'Oh God, thou art the King of kings, and Sire of all mankind! Thee I adore, in thee I trust with all my heart and mind; And to divine San Pedro pray to help me in praying still, That thou wilt shield my noble Cid the Campeador from ill, And since we now must part, again to my embrace restore!' Her orison thus made, high mass is offered, and is o'er; They leave the church, they mount their barbs--with sad and solemn pace, The Cid to Donna Ximena went to take a last embrace; Donna Ximena, she bent down to kiss the hand of the Cid, Sore weeping with her bright black eyes, she knew not what she did; He turned, and kissed his little girls with all a father's love, 'Bless you, my girls,' he said, 'I you commend to God above, To your sweet mother and ghostly sire! When we shall meet again God only knows, but now we part.' Not one could say Amen. Thus, weeping in a way that none e'er saw the like, at length They part like nail from finger torn with agonizing strength. My Cid with his vassals thought to ride, and took the onward track; Waiting for all, his plumed head he evermore turned back. Out then, with gallant unconcern, Don Alvar Fanez spake: 'Come, come, my Cid, what means all this? cheer up for goodness' sake; In happy hour of woman born! fast wears the morn away; Since we must go, let us begone, nor dally with delay; A happier time shall turn to joy the very ills we rue; God, who has given us souls to feel, shall give us counsel too.' There is doubtless a great distance between this parting and that of Hector and Andromache in the Iliad, but the picture of a hero's sensibility at the time of separation from his family is always pleasing; beautiful is that turning of his head when at a distance, and fine the idea that those same warriors to whom he gives in battle an example of fortitude and constancy, should then fortify and cheer him. Superior, in my opinion, for art and dramatic effect, is the act of accusation which the Cid makes against his traitor sons-in-law before the Cortes assembled to receive it. The first shock of the Infantes and the champions of Rodrigo in the lists has much animation and even style. They grasp their shields before their hearts; down, down their lances go; Bowed are their crested helms until they touch the saddle-bow; Fiercely they strike their horses' sides with streaming rowels red, And onward to the encounter run: earth trembles to their tread. * * * * * Don Martin Antolinez, with the drawing of his sword, Illumined all the field.----