The Hymn to Liberty or Hymn to Freedom[1] (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.[3] 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.
The Constitution of Cyprus of 1960 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.[2] 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.
[edit] Lyrics
[edit] Greek originals
Polytonic orthography
(1823-1982)
- Σὲ γνωρίζω ἀπὸ τὴν κόψη
- Τοῦ σπαθιοῦ τὴν τρομερή,
- Σὲ γνωρίζω ἀπὸ τὴν ὄψη,
- Ποὺ μὲ βιὰ μετράει τὴν γῆ.
- Ἀπ’ τὰ κόκκαλα βγαλμένη
- Τῶν Ἑλλήνων τὰ ἱερά,
- Καὶ σὰν πρῶτα ἀνδρειωμένη,
- Χαῖρε, ὢ χαῖρε, Ἐλευθεριά![4]
|
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![4]
|
|
Transliteration
(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![4]
|
[edit] English Translations
Literal
- I recognize you by the sharpness,
- of your fearsome 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![4]
|
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![4]
|
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![4]
|
[edit] References and notes
[edit] External links
|
|
|
| National symbols |
|
|
|
| Other symbols |
|
Historical symbols
|
|
|
|
Other official symbols
|
|
|
|
| Natural |
|
|
| Monuments |
|
|
| Patron Saints |
|
|
| Former national symbols |
|
|
|
|
|
National anthems
of sovereign states |
|
|
National and regional
anthems of other
political entities |
|
|
Anthems of former
political entities |
|
|
Anthem of
European Union and
Council of Europe |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| National anthems |
|
|
| Regional anthems |
|
|
| Asian Organizations |
|
|
| Former anthems |
|
|
|
|
|
Cyprus
Greece
