The Epic Of The Cid

The Epic of the Cid records the deeds of Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, the Cid of history and legend. A powerful warrior in the Christian reconquest of medieval Spain, a formidable strategist, and a charismatic leader, the Cid deeply impressed his contemporaries, both Christian and Muslim. Already, in his lifetime, songs, stories, and chronicles were devoted to his exploits. In offering both a highly readable, colloquial prose translation of El Cantar de Mio Cid and selections from a wide variety of those contemporary accounts, this volume brings the historical figure back to life for modern readers. Harney's substantial Introduction and annotation provide the historical, military, and literary background necessary for an informed reading of the texts; also included are maps, a compendium of proper names, a bibliography, and an index.

This is the story of Don Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, chief marshal of the royal army, who was exiled from his native Castile by the weak King Alfonso in 1089. Banished from his two little daughters and his lovely wife, he rode out of Castile at midnight, between the teeth of a wild and snarling mountain range, and journeyed into the South, where Moorish invaders had ruled for centuries.

Translated into English Verse by R. Selden Rose and Leonard Bacon

Discover the epic poem of the Cid, an epic poem that will captivate your senses and transport you to medieval Spain. The Cantar del Mio Cid is a masterpiece of Spanish literature, full of adventures, battles and exploits of a Castilian hero who fought for justice and honour in a time of conflict and war. The poem tells the story of the Cid, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, a knight banished by King Alfonso VI, who is forced to fight against his enemies to regain his honour and social position. With his sword Tizona and his wit, the Cid will face adversity and win the admiration of his followers and enemies. The Cantar del Mio Cid is a work that has fascinated readers all over the world for centuries. Its literary beauty, its moral message and its ability to move the reader make it an essential work for any lover of Spanish literature and culture. This edition includes an introduction that places the reader in the historical and literary context of the work, as well as a complete guide of characters and places that will facilitate its understanding and enjoyment. Immerse yourself in the legend of the Cid Campeador and discover why this work has been considered one of the treasures of universal literature. You can't miss it!

One of the greatest works of Spanish literature, this eight-hundred-year-old epic details the legendary exploits of the soldier-adventurer Ruy Díaz of Bivar, El Cid, and of his part in the long struggle between Christianity and Islam. The epic poem recounts the adventures of the Cid; of his peerless steed, Babieca, and of his two famous swords, Colada and Tizón; of his wife, Doña Ximena, and his two daughters, Doña Elvira and Doña Sol, who found sanctuary with Abbot Don Sancho in the monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña during the Cid's exile; and of the despicable and black-hearted princes of Carrión, Diego and Fernando González. It is a powerful epic that sings of universal human values and failures, of loyalty and betrayal.

Rodrigo Díaz, the legendary warrior-knight of eleventh-century Castile known as El Cid, is still honored in Spain as a national hero for liberating the fatherland from the occupying Moors. Yet, as this book reveals, there are many contradictions between eleventh-century reality and the mythology that developed later. By placing El Cid in a fresh, historical context, Fletcher shows us an adventurous soldier of fortune who was of a type, one of a number of "cids," or "bosses," who flourished in eleventh-century Spain. But the El Cid of legend--the national hero -- was unique in stature even in his lifetime. Before his death El Cid was already celebrated in a poem; posthumously he was immortalized in the great epic Poema de Mío Cid. When he died in Valencia in 1099, he was ruler of an independent principality he had carved for himself in Eastern Spain. Rather than the zealous Christian leader many believe him to have been, Rodrigo emerges in Fletcher's study as a mercenary equally at home in the feudal kingdoms of northern Spain and the exotic Moorish lands of the south, selling his martial skills to Christian and Muslim alike. Indeed, his very title derives from the Arabic word sayyid, meaning 'lord' or 'master.' And as there was little if any sense of Spanish nationhood in the eleventh century, he can hardly be credited for uniting a medieval Spanish nation. This ground-breaking inquiry into the life and times of El Cid disentangles fact from myth to create a striking portrait of an extraordinary man, clearly showing how and why legend transformed him into something he was not during his lifetime.--From publisher description.

The legend of Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar also known as El Cid is a huge part of the Spanish psyche and the epic tale of his victories against the moors is the subject of the oldest extant Spanish epic poem. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Nineteen stories about knights, dragons, and adventure.