"Come, good knights, in the name ofthe Creator." "I am Rodrigo Diaz, El Cid, Lord Champion of Vivar." "This is the story of a loyal knight born at the right time to gird a true sword." "The story of Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar, El Cid, Lord Champion." "In the year 110o of the Christian era," "Spain was torn between peace and war." "Moors and Christians distrusted and warred on each other." "El Cid rose above all local quarrels and called upon all Spaniards to face a common enemy who threatened to destroy the men and the land of a flourishing civilization." "This enemy, one of the greatest fanatics in history, was the African Emir, Ben Yusuf." "The Prophet has commanded us to rule the world." "Where in all Spain is the glory of Allah?" "When men speak of you, they speak of poets, music makers, doctors, scientists." "Where are your warriors?" "You call yourselves sons of the Prophet?" "You have become women!" "Burn your books." "Make warriors of your poets." "Let your doctors invent poisons for your arrows and your scientists newwar machines, and then kill and burn." "Infidels live on your frontiers." "Encourage them to kill each other." "And when they are weak and torn I will sweep up from Africa and build the Empire of the one, true God, Allah." "Allah is the one God." "First across Spain, then across Europe." "Then the whole world." "Allah is merciful." "There is no God but Allah." "There is no God but Allah." "Heavenly Father, we are lost in darkness." "Once again they destroy our towns and take our people in bondage." "Please help us, Father." "Send us someone who will take us to the light." "Father." "Come." "The cross..." "We couldn t save your village, but we captured their leaders." "Who are you?" "Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar." "Vivar?" "You are a long way from home." "Sir, you are not dressed for battle." "This was to have been my wedding day." "How is it that you came here, my son?" "I thought this was the shortest road to my bride." "We are ready, my Lord." "Shall we hang them now?" "No, Fanez, they come to Vivar with us." "No!" "Stop!" "Hold!" "Stand back!" "Put down those stones." "Welcome home, my son." "Moorish prisoners for you." "We didn't expect such wedding guests." "Are they for tribute?" "They re your prisoners, Sir." "They are yours." "You captured them." "You must decide what to do with them." "Hang them!" "Now!" "We are Emirs." "Kings." "You will get a great ransom if you let us live." "You are ready enough to kill, but less ready to die." "I am ready, my Lord Rodrigo." "I do not desire to see what is coming for us all." "What is coming for us all?" "Yes, death and destruction." "Blood and fire more terrible than has ever been seen." "Don Diego, I ll take them to the king." "They are not my prisoners." "They are my son s." "Forgive me, Don Rodrigo." "Then it will be your prisoners who will hang in Burgos." "They will hang high as an example to other Moors." "Count Ordonez, these prisoners will not go to Burgos." "The king won't mind if you hang them here." "We've been killing them for years." "Has it brought us peace?" "Hang me and my sons will not rest until no Christians are left in Vivar." "Is there anotherway to treat Moors?" "Should these people live in fear the rest ofthElr lives?" "Antonio, do you want to see your church burned too?" "Your villages destroyed?" "Then kill them." "Don Diego, tell your son it is treason to refuse to give up prisoners to a king s officer." "Rodrigo knows what he must do." "Do you swear never more to attack King Ferdinand s country?" "I do." "My people have a word for warriors with the vision to be just, and also merciful." "We call such a man El Cid ." "I, Moutamin, Emir of Saragossa, pledge friendship to El Cid of Vivar and allegiance to his sovereign, Ferdinand of Castile." "Allah strike my eyes and the flesh from my bones, if I break this pledge." "In the name of Allah." "In the name of Allah." "In the name of Ferdinand, King of Castile, Leon and Asturias," "I charge you with treason." "Within seven days you will appear at Burgos to answer these charges." "You did take the shortest road, my son." "Not to your bride, but to your destiny." "God has sent you to us, my son." "God has sent you." "Rodrigo!" "But I did heara sound." "He should be here by now." "Why is he so late?" "He is not late, my lady." "He was to be here at sunset." "It s barely noon." "Yes." "You don t really understand how love keeps time." "Later means sooner, sunset means noon." "Still, a man on a horse can move only so fast, no matter how much he is in love." "That is so, my lady." "All night long I was thinking," "Oh, the Moors have ambushed him ." "He s been attacked by a madman ." "He has fallen ill ." "They say all women in love are tormented that way, because they aren t believe such happiness can really be theirs." "Help me please." "That gown is very beautiful." "Your Highness is..." "very gracious." "It is not often we are so honoured." "No, it is not an ordinary day." "Then you have not heard?" "There has been news." "Oh yes." "News of Rodrigo, your Highness?" "Of Rodrigo, my dear." "That gown is so beautiful." "Your Highness..." "Forgive me." "Do you know what happened to Rodrigo?" "Yes, I do," "You knewthat Rodrigo was on his way here?" "That there was a battle." "You knowthere was a battle with the Moors?" "Chimene." "Father, tell me." "Rodrigo s been hurt?" "No, Rodrigo is alive and well." "You love him so much?" "Two names." "My father... and Rodrigo." "Chimene, you are my only child." "I have no-one else." "You alone can carry my blood." "I should have had a son." "But Rodrigo will be your son." "You are young." "You can learn to love again." "Could I learn to love another father?" "It is not the same." "There are others." "Chimene!" "Don Garcia Ordonez, tell me what has happened." "You are a good friend." "I would be more to you, Chimene, if you would let me." "You know that can never be." "It can be now." "Why now?" "Could you love a traitor, Chimene?" "Since I love Rodrigo, that is meaningless." "It has a meaning now." "Rodrigo is a traitor." "I do not believe you." "Others were there." "I don t believe them." "It was I who brought the charges against him." "He is to be tried for treason." "You would do anything to hurt him." "No, I would do anything to win you." "And ifthe charges are true?" "They are not true!" "Many saw it." "They saw nothing." "You will see for yourself, Chimene." "His Majesty," "Don Ferdinand, the King our Lord," "King of Castile, Leon and Asturias." "And the Infantes" "Prince Sancho," "Prince AIfonso," "and the Princess Dona Urraca." "You are called to this Court to give counsel in a matter of great import to the Crown." "Garcia Ordonez has accused Rodrigo of Vivar of treason." "Yes, he is a traitor." "It is true!" "It is not true!" "It is not true!" "Silence!" "Silence!" "Let he who accuses speak." "I repeat the charges." "He has betrayed the King." "He freed the king s enemies." "Hold, gentlemen." "Hold, gentlemen." "You shouldnt have come." "Then I ll go." "No, wait another moment." "Forever." "Besides, there is no danger." "No danger?" "No." "Listen to them." "It doesnt matter because I know you re not guilty." "You dont even know what I ve done." "No, but I know it was not treason." "What did you do?" "I let a man live." "No, five men." "But how can they call that treason?" "How?" "Who are those five men?" "Emirs." "Moors?" "You let Moors live?" "Why?" "I m not sure it was right." "I dont know." "I think it was." "It happened strangely." "I was on my way to you." "I can t even remember where I was." "There must have been roads, trees, people." "All I remember is your face." "There was a battle." "I fought too." "My heart wasn t in my sword." "I kept seeing your face." "Suddenly," "I thought, Why kill each other?" "." "' True, they re Moors, we re Christians..." "Do you understand what I m trying to say?" "Yes, but there always have been wars between us." "I know." "always." "You don t think then that we could live in peace?" "This is not a charge I would bring lightly." "Especially against my future son." "But a man who frees the king s enemies, whether a son or not, such a man I must call a traitor." "Sire, he sullies the honour of our family." "This cannot be." "I too was once the King s Champion." "That was many years ago." "Better leave the matter in our hands." "Sire, things have been said that cannot be forgotten." "Even in this royal assembly." "Count Gormaz of Oviedo, when you call my son a traitor," "I say you lie." "I amthe King s Champion." "I would not shame my sword with an old man s blood." "Yet no man can call me a liar." "Liar." "I dont really understand, Rodrigo." "I only know that if it grew out of our love, it must be right." "What do you want?" "You shamed my father." "I want his name back." "But not the way you left it." "I want it clean so that he can again wear it proudly." "I cannot apologize." "It is not that I do not want to, but I do not knowhowto." "People will only esteem you the more for it." "They will understand." "I have said no." "Go home, Rodrigo." "I ask nothing for myself." "I humble myself before you." "Have pity on a proud old man." "Not for those who have outlived their usefulness." "Count Gormaz!" "I beg you." "See?" "Two words are all I ask." "Can you not say, Forgive me?" "I cannot." "I will not." "Now go." "Dont make me stain my life and Chimenes with your blood." "Go home, Rodrigo." "No-one will spurn you for not fighting the King s Champion." "I will ask you only this last time." "Valour and honour still exist in Castile." "Now I remember why I thought you worthy of Chimene." "Go home, Rodrigo." "Wheres the glory in killing someone like you?" "Can a man live without honour?" "No." "Now, Count, now I am satisfied." "Chimene!" "Chimene!" "Father!" "Chimene?" "Father!" "Father!" "." "Avenge me as my son would." "Don t let me die unavenged." "Unavenged." "Oh, father." "Chimene, I didn t seek your father s life." "No, but he could only answer as he did." "And you were ready to kill him." "You've bought your honour with my sorrow." "There was no otherway for me." "The man you chose to love could do only what I did." "Why did you come?" "Did you think the woman you chose to love could do less than you?" "I tried not to come." "I tried." "I told my love it had no right to live, but my love won t die." "Kill it!" "You kill it!" "Say you don't love me." "I cannot." "Not yet." "But I will make myself worthy of you, Rodrigo." "I will learn to hate you." "Dona Chimene, daughter of the late Count Gormaz," "the King s lamented Champion." "Dona Chimene, never was there a moment when we needed your father more." "His death was a great loss to us." "And never did I regret more deeply that I am his daughter and not his son." "King Ramiro of Aragon and his Champion, Don Martin Gonzalez." "I won t stand on ceremony, Ferdinand." "Three times I ve written to you about Calahorra and received no answer." "The city belongs to Aragon and I have come to claim it." "Calahorra has always been part of Castile." "His Majesty, Ferdinand of Castile, Leon and Asturias denies such claims." "Ramiro, King of Aragon by the grace of God, this day challenges Ferdinand of Castile, Leon and Asturias to meet him in battle before Calahorra with all the forces he can command." "To the victor of this battle and his heirs it shall belong forever." "No." "All Spain is threatened by the Moors." "What could give greater comfort to the enemy than two Christian kings tearing each other to bits?" "Why not let the city s fate be determined by a single combat between your champion and mine?" "We know why you press your claim now." "Our champion is dead." "The gauntlet lies there." "Let one man come forward now or give up Calahorra." "Lord King." "Let me take up the gauntlet." "Why entrust the city s fate to your inexperienced hands?" "It was I who killed your champion, Sire." "Who has a better claim to his place?" "Don Martin has killed -27 men in single combat." "You knowthat?" "Yes." "Yes, Sire." "I knowthat." "Why would you risk your life in this way?" "I stand accused oftreason, Sire." "And of others things." "I havent been allowed to answer the charges or be judged." "Let me now offer myself before the highest judge." "If I am guilty, God will direct Don Martin s lance to my heart." "If I am innocent, Iet Him be my shield." "He hasn t fought before." "But hes strong." "Acity, a whole city is at stake." "He defeated our Champion." "And if he killed him from behind?" "That is not Rodrigo's way." "Let him fight, father." "He has much to fight for." "Rodrigo Diaz of Vivar, take up the gauntlet." "And may God give you strength." "May God give me strength." "Why have you come here at this hour?" "We have come to do battle for the city of Calahorra." "Will you fight to the death without quarter?" "We will." "Go then and fight for Calahorra." "Don Martin!" "Don Martin!" "You were always my father s enemy." "Will you now be his avenger and wear my colours?" "My Lady, who would not be proud to wear your colours?" "I promise you that he who has offended you shall die." "Until your triumph my colour is black." "Rodrigo, the Champion of Castile cannot fight without a Lady's colours." "Your Highness." "AImighty God, now the hour of my ordeal has come." "Judge me and let all men know my guilt or innocence." "Do you think Don Martin will kill Rodrigo?" "I hope he does, Your Highness." "You will understand why I do not join you in that hope." "After all, we would lose a city." "Rodrigo s held the first charge!" "Kill him!" "To whom does Calahorra belong?" "Calahorra belongs to Ferdinand, and to Castile." "God saw fit to give me strength, Sire." "I never saw a man fight with more courage." "Our Lord was surely with you." "Then the charges against you were false." "We are deeply in your debt." "You will be my Champion." "Your colours are no longer black." "Until my father is avenged my colours will be deepest black." "Someone will avenge me." "Someone will yet come forward." "No, believe me Chimene, no knight in Castile will fight Rodrigo now." "He has become too dangerous." "Then why have you come to me?" "This is not just a momentary anger?" "You really want Rodrigo s death?" "Would you fight him?" "Not fight but kill him!" "I could fight him." "It s not a question of courage." "Before I first saw you," "I was ready to throw my life away but not now, Chimene." "To kill him?" "How?" "I want your love, Chimene." "More than I want honour, glory, wealth." "You understand such a love." "Yes." "Yes, I do." "Then I will kill him." "Oh, father." "Why did you leave me such a burden?" "Rodrigo of Vivar, you are hereby our own Champion, and First Knight of the Realm." "With this sword may you defeat ourenemies." "My lieges, for the first time in generations, our Moorish vassals have refused to pay us tribute." "There has been agitation by the Moors of Africa." "An expedition must be sent to collect that tribute." "That shall be yourfirst task." "May I prove worthy, Sire." "My son will also go." "May I prove worthy, father!" "Sire!" "This will be the first expedition of our Prince." "May I accompany him?" "You have our permission, Ordonez." "Spare our son no hardship or danger." "But show him too that peace, not war, is a king s real task." "Lord King, by ancient custom, when a lord deprives a lady of her shelter, he is bound to give her shelter." "I killed that lady s father." "Therefore, if by God s will," "I return alive from this mission, will you give me" "Dona Chimene of Gormaz as my wife to provide for and protect in her father s stead?" "Yes, Rodrigo." "Let there be an end to this hatred." "The marriage will be on your return." "She will hold herself in readiness." "In the name ofthe Father." "This is the man you wished Don Martin to kill." "This is the man whose death you sought." "Yes, Your Highness." "And you would still accept the marriage?" "If it is the king s order, I must obey." "My Cid, beware." "Stop him!" "My Lord Moutamin." "My Cid." "You came in good time this day." "Praise be to Allah!" "You were betrayed by one of your own." "Betrayed by a Christian, saved by a Moor." "You ve earned the enmity of your people." "It was no more than my Cid did for me." "If ever you have need of me." "Oryou of me." "Followme." "Ordonez." "Don Rodrigo!" "Before I die I want you to know that the woman you love offered herseIfto me if I would kill you." "Kill him." "He betrayed us." "Let him go." "They ll say I was too soft." "You must learn to think like a king." "Any man can kill, only a king can give life." "I want no more blood on my marriage." "I do." "I do." "Will my lady take a little wine?" "It is very good wine specially brought from Vivar." "I thank you Fanez, no." "All night you have been telling her howgood everything from Vivar is." "Well it is good." "You will see when you come to Vivar." "It is such a happy place." "Is it Fanez?" "Yes, my lady." "It s impossible to be there without feeling it." "I think my lord and lady must be tired." "Yes." "Goodnight, my lord and lady." "Goodnight." "And may this night be the most..." "I mean, er, may you have..." "Goodnight." "My lord and lady, goodnight." "Since I have taken the vows of wife, and since there must be nothing hidden between man and wife," "I wish to tell you something." "Sometimes it s best to leave some things hidden, even between man and wife." "They say each unspoken thought becomes a small ghost." "We have room for a few small ghosts." "I knew Ordonez would betray you." "We had planned your death, he and I." "I know you planned to kill me." "Ordoneztold me." "I never hoped our marriage would bring your love back quickly." "I did hope it would end your hate and that then somehow," "Chimene..." "Do you know why I married you?" "It was the only way left for me to avenge my father." "It is true that if you want me it s your right as my husband." "But you will never get a woman s love from me." "Perhaps we have wounded each other too deeply." "Chimene?" "Is it our Chimene?" "Yes, Reverend Mother." "It s Chimene." "Why have you come back to us?" "I have come to find peace, Mother." "After all that s happened to you, that peace is not within these walls." "You were made for the world, Chimene." "One day you will want to go back to it." "But you may remain with us until you feel you must leave." "Why did they not hail me king?" "Because you are not king!" "The kingdom must be divided." "What?" "Father left Castile to you and Asturias and Leon to me!" "Liar!" "And to Urraca the city of Calahorra." "No!" "I m the eldest." "They re my birthright." "The kingdom will not be divided." "You cant stop it now." "I am King of Asturias and Leon." "You ll not stand in my way." "I am the oldest." "I ll have the triple crown or none!" "Then let it be none at all." "It s you and Urraca against me." "Father was old, she worked on him." "You re no better than us, because you re the first-born." "You and our sister, it was always you and our sister." "You hold her too close." "You covet her." "You lie." "No, Sancho, no!" "He thought he could be king!" "Ansures!" "Accompany His Highness to his newkingdom." "The dungeon of Zamora." "Give me your prisoner!" "Or must I take him?" "There are 13 of us and you are alone." "What you do is against God s law." "Were you 13 times 13 I would not be alone." "What kind of a man are you?" "Come." "We will go to your sister at Calahorra." "Open the gates of Valencia in the name of Allah!" "And over all the land of Spain, news ofthe Cid's exploits began to spread." "And the time came when Ben Yusuf rode to Valencia to secure the aid of Al Kadir, to make certain that he could land on the shores of Spain." "His legions waited on the other side ofthe Mediterranean to attack the Christians and Moors who lived in this land of Spain." "Get out!" "All of you!" "My Lord Ben Yusuf, what an honour." "What an honour." "Allah be praised." "Our moment has come." "Ferdinand has died and the two young kings have quarreled." "Allah has willed it so." "He il now ordain that one Christian brother will kill another." "Howwill this happen?" "He will do the killing." "They ll say brother has killed brother." "There ll be confusion with the kingdom torn in two." "When they are most weak, I ll bring my legions from Africa." "A master strategy." "When I land, they may attack you here in Valencia." "If they do, you will hold Valencia." "Do you understand me?" "Yes, my lord." "I understand." "I will leave my guards with you to make sure you do." "Don t let him take me." "Urraca!" "Go!" "Go!" "Urraca." "You have given refuge to my brother." "I demand you release him at once." "This city is mine, you do not demand." "Release him or my army will attack." "AIfonso stays here with me." "I give you until dawn to decide." "My Lady." "What would it be worth to you if Sancho were kept from your gates?" "Who is there could do such a thing?" "I could!" "Only I would ask a great deal." "Thank Heaven you came." "Why did you call me, Sire?" "Unless I surrender to Sancho he ll besiege us by morning." "Help us, Rodrigo." "When brother fights against brother, what can any man do?" "If you joined us many knights would come." "I swore allegiance to Sancho." "And to AIfonso and me." "I can only help one brother by failing the other." "I can help no-one." "Sancho will kill AIfonso." "Whatever happens must happen without me." "I have words for your ears only, Sire." "Speak." "Calahorra could be taken without a blow." "I will help you." "Why should you do that?" "I would not see our land torn by civil war." "Tell me." "I knowwhere there is an unguarded gate." "I will take you there with a fewmen..." "Even though my father trusted you, DoIfos," "one false move..." "But I am unarmed, Sire." "Show me this gate." "From here it will be better to go on foot." "I see no gate." "There, around the corner." "Open!" "Open the gate!" "Open the gate!" "Confess me!" "Confess me!" "Confess me!" "Rodrigo." "My poor Sancho." "I was almost a king, wasn t l?" "You are a king, my Lord." "I have not come here as a queen." "Forgive me, Your Highness." "You still love Rodrigo and Rodrigo still loves you." "You ve made a long journey to come here." "Rodrigo must be stopped." "We ll not permit this, AIfonso and I." "Rodrigo will listen to you." "What is it I must tell him,Your Highness?" "He has threatened to force AIfonso to swear that he is innocent of Sancho s death." "Is he not innocent of his death?" "You must tell him not to do this." "He must not." "I will not permit this." "You had better speak to him." "Do you understand me?" "I understand, Your Highness." "No-on can ask a king to swear!" "No-one!" "Before God and this assembly," "I do freely forgive those who have warred against me." "I promise to defend them and to show them favour, as I defend and show favour to those who were ever loyal to me." "This my written oath," "I entrust to this Holy Church." "Castilians," "God has called upon me to become your king." "I now call upon you to kneeling a sign of fealty." "Rodrigo of Vivar, called The Cid, why do you alone refuse me fealty?" "Sire, all those you see here, though none dares says so, suspects you may have counseled your own brother s death." "Unless you can prove your innocence, you ll have no loyal subjects." "Your kingdom will be torn by doubts." "Thus I cannot give you fealty, or own you as my liege." "What will satisfy you?" "Your oath upon the Holy Books." "You would ask me to swear?" "Sire, I do ask it." "Very well." "Will you swear that you had no part in the ordering of King Sancho s death?" "I so swear." "Do you swear that you did not counsel King Sancho's death?" "I so swear." "Do you swear that you had no part by way of design in King Sancho s death?" "I swear it." "If you are foresworn, may you die such a death as your brotherdid." "Struck from behind by a traitor." "Say Amen!" "You press me too far, Rodrigo." "Say Amen!" "By edict of our most illustrious sovereign AIfonso,'" "'King of Castile, Leon and Asturias, be it known that Rodrigo Vivar has outraged the Royal Personage and is hereby exiled for life." "He has been accorded nine days fromthis day in which to leave this realm, alone and without men-at-arms." "' All his property, his goods, his lands and his privileges are hereby forfeit to the Crown." "And all vassals of the king are forbidden to give him food, lodging or means of sustenance or to speak to him." "Let no man give him aid." "I thirst." "I thirst, Lord knight, I thirst." "There is no spring here from which a leper may drink." "I m thirsty." "Here, it s for you." "Keep it." "Thank you, my Cid." "How do you knowmy name?" "There is only one man in Spain who could humble a king and yet give a leper his pouch." "Who are you?" "I am called Lazarus." "May helping hands be extended to you wherever you go, my Cid." "Can you forgive me, Rodrigo?" "Chimene." "Would you take me with you?" "But now" "I have now hereto take you." "If we are together, it will not be nowhere." "I love you, Rodrigo." "I love you." "You knowwhat you risk if you come with me, my love?" "Since my man is not a man like other men, my life will not be like other lives." "It s only now... only now that I know how hard the road would have been without you." "Are you the one they call The Cid?" "Yes." "Then you must be the beautiful Chimene." "Do you not hate him any more?" "No, I do not." "Father says they ll cut our hands off if we help you." "Father says they have eyes everywhere." "But father said that if you walk very slowly, it will soon be dark, and no-one would see you go into our barn." "I suppose we must leave soon, before it gets too light." "No, one more moment." "To remember all ofthis." "Have you ever slept in a more beautiful bed-chamber?" "Never." "Or eaten better food?" "No." "Nor drunk better wine, no." "I love you." "Dona Chimene, my wife." "I m so glad, Rodrigo." "So glad." "Must we go?" "Of what are you glad?" "That you re no longer the King s Champion." "That you no longer have your knights and your army." "And that you have only me." "We ll find some place where you re not known." "Yes, a place like this, and we will make our lives there." "If all men knew that exile could be so, we would have a world of exiles." "Come!" "We ll look for your hidden place, before the others find it." "We have a new life now." "Lord God, protect this woman I love, and who is now finally my wife." "Listen!" "I am an exile." "Without you we are all in exile." "I cant take you with me!" "You d lose your homes, your families." "Every man here has already made his choice." "We want you to lead us." "You have no right to ask him." "He has done enough." "But why him?" "Why?" "For Spain." "Spain!" "Urraca!" "I havent slept all night." "Every time I close my eyes to sleep," "I dream the same dream." "Over and over." "I fight an enemy whose face I never see." "I cut him down with my broad-sword." "He falls..." "When I look down, it isnt my enemy at my feet... lt s... it s... my own right arm!" "It was only a dream." "It was nothing." "Our dream was short." "I know." "There is no hidden place for a man like you." "No." "Unfortunately." "There must be thousands who would gladly part." "Why you?" "Why me?" "Smile." "Let me go with an image of you smiling." "It would be a lie." "I will besiege God with my prayers." "To make Him bring you back to me." "I must tell God how much I need you." "Then we will see each other again." "Don Rodrigo." "We have not forgiven the wrong you did our royal person." "But when danger threatens, it is a king s duty to put his subjects above all else." "That is why we summoned you here." "Sire, I have all these year shopped that you would call me." "Especially now, since Ben Yusuf has landed on our shores." "Ben Yusuf has challenged us to meet him at Sagrajas." "Sire, you must not fight there." "Valencia must first be..." "We have accepted the challenge." "My Liege,you must first take Valencia." "While the Moors hold Valencia, Ben Yusuf can strike out fromthere and overrun all Spain." "My Lord must not let this happen." "Look," "I've brought friends to help you in this fight." "How dare they not kneel to us!" "Sire, they are kings." "They come here as allies." "We need no such allies." "We are Christians." "We need only Christians." "They d fight beside you for Valencia." "They also fear Ben Yusuf and so are friends." "We do not consider them friends." "My Lord, you risk having no Spain at all!" "Don Rodrigo." "Join us at Sagrajas and we will annul your banishment and return your lands, but if you are not at Sagrajas, we shall consider you and yours our enemies." "Don Rodrigo, I knowwhy you have come." "Your daughters are playing in the garden here." "This is your father." "You re Elvira?" "Then you must be Sol." "You re Elvira." "You re exactly alike." "I m tired." "Tired of exile." "Now I can take you home to Vivar with honours." "I might be wrong to defy the king." "He ordered me to meet him at Sagrajas." "I could be wrong." "If you did not have us, Rodrigo, would you even wonder?" "I saw many of your hidden places, where we could have lived, and no-one would have known." "Have you also found a place where we could hide from ourselves?" "I cant leave you, leave them here unprotected." "But if you do what you must forall of Spain, that will be our best protection." "Our Moorish silks suit well your Christian armour." "You ll make a Moslem of me yet." "How can anyone say this is wrong?" "They will say so..." "On both sides." "We have so much to give each other and to Spain!" "If we are not destroyed first." "Once we take Valencia, then let Ben Yusuf try." "Valencia is surrounded." "No-one here can leave or enter it." "Then our weapon is starvation." "May Allah make this siege a short one." "May God help our King AIfonso at Sagrajas." "We could have beaten Ben Yusuf." "With more men we could have won." "Yes, with only a handful of knights." "Dona Chimene." "Did you think your husband would go unpunished?" "Would you punish he who is Spain s only hope?" "What if we were to imprison Dona Chimene and her children?" "Might not the Cid then surrender to us?" "Sire,this is a sanctuary." "Not for the enemies of Christ." "If you rush him, who will stand against" "Spain s invaders?" "It was his fault!" "If he had come, we would have won." "My Lord..." "We did not lose for lack of courage." "You shall see." "You saw!" "I made no sound." "It was not for lack of courage." "It takes more than courage to make a king." "Tell me his exact words." "The king said he would not release Chimene and the children." "What does he expect I d do?" "Let my wife and children die in his dungeons?" "No, he hopes you will march on Burgos to rescue her." "Burgos..." "Well then, shall we disappoint our king?" "What do we wait here for?" "To Burgos!" "Wait." "My lord, the city's ready to fall." "More and more people are coming over to us." "After all these months, we cannot leave." "Don't speak to me of Valencia, my lord Moutamin." "Not now." "Am I not a man too like you?" "May I not sometimes think of my wife and children?" "Well then,what must I do?" "What must I do?" "Everything was taken from you." "How did you bribe the jailer to bring your message?" "With two words, The Cid ." "Even all these months in the dungeon have not marred your beauty." "There are terrible rumours." "They are not rumours." "The Cid had sent an ultimatum to the king." "Unless you are all released at once, your husband will attack us here." "Abandon Valencia and leave all Spain unprotected?" "Yes, Chimene, for you." "Why not?" "Help me and the children escape." "Come with us." "Join Rodrigo." "If I thought it would stop him from coming," "I would kill myself, and the children." "Then your love is as desperate as mine." "Rodrigo, let me fight at yourside." "We have need of such men." "Count Ordonez, we must attack tonight." "Soldiers!" "Citizens of Valencia!" "We have starved you." "Now you are weak." "But we do not wish to attack you." "We are not your enemies." "Ben Yusuf is your enemy." "He will bring you death and destruction." "People of Valencia, rid yourselves of your leaders." "Join us." "We bring you peace." "Soldiers and citizens, people of Valencia, we bring you freedom!" "We bring you life." "We bring you bread." "My lord, the Cid throws them food!" "Your starving soldier shave deserted the walls." "Kill them,call out the Black Guard!" "Stop them, run them down, kill them!" "The city is yours." "Take the crown." "Proclaim yourself king." "We have fought for you." "We want you to rule us." "My lord Cid." "We have given up everything for you." "We beg you take the crown, and be our king." "I took Valencia in the name of my sovereign lord AIfonso," "King of Castile, Leon and Asturias, of Sagunto and AImenara, of Castrejon and Alcantara," "King of Christians and Moors." "Valencia for AIfonso by the grace of God," "King of Spain." "What a noble subject." "If he only had a noble king." "The Crown of Valencia." "The Crown of Valencia?" "The Cid sends this to me?" "And the conditions?" "There are no conditions." "But Chimene..." "He knewabout the dungeon and his children." "He knew." "And yet he sends me the crown." "What kind of a man is this?" "He wants something." "What can it be?" "My Lord, he has asked for nothing." "But I have." "My Lord, the Cid needs your help to defend Valencia." "No." "Tell your lord, the Cid that we do not need his favour or help." "Nor can he expect anything from us." "Nowgo!" "Who has done more foryou and Spain?" "Go!" "Look." "Now you are also King of Valencia." "I am king of nothing." "But I will make myself a king." "AIfonso." "I will!" "AIfonso!" "All men must die." "Why not for a good cause?" "What cause of yours could be worth such torture?" "The Cid." "The Cid?" "He is a man like other men." "I will kill him." "He will never die." "Never!" "You dare think of him as we of our Prophet?" "We do!" "Then this will be more than a battle." "It will be our God against yours." "Where s Ordonez?" "I sent him to observe Ben Yusuf." "Hasn t he returned?" "No, my Cid." "Ben Yusuf s armada." "We ll attack before they all land." "We'll drive a wedge along the shore to split his forces." "Come." "I know, I know." "This is always the hardest time, when the enemy has no face." "You ve been through this a hundred times." "I need to know where you find your courage." "I wish I knew." "Each warrior, each time must find it for himself." "Come." "This is the battle we waited for so long." "The last battle." "When we ve won it, we ll have peace." "Open the gates." "For God, AIfonso and forSpain." "The Cid is wounded!" "He goes back to Valencia!" "We attack again tomorrow." "You ll need time to recover." "It must be tomorrow." "The enemy will grow stronger while we growweaker." "But my lord..." "Tomorrow, Fanez." "Make your preparations." "Watch their rearguard." "Go!" "Close the gates." "Close the gates." "Chimene." "I must lead the attack tomorrow." "If the arrow is not withdrawn, it is certain you will die." "Not before tomorrow." "That s all I need." "But it s not all I need." "What will there be for you ifthis battle is lost?" "Someone else will lead them." "They have made me their heart." "But their heart is wounded." "Ah, we could take you to Vivar to cure you." "My love would not let you die." "We have not spent much time together, yet it seems to me..." "I will not let you." "You will live." "Yet it seems to me that those who have spent a lifetime together have not had more than we." "I want more." "I want forever." "Oh, the children." "The children." "Chimene, you can t save my life." "You must help me give it up." "Now." "Lord Moutamin," "it is the wish of my husband not to remove the arrow." "Allah be praised." "The Cid is dead!" "The Cid is dead!" "They dare not come out and fight." "Let all know that the Cid is dead!" "The Cid is dead!" "The Cid is dead!" "I tell you the Cid is alive." "He is well." "I have seen him." "He will fight tomorrow." "He will be with us leading the attack." "I promise." "You must believe me." "The Cid is alive!" "Fanez." "Yes, my Lord?" "What are they saying?" "All is well, my lord, very well." "The people are hopeful." "The army is eager to fight." "You always were a bad liar, Fanez." "Nowtell me the truth." "I could not convince them that you are alive." "Soldiers," "people of Valencia, you must not be frightened by the sound of a few drums." "In a few hours they will be silenced forever." "I promise you, tomorrow morning" "I will ride with you." "I am here, Rodrigo, I am here." "Listen to me." "Even if my strength fails me," "I must lead the attack tomorrow." "Yes." "I must." "You understand?" "I must." "alive ordead," "I must be on my horse at the head of my soldiers." "Do you promise you will do whatever needs to be done?" "Yes." "Promise me." "I promise, Rodrigo." "I promise." "I promise." "Yes." "I promise." "I promise." "Open the gates!" "It s the king!" "My lord, the king." "Forgive me, my Cid." "Forgive me." "No, my king kneels to no man, no man." "It s not easy fora man to conquer himself." "You ve done that." "If only I could live to see Spain at peace." "You will, you will." "No-one can resist us." "We'll drive Ben Yusuf back into the sea." "I have not failed." "Spain has a king." "Tomorrow we will fight side by side, my king and I." "We will ride out together." "Together." "Yes." "I will beat your side." "Chimene." "Chimene." "I promise." "I have not forgotten." "I want you and my children to remember me riding with my king." "Tomorrow." "For God, the Cid and Spain!" "For God, the Cid and Spain!" "For God, the Cid and Spain!" "And thus the Cid rode out of the gates of history into legend." "Go back!" "Go back!" "Heavenly Father, open Your arms to receive the soul of one who lived and died the purest knight of all."