LXV.
God helped him, the Creator in Heaven that doth dwell
Beside these Murviédro hath the Cid ta'en as well.
Then that the Lord was on his side, the Cid beheld it clear.
In the city of Valencia arose no little fear.
LXVI.
It irked them in Valencia. It gave them no delight,
Be it known; that to surround him they planned. They marched by
night
They pulled up at Murviédro to camp as morning broke.
My lord the Cid beheld it and wondering much he spoke:
"Father in Heaven, mighty thanks must I now proffer Thee.
In their lands we dwell and do them every sort of injury;
And we have drunk their liquor, of their bread our meal we make.
If they come forth to surround us, justly they undertake.
Without a fight this matter will in no way be a-paid.
Let messengers go seek them who now should bear us aid;
Let them go to them in Jérica and Alucát that are
And thence to Onda. Likewise let them go to Almenár.
Let the men of Bórriana hither at once come in.
In this place a pitched battle we shall certainly begin.
I trust much will be added to our gain in this essay."
They all were come together in his host on the third day.
And he who in good hour was born 'gan speak his meaning clear:
"So may the Creator aid us, my gallants hark and hear.
Since we have left fair Christendom--We did not as we would;
We could no other--God be praised our fortune has been good.
The Valencians besiege us. If here we would remain,
They must learn of us a lesson excelling in its pain.
LXVII.
"Let the night pass and morning come. Look that ye ready be
With arms and horses. We will forth that host of theirs to see.'.
Like men gone out in exile into a strange empire,
There shall it be determined who is worthy of his hire."
VIII.
Minaya Alvar Fañez, hark what he said thereto:
"Ho! Campeador, thy pleasure in all things may we do.
Give me of knights an hundred, I ask not one other man.
And do thou with the others smite on them in the van
While my hundred storm their rearward, upon them thou shalt
thrust--
Ne'er doubt it. We shall triumph as in God is all my trust."
Whatsoever he had spoken filled the Cid with right good cheer
And now was come the morning, and they donned their battle gear.
What was his task of battle every man of them did know.
At the bleak of day against them forth did the lord Cid go.
"In God's name and Saint James', my knights, strike hard into the
war,
And manful. The lord Cid am I, Roy Diaz of Bivár!"
You might see a many tent-ropes everywhither broken lie,
And pegs wrenched up; the tent-posts on all sides leaned awry.
The Moors were very many. To recover they were fain,
But now did Alvar Fañez on their rearward fall amain.
Though bitterly it grieved them, they had to fly and yield.
Who could put trust in horsehoofs, and forthwith fled the field.
Two kings of the Moriscos there in the rout they slew;
And even to Valencia the chase did they pursue.
And mighty is the booty my lord the Cid had ta 'en.
They ravaged all the country and then turned back again.
They brought to Murviédro the booty of the foes.
And great was the rejoicing in the city that arose.
Cebólla have they taken and all the lands anear.
In Valencia they knew not what to do for very fear.
Of my lord Cid the great tidings, be it known, on all sides
spread.
LXIX.
His renown afar is spreading. Beyond the sea it sped.
Glad were the companies the Cid a glad man was he
That God had given him succor and gained that victory.
And they sent forth their harriers. By night they marched away,
They reached unto Culléra, and to Játiva came they.
And ever downward even to Dénia town they bore.
And all the Moorish country by the sea he wasted sore.
Peñacadéll, outgoing and entrance, have they ta'en.
LXX.
When the Cid took Peñacadéll, it was great grief and pain
To them who in Culléra and in Játiva did dwell,
And sorrow without measure in Valencia befell.