Cantar de mío Cid

by Enrique Rull (Editor)

Paper Book, 1982

Call number

861.1

Genres

All Topics

Fiction

Collections

Your library, Poesia

Publication

Madrid: Sociedad General Española de Librería, 1982

Description

A new translation of a medieval Spanish epic. In The second cantar, one reads: The Moors finish setting up their camp/and the dawn finally comes. Their drums set up a faster beat, booming quickly. Mio Cid, who was in high spirits, said: 'Ya what a beautiful day!' Few works have shaped a national literature as thoroughly as the Poem of the Cid has shaped the Spanish literary tradition. Tracing the life of the eleventh-century military commander Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, called the Cid (from the Arabic Sayyidi, My Lord), this medieval epic describes a series of events surrounding his exile. The text of the poem survives in only one early thirteenth-century manuscript copied by a single scribe, yet centuries later the figure of the Cid still was celebrated in the Spanish popular ballad tradition. Today almost every theme that characterizes Spanish literature-honor, justice, loyalty, treachery, and jealousy-derives from the Poem of the Cid. Restored by poet and medievalist George Economou, this elegant and spirited translation by Paul Blackburn is judged by many the finest English translation of a great medieval poem.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member jrgoetziii

Like most medieval epics I thought this one had a lot more substance than it is usually given credit for, but it lacked somewhat in plot and took longer than normal to develop. Nevertheless it goes on my list of recommended texts for young students: alongside Beowulf, The Song of Roland, Troilus

and Criseyde, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. It is easy to understand and its characters are easy to access.

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LibraryThing member Marse

"El Poema del mio Cid" tells of the champion Rodrigo Diaz who wins back the trust of his sovereign King Alfonso by conquering Alfonso's enemies in Spain both Christian and Muslim, gaining many lands and possessions for himself, his men and the King. Jealous noblemen (the Infantes de Carrion)

insinuate themselves into his coterie by marrying El Cid's daughters and joining his campaign, only to be shown as cowardly, lying wifebeaters. It was enjoyable to read, and I especially liked this edition with the Spanish on one side and English translation on the other. The medieval Spanish was not too difficult to read, and the English translation flowed very well. I was a little disappointed that the story I had heard about El Cid--that having been killed in a fierce battle against the Moors, his wife and Second in command, propped his body up onto his horse and fooled the Moors into thinking he had risen from the dead to continue fighting them--was not in El Poema del Cid. The introduction mentions this story as belonging to later ballads about El Cid. It was also surprising to find (not knowing much about Spanish history) how thin the line between friend and foe was back then. The campaigns were not really about Christians versus Moors, but about one kingly realm paying tribute or taking away tribute from one another, thus El Cid's first campaign is against a Christian king that was demanding tribute of a Moorish king who was the vassal of King Alfonso. Sometimes the Moors helped El Cid against other Moors, or against rival Christians.

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LibraryThing member DinadansFriend

I'm very fond of this work, and Mr. Merwin's verse translation. This is the heroic epic of the Spanish, and deserves a ringing vocal performance. There is not a great deal of real history in this poem, but as an inspirational epic, it has worked just fine. The less poetic, but more accurate version

translated by Rita Hamilton and Janet Perry is also a fine version, but not....energetic enough. Both repay reading and rereading, just this one is more fun. It was originally collected and regularized about 1201 - 07.

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LibraryThing member William345

I came to this book by way of translator Merwin's many other marvelous translations. He also translated The Song of Roland, another tale of battle during the Age of Chivalry. So far in my reading I have yet to hit the great wall of grief and lugubriousness. Right now The Cid is too successful. He

is not necessarily a candidate for hubris because he is too well aware of his astonishing good luck, and too grateful for it. But there's trouble ahead.

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LibraryThing member DanielSTJ

An epic poem from the Middle Ages of Spain, this poem packs a decent punch. It is interesting to note that the academic information that is provided with this book provides a framework that can be used to properly glimpse into the understanding of why, and how, the poem was written. The

supplementary information was great. The poem is missing some parts, and is in classical style, but it still has a cultured and intriguing flavour that makes it hard to set down before it is finished. I recommend this for all classics enthusiasts.

3.5 stars.

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