eir lord's honor and rendering justice. The final virtue, concilium, or rendering of counsel and justice, is also evident throughout the Poem of the Cid. Within the Cid's band, the concept of concilium is practiced before just about every major decision facing their group. The Cid values his vassals opinions, and holds their counsel in high regard. While being besieged after taking Valencia, the Cid calls together his most loyal followers to decide how to take on the Muslim hordes of the King of Morocco. It is this trust that allows the Cid's vassals to serve him so unerringly, they know at all times that after listening to their advice, he will digest all information and make the proper decision (Nelson 2). On the other hand, the relationship between the Cid and Alfonso is used to illustrate how consilium can be altered and warped beyond its original intention. After Alfonso accepts the Cid back into his good graces, he proposes a marriage between the Cid's daughters and the heirs of a wealthy Leonese family. The Cid does not agree with the union, but instead turns his girls over to the king as wards. The king then marries the girls honorably (Nelson 1). Despite being showered with riches, and living in the Cid's quarters in Valencia, his new son-in-laws decide to abandon their marriages in secret and flee home. Using the ruse of returning to their home city with their new wives, the two young men abandon the Cid's daughters in the wilderness to die and flee. Luckily, the Cid's cousin suspects foul play, and retrieves the girls and returns them to safety. When word reaches Alfonso of what has transpired, he agrees to arrange a trial at which the Cid can seek justice against his two sons-in-law. The problem with this arrangement, Nelson says, is that since the responsibility of marrying off the Cid's daughters was Alfonso's, it is he that was dishonored. It is the Cid's motivation, in asking for a trial, to give Alfonso a chance to acqu...
