The Affront of Corpes CXIV
The Cid and all his henchmen, it pleased them passing well,For so by the lord's favor their gain should grow the more.But know the Heirs of Carrión at heart were very sore,For they saw of the Moriscos many and many a tent,Which liked them not. The brothers forthwith apart they went."We would keep in mind our profit, nor for the loss have care.And now within this battle we must needs do our share.""Such a thing well may keep us from seeing Carrión more.Widows will be the daughters of the good Campeador."
But Muñoz Gustióz heakened how in secret they conferred.To the Cid Campeador he came with the tale of what he heard:"The two Heirs thy sons-in-law, their courage is so strong,Because they go to battle, for Carrión they long.As God cherishes and keeps them, go bid them have good heart,That they in peace may tarry, nor in battle have a part.But with that we shall conquer, and God shall be our stay."
My lord Cid don Rodrigo with a smile went his way."My sons, the Heirs of Carrión. God have you in his care.In your arms rest my daughters that as the sun are fair.And as I yearn for battle, so of Carrión are ye fain.In pleasance in Valencia to your hearts desire remain!,For as for the Moriscos, them well enough I know,And by grace of the Creator have courage to o'erthrow."
When Pero Vermudóz, who was hard by, beheld this, he attacked theMoor, fought with him and slew him. Then he took the Moor's horseand went in quest of the Heir who was in full flight.
"May I see that time when payment I shall make to thee twice o'erFor all that thou deserves". The twain turned back once more.Don Pero there bore witness to Ferrándo's brag and lie.The Cid and all his vassals were gladdened much thereby.
"If God our Father wills it, in Heaven that doth dwell,My sons-in-law in battle shall both acquit them well."
So they spake. And the two armies now the advance began.In the Moorish host resounded of the drums the rataplan.It was among the Christians a marvel sore to some,For never had they heard it, since but newly were they come.On Diégo and Ferrándo greater wonder yet did fall,And of their free will thither they would not have come at all.To what he said who was brought forth in happy hour give ear:"Ho! now don Pero Vermudóz, who art my nephew dear,Dídago and Ferrándo now keep them well for me,For in mine eyes my sons-in-law are dear exceedingly.By God's help the Moriscos shall hold the field no more."
Words in this poem
- forthwith adv.
- Immediately; without delay; directly.
- went n.
- Course; way; path; journey; direction.
- needs adv.
- Of necessity; necessarily; indispensably; -- often with must, and equivalent to of need. [Orig. gen. of need, used as an adverb. Cf. - wards.]
- shall v. i.
- To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
- yearn v. t.
- To pain; to grieve; to vex. [Also earn, ern; probably a corruption of OE. ermen to grieve, AS. ierman, yrman, or geierman, geyrman, fr. earm wretched, poor; akin to D. & G. arm, Icel. armr,]
- fain v. t.
- To be glad ; to wish or desire.
- pleasance n.
- Pleasure; merriment; gayety; delight; kindness. [F. plaisance. See Please.]
- valencia n.
- A kind of woven fabric for waistcoats, having the weft of wool and the warp of silk or cotton. [Perhaps fr. Valence in France.]
- twain a.
- Two;- nearly obsolete in common discourse, but used in poetry and burlesque. [OE. twein, tweien, tweyne, AS. twegen, masc. See Two.]
- dwell v. i.
- To delay; to linger. [OE. dwellen, dwelien, to err, linger, AS. dwellan to deceive, hinder, delay, dwelian to err; akin to Icel. dvelja to delay, tarry, Sw. dväljas to dwell, Dan. dv]
- rataplan n.
- The iterative sound of beating a drum, or of a galloping horse. [F.]
- nephew n.
- A grandson or grandchild, or remoter lineal descendant. [OE. neveu, nevou, nevu, fr. F. neveu, OF. also, nevou, L. nepos; akin to AS. nefa, D. neef, G. neffe, OHG. nevo, Icel. nefi a kinsman, gr. nepat grandson, desce]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
The Affront of Corpes CXIV is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Lay of the Cid, Project Gutenberg ebook #6088, the R. Selden Rose and Leonard Bacon translation; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Anonymous, The Affront of Corpes CXIV, in The Lay of the Cid (1919), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #6088, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/lay-of-the-cid/the-affront-of-corpes-cxiv.html, id L15119.
Form and metre
The Affront of Corpes CXIV is 43 lines in 7 verse paragraphs. It is in rhyming couplets, 65% of the lines. The metre is iambic heptameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 77%). 87% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 13.7 syllables. 1 line ends on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 7% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.
See other poems in rhyming couplets, other poems in iambic heptameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 -AABBCCA- well · moreA · soreA · tentB · wentB · careC · shareC · moreA · campeador
- 2 AABBCC- conferredA · heardA · strongB · longB · heartC · partC · stay
- 3 -AABBCC way · careA · fairA · fainB · remainB · knowC · o'erthrowC
- 5 --AA o'er · more · lieA · therebyA
- 6 AA dwellA · wellA
- 7 --AABBCC--- began · rataplan · someA · comeA · fallB · allB · earC · dearC · me · exceedingly · more
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic heptameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| The Cid and all his henchmen, it pleased them passing well, | 13 | ·····/˘···/˘· |
| For so by the lord's favor their gain should grow the more. | 13 | ·····/˘······ |
| But know the Heirs of Carrión at heart were very sore, | 13 | ··········/˘· |
| For they saw of the Moriscos many and many a tent, | 15 | ········/˘·/˘·· |
| Which liked them not. The brothers forthwith apart they went. | 13 | ·····/˘//˘/·· |
| "We would keep in mind our profit, nor for the loss have care. | 15 | ·····/˘/˘······ |
| And now within this battle we must needs do our share." | 14 | ·····/˘····/˘· |
| "Such a thing well may keep us from seeing Carrión more. | 13 | ········/˘··· |
| Widows will be the daughters of the good Campeador." | 13 | /˘···/˘······ |
| But Muñoz Gustióz heakened how in secret they conferred. | 14 | ·········/˘·˘/ |
| To the Cid Campeador he came with the tale of what he heard: | 15 | ··············· |
| "The two Heirs thy sons-in-law, their courage is so strong, | 13 | ········/˘··· |
| Because they go to battle, for Carrión they long. | 12 | ·····/˘····· |
| As God cherishes and keeps them, go bid them have good heart, | 14 | ··/˘˘········· |
| That they in peace may tarry, nor in battle have a part. | 14 | ·····/˘··/˘··· |
| But with that we shall conquer, and God shall be our stay." | 14 | ·····/˘····/˘· |
| My lord Cid don Rodrigo with a smile went his way. | 13 | ····˘/˘······ |
| "My sons, the Heirs of Carrión. God have you in his care. | 13 | ············· |
| In your arms rest my daughters that as the sun are fair. | 13 | ·····/˘······ |
| And as I yearn for battle, so of Carrión are ye fain. | 14 | ·····/˘······· |
| In pleasance in Valencia to your hearts desire remain!, | 16 | ·/˘·˘/˘˘···˘/˘˘/ |
| For as for the Moriscos, them well enough I know, | 13 | ·········˘/·· |
| And by grace of the Creator have courage to o'erthrow." | 14 | ·····˘/˘·/˘··· |
| When Pero Vermudóz, who was hard by, beheld this, he attacked the | 17 | ·/˘·······˘/··˘/· |
| Moor, fought with him and slew him. Then he took the Moor's horse | 13 | ············· |
| and went in quest of the Heir who was in full flight. | 12 | ············ |
| "May I see that time when payment I shall make to thee twice o'er | 15 | ······/˘······· |
| For all that thou deserves". The twain turned back once more. | 12 | ····˘/······ |
| Don Pero there bore witness to Ferrándo's brag and lie. | 14 | ·/˘··/˘······· |
| The Cid and all his vassals were gladdened much thereby. | 13 | ·····/˘·/˘··· |
| "If God our Father wills it, in Heaven that doth dwell, | 14 | ··/˘/˘···/˘··· |
| My sons-in-law in battle shall both acquit them well." | 13 | ·····/˘··˘/·· |
| So they spake. And the two armies now the advance began. | 14 | ······/˘··˘/˘/ |
| In the Moorish host resounded of the drums the rataplan. | 15 | ··/˘··/˘······· |
| It was among the Christians a marvel sore to some, | 13 | ·····/˘·/˘··· |
| For never had they heard it, since but newly were they come. | 14 | ·/˘······/˘··· |
| On Diégo and Ferrándo greater wonder yet did fall, | 14 | ·······/˘/˘··· |
| And of their free will thither they would not have come at all. | 14 | ·····/˘······· |
| To what he said who was brought forth in happy hour give ear: | 15 | ·········/˘/˘·· |
| "Ho! now don Pero Vermudóz, who art my nephew dear, | 14 | ···/˘······/˘· |
| Dídago and Ferrándo now keep them well for me, | 13 | ············· |
| For in mine eyes my sons-in-law are dear exceedingly. | 14 | ··········˘/˘˘ |
| By God's help the Moriscos shall hold the field no more." | 13 | ············· |
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