Hymn to Liberty

Ὕμνος εἰς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν

English: Ode to Freedom
Ýmnos is tin Eleftherían
Dionysios Solomos, the author of the anthem
National anthem of Cyprus and Greece
Lyrics	Dionýsios Solomós, 1823
Music	Nikolaos Mantzaros, 1860
Adopted	1865 by Greece 1966 by Cyprus
Music sample
Hymn to Liberty (Instrumental)

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Nationalistic and patriotic songs
National anthem	"Hymn to Liberty"
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Related areas	Cyprus, Pontus, Constantinople (Hasapiko)
Regional styles	Aegean Islands Central Greece Crete Epirus (Polyphonic Song) Ionian Islands Macedonia Peloponnese Thessaly Thrace

The Ode to Freedom (Greek: Ὕμνος εἰς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν, Ýmnos is tin Eleftherían) is a poem written by Dionýsios Solomós in 1823 that consists of 158 stanzas, which is used as the national anthem of Greece. It was set to music by Nikolaos Mantzaros, and is the longest national anthem in the world by length of text. In 1865, the first three stanzas and later the first two officially became the national anthem of Greece and later also that of the Republic of Cyprus.

The hymn was set to music in 1865 by the Corfiot operatic composer Nikolaos Mantzaros, who composed two choral versions, a long one for the whole poem and a short one for the first two stanzas; the latter is the one adopted as the National Anthem of Greece.

Uses

An adapted version was used during the short-lived (1898–1908) Cretan State as the Cretan Anthem.

The Constitution of Cyprus of 1961 does not mention anything about an anthem. After an agreement made between the two communities, in official circumstances, a piece of classical music should be played as the anthem. However, after rejecting the amendments of the Constitution proposed by Makarios, in 1963, the Turkish representation broke away from the Government. This resulted to the decision by the Council of Ministers to adopt as the official anthem of Cyprus, the Hymn to Liberty, on 16 November 1966. Hymn to Liberty was also the Greek Royal Anthem (since 1864).

This anthem has been performed at every closing ceremony of an Olympics, to pay tribute to Greece as the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games.

Lyrics

Greek originals

Polytonic orthography (1823–1982) Σὲ γνωρίζω ἀπὸ τὴν κόψι Τοῦ σπαθιοῦ τὴν τρομερή, Σὲ γνωρίζω ἀπὸ τὴν ὄψι, Ποὺ μὲ βιὰ μετράει τὴν γῆ. Ἀπ’ τὰ κόκκαλα βγαλμένη Τῶν Ἑλλήνων τὰ ἱερά, Καὶ σὰν πρῶτα ἀνδρειωμένη, Χαῖρε, ὢ χαῖρε, Ἐλευθεριά!

Monotonic orthography (1982–present) Σε γνωρίζω από την κόψη του σπαθιού την τρομερή, σε γνωρίζω από την όψη που με βια μετράει την γη. Απ’ τα κόκκαλα βγαλμένη των Ελλήνων τα ιερά, και σαν πρώτα ανδρειωμένη, χαίρε, ω χαίρε, Ελευθεριά!

Transcription (1823-present) Se gnorízo apó tin kópsi tou spathioú tin tromerí, se gnorízo apó tin ópsi, pou me via metrái ti gi. Ap' ta kókkala vgalméni ton Ellínon ta ierá, ke san próta andrioméni, hére, o hére, eleftheriá!

English Translations

Literal I recognize you by the fearsome sharpness, of your sword, I recognize you by the gleam (in your eyes) with which you rapidly survey the earth. From the sacred bones, of the Hellenes arisen, and strengthened by your antique bravery, hail, o hail, Liberty!

Poetic I shall always recognize you by the dreadful sword you hold as the Earth with searching vision you survey with spirit bold From the Greeks of old whose dying brought to life and spirit free now with ancient valour rising let us hail you, oh Liberty!

By Rudyard Kipling (1918) 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 valour prevail, As we greet thee again, Hail, Liberty! Hail!

External links

• Greece: Hymn to Liberty - Audio of the national anthem of Greece, with information and lyrics
• Full version 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)
• From the Official Website of the Greek Presidential Guard
• The Greek national Anthem (in Greek)
• The Greek national Anthem (in mp3)