One day I decided not to rely solely on Charlton Heston’s interpretation of El Cid but to go to the original (with the aid of a parallel translation).  The epic Song of the Cid dates from around the second half of the 12th century and in places has a touching humanity. 

Among some of the lines I liked are testimonies of affection or admiration, including this lovely assertion that one’s life will go well while ever a particular person is alive.  I’ve enjoyed thinking of the people in my life to whom this applies. 

Mientra vos visquieredes, bien me irà a mi… (My life will go well as long as you’re alive.) 

Source: The Song of the Cid: A dual-language edition with parallel text, trans by Burton Raffel, London: Penguin, 2009, p. 64-65

Photo credit: Annie Spratt at pixabay