‘Cid, El cantar’ (or ‘poema de mio’)

Anonymous Spanish epic poem dating from about 1140, the greatest and earliest surviving literary epic of Castile. The Cid (Arabic sayyid, ‘master’) was a historical figure, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (c. 1040–1099), a knight of Castile. The poem, written in sober and realistic language interspersed with lyrical passages and lively dialogue, celebrates his real and legendary exploits against the Moors, including his capture of the great city and plain of Valencia, and the adventures of his daughters.

The ideals of valour and courtesy upheld by the Cid, together with his skill on the battlefield, have made him a Spanish national hero.