Hymn to Liberty

The "Hymn to Liberty",^[a] also known as the "Hymn to Freedom",^[b] is a Greek poem written by Dionysios Solomos in 1823 and set to music by Nikolaos Mantzaros in 1828. It officially became the national anthem of Greece in 1864 and Cyprus in 1966. Consisting of 158 stanzas in total, it is the longest national anthem in the world by length of text.^[3]

Hýmnos eis tin Eleftherían
Hýmnos pros tin Eleftherían

English: "Hymn to Liberty"
Ὕμνος εἰς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν Ὕμνος πρὸς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν
1825 book cover
National anthem of Cyprus and Greece
Lyrics	Dionysios Solomos, 1823
Music	Nikolaos Chalikiopoulos Mantzaros, 1865
Adopted	1864 (by Greece)[1] 1966 (by Cyprus)[2]
Audio sample
U.S. Navy Band instrumental version file help

History

Execution of Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople by Nikiforos Lytras

Siege of Tripolitsa by Peter von Hess

Dionysios Solomos wrote "Hymn to Liberty" in 1823 in Zakynthos, and one year later it was printed in Messolonghi.^[1] 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.^[1]

It was set to music in 1828 by the Corfiot operatic composer Nikolaos Mantzaros, who composed a choral versions, in 24 parts, and dedicated it to the first King of Greece, Otto.^[1] Otto awarded Mantzaros with the Silver Cross of the Order of the Redeemer as a token of appreciation, but during Otto's reign (1832–1862), an anthem based on God Save the King was used, with a text glorifying Otto.^[1]

After Otto's ouster in 1862, the "Hymn to Liberty" was adopted as the national and royal anthem of Greece in 1864.^[1] The "Hymn to Liberty" was also adopted as the national anthem of Cyprus by order of the Council of Ministers in 1966.^[4]

Lyrics

Dionysios Solomos, author of the 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.^[5][6][7]

"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 8 verses of the national anthem of Greece.^[8]

Greek original[1]	Roman Greek	IPA transcription[c]
Σε γνωρίζω από την κόψη Του σπαθιού την τρομερή, Σε γνωρίζω από την όψη, Που με βιά μετράει τη γη. Απ’ τα κόκκαλα[d] βγαλμένη Των Ελλήνων τα ιερά, 𝄆 Και σαν πρώτα ανδρειωμένη, Χαίρε, ω χαίρε, ελευθεριά! 𝄇 Εκεί μέσα εκατοικούσες πικραμένη, εντροπαλή, κι ένα στόμα ακαρτερούσες, «έλα πάλι», να σου πει. Άργειε να 'λθει[e] εκείνη η μέρα, Και[f] ήταν όλα σιωπηλά, 𝄆 γιατί τά 'σκιαζε η φοβέρα και τα πλάκωνε η σκλαβιά. 𝄇 Δυστυχής! Παρηγορία μόνη σου έμενε να λες περασμένα μεγαλεία και διηγώντας τα να κλαις. Και ακαρτέρει, και ακαρτέρει φιλελεύθερη λαλιά, 𝄆 ένα εκτύπαε τ’ άλλο χέρι από την απελπισιά. 𝄇 Κι έλεες: «πότε, α! πότε βγάνω το κεφάλι από τσ' ερμιές;» Και[f] αποκρίνοντο από πάνω κλάψες, άλυσες, φωνές. Τότε εσήκωνες το βλέμμα μες στα κλάιματα[g] θολό, 𝄆 και εις το ρούχο σου έσταζ’ αίμα, πλήθος αίμα Ελληνικό. 𝄇	Se gnorízo apó tin kópsi Tou spathioú tin tromerí, Se gnorízo apó tin ópsi, Pou me viá metráei ti gi. Ap’ ta kókkala vgalméni Ton Hellínon ta hierá, 𝄆 Kai san próta andreioméni, Khaíre, o khaíre, eleftheriá! 𝄇 Ekeí mésa ekatoikoúses pikraméni entropalí, ki héna stóma akarteroúses, «éla páli», na sou pei. Árgeie ná ’lthei ekeíni hi méra, Kai ítan hóla siopilá, 𝄆 giatí tá ’skiaze hi phovéra kai ta plákone hi sklaviá. 𝄇 Dystykhís! Parigoría móni sou émene na les perasména megaleía kai diigóntas ta na klais. Kai akartérei, kai akartérei phileléftheri laliá, 𝄆 héna ektýpae t’ állo khéri apó tín apelpisiá. 𝄇 Ki élees: «póte, á! póte vgáno to kepháli apó ts’ ermiés;» Kai apokrínonto apó páno klápses, hályses, phonés. Tóte esíkones to vlémma mes sta kláimata tholó, 𝄆 kai eis to roúkho sou éstaz’ haíma, plíthos haíma Hellinikó. 𝄇	[s̠e̞‿ɣno̞.ˈɾi.z̠o̞‿a̠.ˈpo̞ tiŋ‿ˈɡo̞p̚.s̠i |] [tu s̠pa̠θ.ˈçu tin‿dɾo̞.me̞.ˈɾi |] [s̠e̞‿ɣno̞.ˈɾi.z̠o̞‿a̠.ˈpo̞ tin ˈo̞p̚.s̠i |] [pu me̞ ˈvja̠ me̞.ˈtɾa̠i̯ ti ˈʝi ‖] [a̠p ta̠ ˈko̞.ka̠.la̠‿vɣa̠l.ˈme̞.ni |] [to̞n e̞.ˈli.no̞n‿da̠‿i̯.e̞.ˈɾa̠ |] 𝄆 [ˈce̞ s̠a̠m‿ˈbɾo̞.ta̠ a̠n̪ð.ɾjo̞.ˈme̞.ni |] [ˈçe̞.ɾe̞‿o̞ ˈçe̞.ɾe̞ | e̞.le̞f.θe̞ɾ.ˈja̠ ‖] 𝄇 [e̞.ˈci ˈme̞.s̠a̠‿e̞.ka̠.ti.ˈku.s̠e̞s̠ |] [pi.kɾa̠.ˈme̞.ni‿e̞n.tɾo̞.pa̠.ˈli |] [ˈc‿e̞.na̠ ˈs̠to̞.m‿a̠.ka̠ɾ.te̞.ˈɾu.s̠e̞s̠ |] [ˈe̞.la̠ ˈpa̠.li | na̠ s̠u pi ‖] [ˈa̠ɾ.ʝe̞ ˈna̠l̪.θ(i)‿e̞.ˈci.n‿i ˈme̞.ɾa̠ |] [ˈce̞‿i.ta̠n ˈo̞.la̠ s̠jo̞.pi.ˈla̠ |] 𝄆 [ʝa̠.ˈti ta̠ ˈs̠cja̠.z̠e̞‿i fo̞.ˈve̞.ɾa̠ |] [ce̞ ta̠ ˈpla̠.ko̞.ne̞‿i s̠kla̠v.ˈja̠ ‖] 𝄇 [ðis̠.ti.ˈçis̠ pa̠.ɾi.ɣo̞.ˈɾi.a̠ |] [ˈmo̞.ni ˈs̠u‿e̞.me̞.ne̞ na̠ le̞s̠ |] [pe̞.ɾa̠.ˈz̠me̞.na̠ me̞.ɣa̠.ˈli.a̠ |] [ce̞ ði.ˈɣo̞n.ta̠s̠ ta̠ na̠ kle̞s̠ ‖] [c‿a̠.ka̠ɾ.ˈte̞.ɾi c‿a̠.ka̠ɾ.ˈte̞.ɾi |] [fi.le̞.ˈle̞f.θe̞.ɾi la̠.ˈlja̠ |] 𝄆 [ˈe̞.na̠‿e̞k.ˈti.pa̠e̯ ˈt‿a̠.lo̞ ˈçe̞.ɾi |] [a̠.ˈpo̞ tin a̠.pe̞l.pi.ˈs̠ja̠ ‖] 𝄇 [ˈc‿e̞.le̞s̠ ˈpo̞.te̞‿a̠ ˈpo̞.te̞‿ˈvɣa̠.no̞ |] [to̞ ce̞.ˈfa̠.li‿a̠.ˈpo̞ ts̠‿e̞ɾ.ˈmje̞s̠ |] [c‿a̠.po̞.ˈkɾi.no̞n.to̞‿a̠.ˈpo̞ ˈpa̠.no̞ |] [ˈkla̠p̚.s̠e̞s̠ ˈa̠.li.s̠e̞s̠ | fo̞.ˈne̞s̠ ‖] [ˈto̞.t‿e̞.ˈs̠i.ko̞.ne̞s̠ to̞ ˈvle̞.ma̠ |] [me̞s̠ s̠ta̠ ˈkla̠j.ma̠.ta̠ ˈθo̞.lo̞ |] 𝄆 [c(e̞)‿is̠ to̞ ˈru.xo̞ ˈsu‿e̞s̠.ta̠z̠ ˈe̞.ma̠ |] [ˈpli.θo̞s̠ ˈe̞.ma̠(‿)e̞.li.ni.ˈko̞ ‖] 𝄇

Poetic English translation[8][18] (Rudyard Kipling, 1918)

Literal English translation[19][better source needed]

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. 𝄇

I know you from the blade Of the sword, the terrifying [blade], I know you from the appearance, Which, with force, measures the earth. From the bones taken out, the sacred ones of the Greeks 𝄆 And, as at first, again emboldened, Rejoice, oh rejoice, liberty! 𝄇 Therein you were dwelling Bitter, shy, And a mouth you were awaiting, To tell you, "come again". That day was slow to come, And everything was quiet, 𝄆 Because the threat was overshadowing them And slavery was crushing it. 𝄇 O sad one! Your only consolation Left was to speak Of past glories And in recounting them, you'd cry. And was awaiting, was awaiting Freedom-loving speech. 𝄆 One hand striking the other Out of hopelessness. 𝄇 And you were saying: when, oh when do I raise My head out of these lonely places? And answering from above came Cries, chains, voices. Then you raised your glance Blurry from the tears, 𝄆 And into your clothes blood was dripping, A mass of Greek blood. 𝄇

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 since 1864.

"Hymn to Liberty" has been the national anthem of Cyprus since 1966.^[2]

"Hymn to Liberty" has been performed at every closing ceremony of the Olympic Games, to pay tribute to Greece as the birthplace of the Olympic Games. Most renditions performed during the closing ceremonies are instrumental. Until the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony, the Greek anthem was sung for three times during the Sydney, Athens (as Greece was the host country), and Vancouver.

The version commonly played by military bands is an arrangement composed by Lieutenant Colonel Margaritis Kastellis (1907–1979), former director of the Greek Music Corps.^[20]

Notes

1. Greek: Ὕμνος εἰς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν, Hýmnos eis tin Eleftherían, pronounced [ˈimnos is‿tin elefθeˈɾi.an]
2. Greek: Ὕμνος πρὸς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν, Hýmnos pros tin Eleftherían, pronounced [ˈimnos pros‿tin elefθeˈɾi.an]
3. See Help:IPA/Greek and Modern Greek phonology.
4. Sometimes written κόκαλα,^[9] a more modern form.
5. Written variously, including as να 'λθη^[10] and νάλθη.^[11] Έλθει is the modern formal third person singular perfective, also used in subjunctive compounds with να.
6. Occasionally, the abbreviated variant κι is used.^[12][13]
7. Also written κλάυματα,^[14] κλάηματα^[15] and κλάματα.^[16][17]