre;
pensemos de ir nuestra vía, esto sea de vagar.
Aún todos estos duelos en gozo se tornarán,
Dios que nos dio las almas consejo nos dará.”
Al abat don Sancho tornan de castigar
cómo sirva a doña Ximena e a la[s] fıjas que ha
e a todas sus dueñas que con ellas están;
bien sepa el abat que buen galardón d’ello prendrá.
Tornado es don Sancho e fabló Álbar Fáñez:
“Si viéredes yentes venir por connusco ir, | abat,
dezildes que prendan el rrastro e piessen de andar
    Blind Longinus, who had no sight at all,
Pierced your side with his spear, your blood poured out,
And running down the shaft, anointed his hands:
He raised his bloodstained fingers to his face
And, opening his eyes, could see, and saw wherever he looked,
And then and there believed in you, and so was saved forever.
You rose from your grave, you willingly descended to hell,
Smashed its gates, and carried off our holy fathers.
You are King of all kings, Father of the whole world,
In whom I wholly believe, and whom I adore,
So may Saint Peter help me as I beg of you, O Lord,
To keep my Cid, this Warrior, free of harm.
We separate, today, but I beg you to bring us together once more.”
Her prayer was over, the mass was sung;
They left the church, ready, now, to ride.
My Cid went to Doña Jimena, and put his arms around her,
As she kissed his hands
And wept the tears she could not hold back.
The Warrior turned, looking at his daughters:
“I leave you in the hands of our Lord, our holy Father.
Only God knows when we’ll meet again.”
You’ll never see such a flood of tears as he shed,
Their parting was like fingernails pulled from the flesh.
He and his men