Hymn to Freedom

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!