The Poem of the Cid (The Song of the Cid)

The appearance of the lion in Canto 3 functions as a metaphor for the Moroccan forces, foreshadowing their attack and revealing how the men in the Cid’s entourage will behave when faced with a threat. Both come from Africa and are reputed to be strong fighters—in theory both the army and the lion are real threats to the Cid. However, the lion is a foil for the Cid, who easily confronts and masters both threats, allowing the reader to see the true nature of the men in his inner circle.

While the Cid sleeps, the reader learns that his pet lion has gotten loose in his palace in Valencia. The appearance of the lion demonstrates the loyalty and bravery of the Cid’s men, who circle around their leader to protect him as he sleeps. Conversely, the lion’s appearance proves the cowardice of the Cid’s sons-in-law are, who run to hide rather than protect their father-in-law. The lion’s threat is easily quelled by the Cid; he awakens and calmly approaches the beast, who “was so afraid, at the sight of him / that he stopped and bent his head” (159).

This same dynamic later plays out on the battlefield when the Moroccan forces attack not long after this incident. The Cid’s men leap into battle, eager to defend Valencia, their leader’s stronghold. Meanwhile, the Cid’s sons-in-law quickly exit the battlefield, only to later claim a role in the fight. Just as easily as the Cid returns his lion to its cage, he puts down the Moroccan incursion into his lands. The Moroccan attack is relatively insignificant to the plot, just as the lion is never a true threat to the Cid. Instead, the effect of these incidents—the knights’ mockery of the infantes and the revenge plot that results from this truth-bearing encounter—serves as a catalyst for the events leading to the final confrontation at court and the Cid’s final vindication.

Throughout The Cid the narrator repeats a version of the phrase, “born at a lucky hour” (7), a motif that follows the Cid throughout the epic. Despite the difficulties the Cid faces in the opening stanzas of the text, the narrator reminds the reader that the Cid is already “lucky.” The people around him know this too, recognizing the inherent merit of his cause and ability to succeed, and they come flocking to support him. As he leaves Castile, even the angel Gabriel visits him in his sleep, encouraging him by saying, “Go on, Cid, go on, you wonderful Warrior! / No man has ever come riding out at such a perfect moment / For as long as you live, whatever you start will always end well” (29). The Cid’s successes seem unstoppable, and he is chosen by God for success.

This motif continually reinforces the worthiness of the Cid in the eyes of the audience, making it easy to side with “The Warrior” as he confronts each challenge. As a historical narrative, of which the contemporary listener would already know the outcome, the idea that the Cid is born with greater abilities and blessings than an average person contributes to his near-mythic status as a father of the nation. It places his history and Spain’s history on another level, creating a medieval super warrior who embodies the best of the warrior-knight’s qualities. As a literary motif, it also makes the performance of the tale more rhythmic and easier to remember, reminding the listener with each repetition of “born at a lucky hour” that the man they admire is larger than life and an idol to emulate.