The
Hymn to Freedom (
Imnos pros tin Eleftherian) was written by
Dionysios Solomos[?] in
1823, and consists of 158 stanzas. Music was composed by Nikolaos Mantzaros, and in
1865 the first two verses officially became the
Greek national anthem.
With Greek characters:
- Σε γνωρίζω από την κόψη,
- του σπαθιού την τρομερή,
- Σε γνωρίζω από την όψη,
- που με βια μετρά[ει] τη[ν] γη.
- Απ' τα κόκαλα βγαλμένη,
- των Ελλήνων τα ιερά,
- Και σαν πρώτα ανδρειωμένη [or -μένοι],
- χαίρε, ω χαίρε Ελευθεριά.
The same text in a version for other browsers:
- Σε γνωρίζω απó την κóψη,
- τoυ σπαθιoύ την τρoμερή,
- Σε γνωρίζω απó την óψη,
- πoυ με βια μετρά[ει] τη[ν] γη.
- Απ' τα κóκαλα βγαλμένη,
- των Eλλήνων τα ιερά,
- Kαι σαν πρώτα ανδρειωμένη [or -μένoι],
- χαίρε, ω χαίρε Eλευθεριά.
Transcribed to Latin characters:
- Se gnorízo apó tin kópsi,
- tou spathioú tin tromerí,
- Se gnorízo apó tin ópsi,
- pou me via metrá[i] ti[n] yi.
- Ap' ta kókala vialméni,
- ton Ellínon ta ierá,
- Ke san próta andrioméni,
- Khére, o khére, Eleftheriá!
Could some Greek please check the correct forms for the letters in [ ]? An older version of this page contained differences between the Greek text and the transcription.
A loose 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!
A more literal translation:
- I know you by the blade
- Of your fearsome sword
- I know you by the figure
- Which hurriedly paces the earth
- Extracted from the holy bones
- Of the Greeks
- And, as once, strong again
- Hail, o hail, Freedom!
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