The "Hymn to Liberty", also known as the "Hymn to Freedom", is a Greek poem written by Dionysios Solomos in 1823 and set to music by Nikolaos Mantzaros in 1828. Consisting of 158 stanzas in total, its two first stanzas officially became the national anthem of Greece in 1864 and Cyprus in 1966.

History

thumb|180px|Dionysios Solomos, author of the lyrics|left

Dionysios Solomos wrote "Hymn to Liberty" in 1823 in Zakynthos, and one year later it was printed in Messolonghi. In October 1824 it was published in London by the Philhellenic Committee, and an Italian translation was published in the Messolonghi newspaper Ellinika Chronika at about the same time.

Lyrics

Inspired by the Greek War of Independence, Solomos wrote the hymn to honour the struggle of Greeks for independence after centuries of Ottoman rule.

"Hymn to Liberty" recounts the misery of the Greeks under the Ottomans and their hope for freedom. He describes different events of the War, such as the execution of Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople, the reaction of the Great Powers, extensively the Siege of Tripolitsa and the Christian character of the struggle.

The following are the first eight verses of the "Hymn to Liberty," from the first edition of 1825.

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!Greek original

!Transliteration

!IPA transcription

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|<poem>Σὲ γνωρίζω ἀπὸ τὴν κόψι

Τοῦ σπαθιοῦ τὴν τρομερή,

Σὲ γνωρίζω ἀπὸ τὴν ὄψι,

Ποὺ μὲ βία μετράει τὴν γῆ.

Ἀπ' τὰ κόκκαλα βγαλμένη

Τῶν Ἑλλήνων τὰ ἱερά,

Καὶ σὰν πρῶτα ἀνδρειωμένη,

Χαῖρε, ὢ χαῖρε, Ἐλευθεριά!

Ἐκεῖ μέσα ἐκαρτεροῦσες,

Πικραμένη, ἐντροπαλή,

Κ' ἕνα στόμα ἀκαρτεροῦσες,

Ἔλα πάλι, νὰ σοῦ ‘πῇ.

Ἄργιε νἄλθῃ ἐκείνη ἡ 'μέρα,

Καὶ ἦταν ὅλα σιωπηλά,

Γιατὶ τἄσκιαζε ἡ φοβέρα,

Καὶ τὰ πλάκονε ἡ σκλαβιά.

Δυστυχής! παρηγορία

Μόνη σοῦ ἔμενε νὰ λὲς

Περασμένα μεγαλεῖα,

Καὶ διηγῶντάς τα νὰ κλαῖς.

Καὶ ἀκαρτέρει, καὶ ἀκαρτέρει

Φιλελεύθερην λαλιά,

Ἕνα ἐκτύπαε τἄλλο χέρι

Ἀπὸ τὴν ἀπελπησιά.

Κ’ ἔλεες· πότε ἄ! πότε βγάνω

Τὸ κεφάλι ἀπὸ τσ’ ἐρμιαῖς;

Καὶ ἀποκρίνοντο ἀπὸ πάνω

Κλάψαις, ἅλυσσες, φωναῖς.

Τότε ἐσήκονες τὸ βλέμμα

Μὲς τὰ κλαΰματα θολό,

Καὶ εἰς τὸ ῥοῦχό σου ἔσταζ’ αἷμα,

Πλῆθος αἷμα Ἑλληνικό.</poem>

|<poem>Se gnorízo apó tin kópsi

Tou spathioú tin tromerí,

Se gnorízo apó tin ópsi,

Pou me viá metráei tin gi.

Ap' ta kókkala vgalméni

Ton Hellínon ta hierá,

Kai san próta andreioméni,

Khaíre, o khaíre, Eleutheriá!

Ekeí mésa ekatoikoúses

Pikraméni entropalí,

K' héna stóma akarteroúses,

Éla páli, na sou pei.

Árgie ná 'lthei ekeíni hi 'méra,

Kai ítan hóla siopilá,

Giatí tá 'skiaze hi phovéra

Kai ta plákone hi sklaviá.

Dystykhís! parigoría

Móni soú émene na les

Perasména megaleía,

Kai diigóntas ta na klais.

Kai akartérei, kai akartérei

Phileléutherin laliá,

Héna ektýpae t' állo khéri

Apó tín apelpisiá.

K' élees; póte á! póte vgáno

To kepháli apó ts’ ermiaís;

Kai apokrínonto apó páno

klápsais, hályssais, phonaís.

Tóte esíkones to vlémma

Mes sta klaýmata tholó,

Kai eis to rhoúkho sou éstaz’ haíma,

Plíthos haíma Hellinikó.</poem>

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!Poetic English translation<br />

!Literal English translation

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|<poem>We knew thee of old,

O, divinely restored,

By the lights of thine eyes,

And the light of thy Sword.

From the graves of our slain,

Shall thy valor prevail,

𝄆 as we greet thee again,

Hail, Liberty! Hail! 𝄇

Long time didst thou dwell

Mid the peoples that mourn,

Awaiting some voice

That should bid thee return.

Ah, slow broke that day

And no man dared call,

𝄆 For the shadow of tyranny

Lay over all: 𝄇

Yet, behold now thy sons

With impetuous breath

𝄆 Go forth to the fight

Seeking Freedom or Death. 𝄇

And we saw thee sad-eyed,

The tears on thy cheeks

𝄆 While thy raiment was dyed

In the blood of the Greeks. 𝄇</poem>

|<poem>I know you by the direful,

Cutting edge of your keen sword.

I know your eye stare ireful.

Counting fast the lands restored.

You came forth from the departed

Greeks who died and lived for you.

𝄆 And like erstwhile stouthearted,

Hail, O hail! Freedom for you! 𝄇

Thereinside you were dwelling

Reticent, embittered too.

For a summon you were praying

Telling you come back anew.

That good day was always tarrying,

Everything was mute around.

𝄆 For oppression was scaring

And by slavery they were bound. 𝄇

Woe is you! Your only solace,

Sitting lone telling with sigh.

Glories past when you were aweless

And recounting them to cry.

And awaiting and awaiting

A liberal strong voice to dare

𝄆 Your one hand the other smiting

Our of sorrow and despair 𝄇

And you were saying: "When will I ever

Raise my head from these lorn wilds?"

From above replies as ever

Wails, chains, fetters of all kinds.

Then your eyes you'd lift up weeping,

Hazy, full of tears and red,

𝄆 on your dress unendly dripping

gobs of Greek blood vainly shed 𝄇</poem>

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Uses

An adapted version was used during the short-lived Cretan State as the Cretan Anthem. The "Hymn to Liberty" had been the Greek royal anthem between 1864 and 1924, and again between 1935 and 1973; in both cases, it was discontinued as a royal anthem due to the abolition of the monarchy itself.

"Hymn to Liberty" has been the national anthem of Cyprus since 1966.

Notes

References

  • Short 30 min Version Full version Versions of the Hymn at YouTube
  • The Greek Presidency – The website for the Presidency of the Hellenic Republic has a page about the National Anthem, including an instrumental file.
  • Michał Bzinkowski, Eleuthería ē Thánatos!: The idea of freedom in modern Greek poetry during the war of independence in 19th century. Dionysios Solomos’ “Hymn to Liberty”
  • Neugriechische Volksgesänge, Johann Matthias Firmenich
  • The Hymn with all 158 stanzas (in Greek & English)
  • From the Official Website of the Greek Presidential Guard
  • The Greek national Anthem (in mp3)