The heralds and the king · are foremost in the place. They clear away the people · from the middle space; They measure out the lists, · the barriers they fix, They point them out in order · and explain to all the six: “If you are forced beyond the line · where they are fixed and traced, You shall be held as conquered · and beaten and disgraced.” Six lances’ length on either side · an open space is laid; They share the field between them, · the sunshine and the shade. Their office is performed, · and from the middle space The heralds are withdrawn · and leave them face to face. Here stood the warriors of the Cid, · that noble champion; Opposite, on the other side, · the lords of Carrion. Earnestly their minds are fixed · each upon his foe. Face to face they take their place, · anon the trumpets blow; They stir their horses with the spur, · they lay their lances low, They bend their shields before their breasts, · their face to the saddle-bow. Earnestly their minds are fixed · each upon his foe. The heavens are overcast above, · the earth trembles below; The people stand in silence, · gazing on the show.[22] [22] Los Fieles è el rey · enseñaron los moiones. Librabanse del campo · todos aderredor: Bien gelo demostraron · à todos seis como son, Que por y serie vencido · qui saliese del moion. Todas las yentes · esconbraron aderredor De seis astas de lanzas · que non legasen al moion. Sorteabanles el campo, · ya les partien el sol: Salien los Fieles de medio, · ellos cara por cara son. Desi vinien los de Mio Cid · à los Infantes de Carrion, Ellos Infantes de Carrion · à los del Campeador. Cada uno dellos mientes · tiene al so. Abrazan los escudos · delant’ los corazones: Abaxan las lanzas · abueltas con los pendones: Enclinaban las caras · sobre los arzones: Batien los cavallos · con los espolones: Tembrar querie la tierra · dod eran movedores. Cada uno dellos mientes · tiene al só. Sanchez, Tom. I. p. 368. A parallel passage from Chaucer’s “Knight’s Tale”--the combat between Palamon and Arcite (Tyrwhitt’s edit., v. 2601)--should not be overlooked. “The heraudes left hir priking up and down, Now ringen trompes loud and clarioun, There is no more to say, but est and west, In gon the speres sadly in the rest; In goth the sharpe spore into the side: Ther see men who can just and who can ride.” And so on twenty lines farther, both in the English and the Spanish. But it should be borne in mind, when comparing them, that the Poem of the Cid was written two centuries earlier than the “Canterbury Tales” were.