VIII. Now it came to pass in this battle that the Infante Diego
Gonzalez encountered a Moor of Africa who was of great stature and full
valiant withal, and this Moor came fiercely against him; and when the
Infante saw how fiercely he was coming, he turned his back and fled. No
one beheld this but Felez Muñoz the nephew of the Cid, who was a
squire; he set himself against the Moor with his lance under his arm,
and gave him such a thrust in the breast, that the streamer of the
lance came out all red with blood between his shoulders, and he down'd
with the dead man and took his horse by the bridle, and began to call
the Infante Diego Gonzalez. When the Infante heard himself called by
his name he turned his head to see who called him, and when he saw that
it was his cousin Felez Muñoz, he turned and awaited him. And Felez
Muñoz said, Take this horse, cousin Diego Gonzalez, and say that you
killed the Moor; nobody shall ever know otherwise from me, unless you
give just cause. While they were talking the Cid came up, after another
Moorish knight, whom he reached just as he came up to them, and smote
him with his sword upon the head, so that he split it down to the
teeth. When Felez Muñoz saw the Cid, he said, Sir, your son-in-law Don
Diego Gonzalez hath great desire to serve and help you in this day's
work, and he hath just slain a Moor from whom he hath won this horse:
and this pleased the Cid much, for he weened that it was true. And then
they all three advanced themselves toward the midst of the battle,
giving great strokes, and smiting and slaying. Who can tell how
marvellously the Bishop Don Hieronymo behaved himself in this battle,
and how well all the rest behaved, each in his way, and above all, the
Cid Campeador, as the greatest and best of all! nevertheless the power
of the Moors was so great that they could not drive them to flight, and
the business was upon the balance even till the hour of nones. Many
were the Christians who died that day among the foot-soldiers; and the
dead, Moors and Christians together, were so many, that the horses
could scant move among their bodies. But after the hour of nones the
Cid and his people smote the Moors so sorely that they could no longer
stand against them, and it pleased God and the good fortune of the Cid
that they turned their backs; and the Christians followed, hewing them
down, and smiting and slaying; ana they tarried not to lay hands on
those whom they felled, but went on in the pursuit as fast as they
could. Then might you have seen cords broken, and stakes plucked up as
the Christians came to the tents; my Cid's people drove King Bucar's
through their camp, and many an arm with its sleeve-mail was lopt off,
and many a head with its helmet fell to the ground; and horses ran
about on all sides without riders. Seven full miles did the pursuit
continue. And while they were thus following their flight the Cid set
eyes upon King Bucar, and made at him to strike him with the sword; and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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