At last a formidable coalition is formed against Spain. The Emperor of Germany and the King of France, supported by the Pope and Patriarch, require of Spain, in recognition of her feudal dependence upon the Roman empire, a yearly tribute of fifteen noble virgins, besides silver, horses, falcons, etc. Rodrigo appears when Ferdinand is in despair, and kisses at last the royal hand in sign of vassalship. Though the enemy gather "countless as the herbs of the fields," even Persia and Armenia furnishing contingents, their battle array is vain. The five Kings of Spain cross the Pyrenees. Arrived before Paris, Rodrigo passes through the midst of the French army, strikes with his hand the gates of the city, and challenges the twelve French peers to combat. The allies in alarm implore a truce. At the council, Rodrigo, seated at the feet of his King and acting as Ferdinand's spokesman, curses the Pope when the latter offers the imperial crown of Spain. "We came for that which was to be won," he declares, "not for that already won." Against Rodrigo's advice the truce is accorded to all. Here the poem is interrupted. Besides these two epic poems, we have in the earlier Spanish literature two chronicles in prose which describe the life of the Cid, -The General Chronicle of Alfonso the Learned' and 'The Chronicle of the Cid,' the latter being drawn from the former. Both rest in part upon historical sources, in part upon legend and tradition. Two centuries and more after the Poem, we meet with the Romances or Ballads of the Cid. For the earliest of these do not in their present form date far back of 1500. These ballads derive from all sources, but chiefly from the Cid legend, which is here treated in a lyric, sentimental, popular, and at times even vulgar tone. Guillem de Castro (1569-1631) chose two themes from the life of the Cid for dramatic treatment, composing a dual drama styled 'Las Mocedades del Cid' (The Youth of the Cid). The first part is the more important. De Castro, drawing from the ballads, told again the story of the insult to Don Diego (according to the ballads, a blow in the face given by Don Gomez in a moment of passion), its revenge, the pursuit of Rodrigo by Jimena, demanding justice of King Ferdinand, and finally the reconciliation through marriage. But De Castro added love, and the conflict in the mind of Rodrigo and in that of Jimena between affection and the claims of honor. Corneille recast De Castro's first drama in his 'Le Cid,' condensing it and giving to the verse greater dignity and nobility. The French dramatist has worked with entire independence here, and both in what he has omitted and what he has added has usually shown an unerring dramatic instinct. In certain instances, however, through ignorance of the spirit and sources of the Spanish drama he has erred. But the invention is wholly De Castro's, and many of Corneille's most admired passages are either free translations from the Spanish or expressions of some thought or sentiment contained in De Castro's version. In more recent times Herder has enriched German literature with free renderings of some of the Cid ballads. Victor Hugo has drawn from the Cid theme, in his 'La Legende des Siècles' (The Legend of the Centuries), fresh inspiration for his muse. Charles Aprape Varist. FROM THE POEM OF MY CID› LEAVING BURGOS тH tearful eyes he turned to gaze upon the wreck behind, WIT His rifled coffers, bursten gates, all open to the wind: Nor mantle left, nor robe of fur; stript bare his castle hall; Nor hawk nor falcon in the mew, the perches empty all. Then forth in sorrow went my Cid, and a deep sigh sighed he; Yet with a measured voice and calm, my Cid spake loftily,"I thank thee, God our Father, thou that dwellest upon high, I suffer cruel wrong to-day, but of mine enemy!" As they came riding from Bivar the crow was on the right; By Burgos's gate, upon the left, the crow was there in sight. My Cid he shrugged his shoulders and he lifted up his head: "Good tidings, Alvar Fañez! we are banished men!" he said. With sixty lances in his train my Cid rode up the town, The burghers and their dames from all the windows looking down; And there were tears in every eye, and on each lip one word: "A worthy vassal — would to God he served a worthy Lord!" FAREWELL TO HIS WIFE AT SAN PEDRO DE CARDENA THE prayer was said, the mass was sung, they mounted to depart; BATTLE SCENE THEN cried my Cid-"In charity, as to the rescue-ho!" The shivered shields and riven mail, to see how thick they lay; The pennons that went in snow-white came out a gory red; The horses running riderless, the riders lying dead; While Moors call on Mohammed, and "St. James!" the Christians cry, And sixty score of Moors and more in narrow compass lie. THE CHALLENGES [Scene from the challenges that preceded the judicial duels. Ferrando, one of the Infantes, has just declared that they did right in spurning the Cid's daughters. The Cid turns to his nephew.] "Now is the time, 'Dumb Peter'; speak, O man that sittest mute! You prayed the Cid to place you in the forefront of the fray; And then you turned and fled — for his approach you would not stay. I slew him at the first onfall; I gave his steed to you; How dare you talk as now you talk, you tongue without a hand?... Upon this plea before our King Alfonso will I fight; The daughters of my lord are wronged, their wrong is mine to right. That ye those ladies did desert, the baser are ye then; For what are they?-weak women; and what are ye?-strong men. And I will make thee own it when we meet in battle here. Thus far these two. Diego rose, and spoke as ye shall hear: If we his daughters cast aside, no cause for shame we see. What talk is this about my Cid him of Bivar I mean? To Riodouirna let him go to take his millers' rent, And keep his mills a-going there, as once he was content. Thou glutton, wont to break thy fast without a thought or prayer; The chance to make thee own thyself the villain that I say." CONCLUSION AND from the field of honor went Don Roderick's champions three. Thanks be to God, the Lord of all, that gave the victory! But in the lands of Carrion it was a day of woe, And on the lords of Carrion it fell a heavy blow. He who a noble lady wrongs and casts aside — may he Meet like requital for his deeds, or worse, if worse there be! . But let us leave them where they lie - their meed is all men's scorn. Turn we to speak of him that in a happy hour was born. Valencia the Great was glad, rejoiced at heart to see The honored champions of her lord return in victory: And Ruy Diaz grasped his beard: "Thanks be to God," said he, "Of part or lot in Carrion now are my daughters free; Now may I give them without shame, whoe'er their suitors be." Stately the former nuptials were, but statelier far the last. And he that in a good hour was born, behold how he hath sped! Translation of John Ormsby. |