The Song of the Cid

March 15, 2009
Spains national epic relates the exploits of the warrior Rodrigo D-az de Vivar (c. 104099) after Alfonso VI, king of Len and Castile, banishes him for reasons unknown. In exile, he gathers an irresistible raiding party that conquers or exacts tribute from cities in its line of march. Because he sends a whopping portion of the proceeds to Alfonso, he gradually mollifies the monarch. Rodrigos campaigns are commonly represented as part of the Reconquista of Muslim-occupied Spain by Christian forces. But a Muslim lord is among Rodrigos most ardent supporters; only Muslims who resist are scorned; and Rodrigos honorific, el Cid, is a Hispanization of the Arabic sayyidleader. The poems real mission, Mar-a Rosa Menocals invaluable introduction explains, is to portray the ideal Spanish hero: courageous, honest, generous, and unshakably loyal to the king. Raffel, a venerable translator of Western Europes earliest literary masterpieces, offers a sturdy, engaging version of a work far more fascinating than the Christian triumphalist propaganda piece it commonly has been assumed to be.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)