View source for Hymn to Liberty

{{Short description|National anthem of Greece and Cyprus}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox anthem
| title         = {{lang|el| Ὕμνος εἰς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν}}<br />{{lang|el|Ὕμνος πρὸς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν}}
| transcription = {{transliteration|el|Hýmnos eis tin Eleftherían}}<br />{{transliteration|el|Hýmnos pros tin Eleftherían}}
| english_title = "Hymn to Liberty"
| image         = Ymnos Eis Tin Eleftherian.Book cover.1825.jpg
| image_size    = 
| caption       = 1825 book cover
| prefix        = National
| country       = [[Cyprus]] and [[Greece]]
| author        = [[Dionysios Solomos]]
| lyrics_date   = 1823
| composer      = [[Nikolaos Chalikiopoulos Mantzaros]]
| music_date    = 1865
| adopted       = 1864 {{small|(by Greece)}}<ref name="Enc"/><br />1966 {{small|(by Cyprus)}}<ref name="Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus – The National Anthem">{{Cite web|url=http://www.presidency.gov.cy/presidency/presidency.nsf/prc34_en/prc34_en?OpenDocument|title=Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus – The National Anthem|access-date=14 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110503193202/http://www.presidency.gov.cy/presidency/presidency.nsf/prc34_en/prc34_en?OpenDocument|archive-date=3 May 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| sound         = Greece national anthem.ogg
| sound_title   = [[U.S. Navy Band]] instrumental version in [[F major]]}}
The "'''Hymn to Liberty'''",{{efn|{{langx|el|Ὕμνος εἰς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν}}, {{transliteration|el|Hýmnos eis tin Eleftherían}}, {{IPA|el|ˈimnos is‿tin elefθeˈɾi.an|pron}} or  Ὕμνος πρὸς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν, {{transliteration|el|Hýmnos pros tin Eleftherían}}, {{IPA|el|ˈimnos pros‿tin elefθeˈɾi.an|pron}}}} also known as the "'''Hymn to Freedom'''", is a [[Greek language|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 ==
{{multiple image
|align = left
|image1 = Lytras - Execution of Gregory V.jpg
|width1 = 180
|alt1 =
|caption1 = Execution of [[Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople]] by [[Nikiforos Lytras]]
|image2 = Panagiotis Kefalas by Hess.jpg
|width2 = 150
|alt2 = 
|caption2 = [[Siege of Tripolitsa]] by [[Peter von Hess]]
|footer = }}

[[Dionysios Solomos]] wrote "Hymn to Liberty" in 1823 in [[Zakynthos]], and one year later it was printed in [[Messolonghi]].<ref name="Enc">{{Cite encyclopedia | last = Sklavos | first =G. |title=Ἐθνικός ὔμνος | trans-title = National anthem | pages = 244–247 | encyclopedia = Μεγάλη Ἐλληνικὴ Ἐγκυκλοπαιδεῖα, Τόμος Δέκατος. Ἑλλάς – Ἑλληνισμὸς |url= |location=[[Athens]] |publisher=Pyrsos Co. Ltd. |year=1934 |language=Greek }}</ref> In October 1824 it was published in London by the [[London Philhellenic Committee|Philhellenic Committee]], and an Italian translation was published in the Messolonghi newspaper ''[[Ellinika Chronika]]'' at about the same time.<ref name="Enc"/>

It was set to music in 1828 by the [[Corfiot]] [[opera]]tic composer [[Nikolaos Mantzaros]], who composed a choral versions, in 24 parts, and dedicated it to the first [[King of Greece]], [[Otto of Greece|Otto]].<ref name="Enc"/> 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.<ref name="Enc"/> 

After Otto's ouster in 1862, the "Hymn to Liberty" was adopted as the national and royal anthem of Greece in 1864.<ref name="Enc"/> The "Hymn to Liberty" was also adopted as the national anthem of Cyprus by order of the [[Council of Ministers (Cyprus)|Council of Ministers]] in 1966.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Anthem|url=http://www.presidency.gov.cy/presidency/presidency.nsf/prc34_en/prc34_en?OpenDocument|access-date=3 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813155316/http://www.presidency.gov.cy/presidency/presidency.nsf/prc34_en/prc34_en?OpenDocument|archive-date=13 August 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

== Lyrics ==
[[File:Solomos portrait 4.jpg|thumb|right|180px|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 Greece|Ottoman rule]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stixoi.info/stixoi.php?info=Lyrics&act=mobdetails&song_id=9262|website=stixoi|title=Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν|access-date=2019-08-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sansimera.gr/anthology/140|title=Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν|website=sansimera|access-date=2019-08-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Greek language, Modern|last=Papaloizos|first=Theodore|year=2009|isbn=978-0-932416-02-5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rj0UvMokK7AC&q=Σε+γνωρίζω+από+την+κόψη+Του+σπαθιού+την+τρομερή,+Σε+γνωρίζω+από+την+όψη+Που+με+βία+μετρά+τη+γη.|access-date=2019-08-08}}</ref>

"Hymn to Liberty" recounts the misery of the [[Greeks]] under the [[Ottoman Empire|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.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Solomos |first1=Dionysios |title=Ὕμνος εἰς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν |date=1825 |publisher=D. Mestheneas |location=Missolonghi |pages=6–8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IV5GAQAAMAAJ |access-date=9 May 2025}}</ref>

<div style="overflow-x:auto;">
{|class="wikitable"
!Greek original
!Transliteration
!IPA transcription{{efn|See [[Help:IPA/Greek]] and [[Modern Greek phonology]].}}
|- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;"
|<poem>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.</poem>
|<poem>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.</poem>
|<poem>{{IPA|wrap=none|'''[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 ‖] 𝄇}}</poem>
|}</div>

<div style="overflow-x:auto;">
{|class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
!Poetic English translation<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=The National Anthem |url=https://www.presidency.gr/en/presidency/the-national-anthem/ |access-date=10 December 2023 |website=Presidency.gr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Poem of the Day: Hymn to Liberty by Rudyard Kipling|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/life_style/arts_ents/14652246.poem-day-hymn-liberty-rudyard-kipling/|access-date=2021-12-30|website=HeraldScotland|date=30 July 2016 |language=en}}</ref><br />{{small|([[Rudyard Kipling]], 1918)}}
!Literal English translation<ref name="lyricstranslate.com">{{Cite web |title=National Anthems & Patriotic Songs - Greek & Cypriot National Anthem - Ýmnos is tin Eleftherían (long version) lyrics + English translation |url=https://lyricstranslate.com/en/greek-national-anthem-%C3%BDmnos-tin-elefther%C3%ADan-long-version-hymn-liberty.html |access-date=2023-01-19 |website=lyricstranslate.com |language=en}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=October 2024}}
|- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;"
|<poem>'''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. 𝄇</poem>

|<poem>'''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 𝄇</poem>
|}</div>

== 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 family|Greek]] [[royal anthem]] since 1864.

"Hymn to Liberty" has been the national anthem of [[Cyprus]] since 1966.<ref name="Presidency of the Republic of Cyprus – The National Anthem" />

"Hymn to Liberty" has been performed at every [[Olympic Games ceremony#Closing|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 [[2000 Summer Olympics closing ceremony|Sydney]], [[2004 Summer Olympics closing ceremony|Athens]] (as Greece was the host country), and [[2010 Winter Olympics closing ceremony|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.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Anthem|url=http://www.sse.gr/page_en.php?id=77|publisher=Hellenic Army Academy|access-date=30 January 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209135154/http://www.sse.gr/page_en.php?id=77|archive-date=9 February 2015|df=dmy}}</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Wikisource|Hymn to Liberty}}
{{Wikisourcelang|el|Ύμνος είς την Ελευθερίαν}}
{{Commons category|Hymn to Liberty}}
* {{IMSLP|cname=Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν|work=Ýmnos eis tīn Eleutherían (Mantzaros, Nikolaos)}}
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAb8E39BElE Short 30 min Version] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_KPDvzMJ-8 Full version] Versions of the Hymn at [[YouTube]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150627220805/https://www.presidency.gr/?page_id=4289 The Greek Presidency] – The website for the Presidency of the Hellenic Republic has a page about the National Anthem, including an instrumental file.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20220407031832/https://humanitas.filg.uj.edu.pl/files/terminus/artykuly/d9b23762d6da8f325e2b215ff5338d2b.pdf Michał Bzinkowski], ''Eleuthería ē Thánatos!'': The idea of freedom in modern Greek poetry during the war of independence in 19th century. Dionysios Solomos’ “Hymn to Liberty”
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=xF0AAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA128 Neugriechische Volksgesänge], Johann Matthias Firmenich
* [https://lyricstranslate.com/en/greek-national-anthem-%C3%BDmnos-tin-elefther%C3%ADan-long-version-hymn-liberty.html The Hymn with all 158 stanzas (in Greek & English)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130630144440/https://www.proedriki-froura.gr/ethnikos-imnos/ From the Official Website of the Greek Presidential Guard]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150705205304/https://www.proedriki-froura.gr/greek_anthem.mp3 The Greek national Anthem] (in [[MP3|mp3]])

{{Dionysios Solomos}}
{{Symbols of the Hellenic Republic}}
{{Greek War of Independence}}
{{National Anthems of Europe}}
{{National Anthems of Asia}}
{{Greece topics}}
{{Cyprus topics}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Music of Cyprus]]
[[Category:Music of Greece]]
[[Category:Greek patriotic songs]]
[[Category:National symbols of Greece]]
[[Category:National symbols of Cyprus]]
[[Category:Heptanese school (literature)]]
[[Category:European anthems]]
[[Category:Works about the Greek War of Independence]]
[[Category:National anthems]]
[[Category:Songs about freedom]]
[[Category:Dionysios Solomos]]
[[Category:1823 in Greece]]
[[Category:Compositions in F major]]