make three engines, and placed them at the three gates of the town, and
they did marvellous great hurt. And food waxed dearer every day, till
at last dear nor cheap it was not to be had, and there was a great
mortality for famine; and they eat dogs and cats and mice. And they
opened the vaults and privies and sewers of the town, and took out the
stones of the grapes which they had eaten, and washed them, and ate
them. And they who had horses fed upon them. And many men, and many
women, and many children watched when the gates were open, and went out
and gave themselves into the hands of the Christians, who slew some,
and took others, and sold them to the Moors in Alcudia; and the price
of a Moor was a loaf and a pitcher of wine: and when they gave them
food, and they took their fill, they died. Them that were stronger they
sold to merchants who came there by sea from all parts. And the Moors
of Alcudia, and of the town which the Cid had made there, had plenty of
all things, and as great as was their abundance, even so great was the
misery of those in the town: and they spake the verse which sayeth, If
I go to the right the water will destroy me, and if I go to the left
the lion will kill me, and if I turn back there is the fire.

XXIII. Now the Moors of Valencia being in this great misery because of
the siege which the Cid laid unto the town, Abeniaf bethought him that
he would send a messenger to the King of Zaragoza, and beseech him to
come to his succour, even as he had succoured the grandson of
Alimaymon, when the Lord of Denia and Tortosa came against him. And the
good men of the town took counsel whether they should say in these
letters, To you the King, or whether they should humble themselves
before him and call him Lord; and they debated upon this for three
days, and agreed that they would call him Lord, that he might have the
more compassion upon them. And though Abeniaf was troubled at heart at
this determination, nevertheless he said in the letter as they had