Hymn to Liberty

*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); 1966 (by Cyprus)
Audio sample
	U.S. Navy Band instrumental version in F major file; help;

The "Hymn to Liberty",^[a] 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

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.^[3]

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.^[4]^[5]^[6]

"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.^[7]

Greek original	Transliteration	IPA transcription^[b]
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.	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, Eleftheriá! 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 Phileléftherin 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.	[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 tin 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]^[9]
(Rudyard Kipling, 1918)

Literal English translation^[10]^{[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 cutting edge
The terrible one, of your sword,
I know you from your countenance
Which swiftly sizes up the (liberated) land.

Brought forth from the bones
Of Greeks, the sacred bones,
𝄆 And manful as before,
Hail, oh hail Liberty! 𝄇

Therein you were dwelling
Embittered, bashful
And waiting for a mouth
To tell you: "come back again".

That day took ages to come
And everything was silent,
𝄆 Because they were overshadowed by menace
And crushed by slavery. 𝄇

Woe is you! The only solace
Remaining to you is talking about
Past glories
And recounting them to weep.

And waiting and waiting
A liberal voice
𝄆 One hand clapping the other
Out of desperation 𝄇

And you were saying: "When, ah when will I raise
My head out of the wastelands?"
And from above were answering
Wails, chains, screams

Then you'd raise your stare
Full of tears, blurry
𝄆 And blood was dripping on your dress
Loads 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.^[11]

Notes

^ Greek: Ὕμνος εἰς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν, Hýmnos eis tin Eleftherían, pronounced [ˈimnos is‿tin elefθeˈɾi.an] or Ὕμνος πρὸς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν, Hýmnos pros tin Eleftherían, pronounced [ˈimnos pros‿tin elefθeˈɾi.an]
^ See Help:IPA/Greek and Modern Greek phonology.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Sklavos, G. (1934). "Ἐθνικός ὔμνος" [National anthem]. Μεγάλη Ἐλληνικὴ Ἐγκυκλοπαιδεῖα, Τόμος Δέκατος. Ἑλλάς – Ἑλληνισμὸς (in Greek). Athens: Pyrsos Co. Ltd. pp. 244–247.
^ ^a ^b "Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus – The National Anthem". Archived from the original on 3 May 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2011.
^ "National Anthem". Archived from the original on 13 August 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
^ "Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν". stixoi. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
^ "Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν". sansimera. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
^ Papaloizos, Theodore (2009). Greek language, Modern. ISBN 978-0-932416-02-5. Retrieved 8 August 2019.
^ Solomos, Dionysios (1825). Ὕμνος εἰς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν. Missolonghi: D. Mestheneas. pp. 6–8. Retrieved 9 May 2025.
^ "The National Anthem". Presidency.gr. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
^ "Poem of the Day: Hymn to Liberty by Rudyard Kipling". HeraldScotland. 30 July 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
^ "National Anthems & Patriotic Songs - Greek & Cypriot National Anthem - Ýmnos is tin Eleftherían (long version) lyrics + English translation". lyricstranslate.com. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
^ "National Anthem". Hellenic Army Academy. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.