Hymn to Freedom
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The Hymn to Freedom (Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν) is a poem written by Dionýsios Solomós in 1823 that consists of 158 stanzas. In 1865 the first two stanzas officially became the Greek national anthem, set to music by Nikolaos Mantzaros. It continues to be used as the national anthem of Cyprus, although this would have been replaced by a new anthem, without words, unique to Cyprus, under the Annan Plan (rejected by Greek Cypriots on April 24, 2004).
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Lyrics
Greek original
- Σὲ γνωρίζω ἀπὸ τὴν κόψη
- τοῦ σπαθιοῦ τὴν τρομερή.
- Σὲ γνωρίζω ἀπὸ τὴν ὄψη
- ποὺ μὲ βιὰ μετράει τὴ γῆ.
- Ἀπ’ τὰ κόκκαλα βγαλμένη
- τῶν Ἑλλήνων τὰ ἱερὰ
- καὶ σὰν πρῶτα ἀνδρειωμένη
- χαῖρε, ὦ χαῖρ' ἐλευθεριά.
Transliteration I
- Sé ḡnorízo apo tền kopsi
- toỹ spaṭioỹ tền tromerế.
- Sè ḡnôrízô apò tền ópsê
- poỳ mè ḇià metráei tề ḡễ.
- Ap' tà kókkala ḇḡalménê
- tỗn Hellếnôn tà hierà
- kaì sàn prỗta anḏreiôménê
- ḳaĩre, ỗ ḳaĩr' eleyṭeriá.
Transliteration II (Modern)
- Se ḡnorízo apó tin kópsi
- toy spaṯioý tin tromerí.
- Se ḡnorízo apó tin ópsi
- poy me via metráei ti ḡi.
- Ap' ta kókkala vḡalméni
- ton Ellínon ta ierá
- kai san próta anḏreioméni
- ẖaíre, o ẖaír' eleyṯeriá.
Phonetic Transcription (I & II)
- [sɛ ɣnoˈrizo aˌpo tiˈ-g-opsi
- tu spaˈθçu ti-d-romɛˈri
- sɛ ɣnoˈrizo aˌpo tin ˈopsi
- pu mɛ ˈvʝa mɛtrˈaɪ ti ˈɣi
- ˌap-ta ˈkokala vɣalˈmeni
- ton ɛˈlinon ta jɛˈra
- cɛ saˈ-b-rota anðrjoˈmeni
- ˈçerɛ, o ˌçer-ɛlɛfθɛˈrʝa]
English translation
- I shall always recognise you
- By the magnificent sword you hold,
- As the earth, with searching vision,
- You survey, with spirit bold.
- Twas the Greeks of old whose dying
- Brought to birth our spirit free.
- Now, with ancient valour rising,
- Let us hail you, oh Liberty!
A different English translation by Rudyard Kipling (1918)
- We knew thee of old,
- Oh, divinely restored,
- By the lights of thine eyes,
- And the light of thy Sword.
- From the graves of our slain,
- Shall thy valour prevail,
- As we greet thee again,
- Hail, Liberty! Hail!
External Links
- Listen to the Greek National Anthem (http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1005000/audio/_1009249_greece.ram)
- Greek National Anthem (MIDI) (http://david.national-anthems.net/gr.mid)de:Imnos pros tin Eleftherian
el:Ύμνος πρός την Ελευθερίαν fr:Imnos pros tin Eleftherian it:Imnos pros tin Eleftherian he:המנון יוון hu:Görög himnusz nl:Imnos pros tin Eleftherian ja:自由への賛歌 no:Hymne til friheten pl:Imnos pros tin Eleftherian pt:Hino nacional da Grécia ro:Imnos pros tin Eleftherian ru:Гимн свободе sr:Химна Слободи (Грчка)