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• El Cid as a Young Man : From ACT ONE

El Cid as a Young Man, translated by Kathleen Jeffs (née Mountjoy)

From ACT ONE

Context:

The Count Lozano, envious of the elderly Diego Laínez’s appointment as the Prince’s tutor, has slapped the old man’s face. Affronted, Laínez has sent his son, Rodrigo, to challenge Lozano. Rodrigo is caught in a dilemma: he is in love with Lozano’s daughter, Jimena, so he must perform his duty at the expense of her feelings.

Sample text

URRACA:

Rodrigo...

JIMENA:

What’s the matter?

RODRIGO:

My lady...
(Aside.) I have to spill
the blood of my own soul. Oh Jimena!
Here comes Count Lozano,
although his offence against my father is great,
how can I take the sword in my hand
when she, my very soul, is here before my eyes?

Enter COUNT LOZANO, PERANSULES, and their attendants.

PERANSULES:

Stay calm after what’s happened
and until it blows over,
put yourself under house arrest.

RODRIGO: (Aside.)

There love scorches me and
here the offence freezes me to the spot.

COUNT LOZANO:

My house will be my jail
on the day that I wish it so.

JIMENA:

What’s wrong with him?
One moment he’s ablaze and the next
he’s trembling as if from cold.

URRACA:

Look how Rodrigo stares at the Count,
he’s lost all colour in his face.
What can it be?

RODRIGO:

If I’m still the man I’ve always been,
(Aside.) Why am I so full of doubt?

JIMENA:

What is it? Why do I fear what’s coming?

RODRIGO: (Aside.)

I must compose myself, and act now.

JIMENA:

Oh no!

RODRIGO: (Aside.)

I have to spill the blood of my own soul.
Oh, Jimena! How can I have any hope?
Oh, love is a giant!
What is this doubt? Honour, what is this?
I have put myself in two balancing scales,
as an honourable man and as a lover.

Enter DIEGO LAÍNEZ and ARIAS GONZALO.

But there’s my father—He’s enraged
and wants his revenge,
and now that side of the scale tips
with the weight of the offence against him.
My passions are cowards,
for to spur me to action,
I had to see the mark on his face
where the Count struck him.

DIEGO LAÍNEZ:

This matter weighs on my mind.
I have much to doubt and fear ...
What does he see,
if he cannot see that I
encourage him with my eyes?

ARIAS GONZALO:

Diego Laínez, what is this?

DIEGO LAÍNEZ:

I can hardly tell you.

PERANSULES:

Let’s go over there,
it’s getting crowded here.

COUNT LOZANO:

I never twist my paths
or my opinions to suit others.

RODRIGO: (Aside.)

Pardon me, divine eyes,
if I am to kill while I myself am dying.
Count!

COUNT LOZANO:

Who’s there?

RODRIGO:

Come here,
and I will tell you who I am.

JIMENA:

What’s that? This will kill me!

COUNT LOZANO:

What do you want from me?

RODRIGO:

I want to talk to you.
That old gentleman over there,
do you know who he is?

COUNT LOZANO:

Yes, I do,
why do you ask?

RODRIGO:

Why?
Lower your voice, and listen—

COUNT LOZANO:

Speak.

RODRIGO:

Do you know that he was exemplary
in honour and bravery?

COUNT LOZANO:

Yes, I suppose he was.

RODRIGO:

And that I am a man of honour
just as he was, do you know this?

COUNT LOZANO:

And to know it—I don’t have time for this—
What does it matter?

RODRIGO:

If we go outside
you will learn just how much it matters.

COUNT LOZANO:

Away with you, young man—
—(can this be?)—
Go, my little knight,
Go learn how to fight,
and then perhaps I will honour you
by defeating you,
without breaking a sweat
in killing you.
Leave aside your grievances,
because vengeance and blood
do not suit well he who still
has milk on his lips.

RODRIGO:

I want to begin to fight and to learn with you;
for you will see if I know how to defeat you,
and I will see if you know how to kill.
You will find there is strength
in my arm and in my untrained sword,
for though I have not studied fighting,
my heart is a master swordsman.
And I will be satisfied,
mingling among my grievances
this milk on my lips
and the blood in your heart.

PERANSULES:

Count!

ARIAS GONZALO:

Rodrigo!

JIMENA:

Oh, my!

DIEGO LAÍNEZ: (Aside.)

My heart is burning.

RODRIGO:

There is refuge for you in this house,
I will not fight in her presence …

JIMENA:

Against my father, Sir?

RODRIGO:

... and as such I will not kill you now.

JIMENA:

Listen!

RODRIGO:

Forgive me, my Lady,
for I am but the son of my honour.
Follow me, Count!

COUNT LOZANO:

Youth with the arrogance of
a giant, I will kill you
if you come near me; Go in peace...
Go, go if you do not wish to see how
just as I gave your father a slap,
I will give you a thousand kicks.

RODRIGO:

Now you have gone too far.

JIMENA:

I was right to be concerned!

DIEGO LAÍNEZ:

Too much talk drains
the power from your sword, my son.

JIMENA:

Rodrigo, wait, don’t attack him!

URRACA:

This is out of hand!

DIEGO LAÍNEZ:

Son, my son. The offence burns
in my very breath as I implore you to act.

The Count and RODRIGO exit fighting, everyone following on behind them, and this is heard from within:

COUNT LOZANO:

I am dead!

JIMENA:

Inhuman fortune!
Oh, father!

PERANSULES:

Kill him! He must die!

URRACA:

What are you doing, Jimena?

JIMENA:

I would throw myself out the window;
but I’ll run there just as if I were flying.
Father!

DIEGO LAÍNEZ:

Son!

URRACA:

Oh, God!

Enter RODRIGO fighting all of the COUNT’S MEN.

RODRIGO:

I’ll die killing you!

URRACA:

What am I seeing?

SERVANT 1:

He must die, for he’s killed the Count!

SERVANT 2:

Arrest him!

URRACA:

Wait, what are you doing?
Do not arrest him, or kill him—
see here that I command you;
I hold Rodrigo in high esteem,
for he has fulfilled the obligations of his honour.

Copyright

The above sample taken from the translation El Cid as a Young Man by Kathleen Jeffs (née Mountjoy) is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Entry written by Kathleen Jeffs. Last updated on 4 October 2010.

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emma wrote 29 Sep 2017, 4:15 p.m.

Full Translation Hi, this is super helpful! Where can I find the full translation?