Music by Farya Faraji and Dimitris Athanasopoulos of the One Man’s Noise channel who beautifully performed the tsambouna and mantura in the instrumentation of this piece. Many thanks to Luke Ranieri of the polýMATHY channel for helping transform my grammatically incoherent lyrics into something functional. Please note that this isn’t reconstructed historical music, it’s entirely modern music with a historical theme. Also note that the lyrics use Classical Latin Pronunciation, which has nothing to do with the historical context of Belisarius, at which point the many diverging dialects of Latin had changed immensely from the Classical Latin period; my usage of it is only pragmatic as it’s the one pronunciation I’m used to, and one could make a thematic interpretation of it representing the dream of a restored Roman empire of the glory days, which correspond with Classical Latin’s period.
I wanted to write a ballad-like piece about Flavius Belisarius, an Eastern Roman general who would be Justinian the Great’s greatest servant in the Renovatio Imperii of the 6th century, the project that would see the reconquest and retaking of much of the lands previously controlled by the Roman Empire of Antiquity. Each of the verses refers to one of the main campaigns of Belisarius’ career, first his war against Gelimer and the Vandals in North Africa, then his wars in Italy against the Goths, his battles against Khosrow Anushirvan (immortal soul) in the Lazic Wars, his further battles in Italy where he implored Totila to spare the city of Rome in a moving letter, in the chance that Totila were to win, and his final service post-retirement against the Kutrigurs in the Balkans.
The instrumentation is mainly based on a tsambouna, a Greek bagpipe very frequently played in the islands like the Cyclades and especially Crete, and a mantoura, a remnant of the Ancient Greek aulos, both expertly played by my collaborator Dimitris Athanasopoulos of the channel One Man’s Noise, who perfectly took my basic melody and breathed into it the authentic rhythms and ornaments of Greek music, which contains echoes of older music of Belisarius’ age, where the bagpipe was frequently used by the Eastern Romans. A mainland Laouto provides the backing chords, and a davul drum and darbuka provide the percussions as is typically the case in traditional Greek music. A low vocal hum supports the melody, inspired by the Ison of Byzantine Chant practice. The point of this was essentially to mix Latin lyrics with Byzantine Chant and a traditional Greek sound centred on the Cycladic-Cretan island sound.
Lyrics in Latin:
Gladius Rōmae imperī sum,
Ubi’st nostrum imperium?
Nē plōrā, mater Rōma,
Dēnuō flōrēbis,
Cīvis Romānus sum,
Sed sine imperiō sum,
Sanguine barbarōrum,
Renāta erit Rōma!
Arēnae Āfricānae,
Cum sanguis Vandalōrum rubrae factae sunt,
Plōrā Gelimer, Rēx sine rēgnō,
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!
Hortī Ītaliae lacrimīs Gothicīs fertilēs factī sunt,
Plōrāte, Gothicī, barbarī,
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!
Montēs, Lazicae,
Cum sanguis Sassanidārum, rubrī factae sunt!
Vāde, Chosroē, mortālis anime!
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!
Urbī ferro flammāque minatus est,
Mementō, Totila, Rōmam antīquam esse,
Sī rēx bonus es tū, nē nēlē rēgīnam nostram,
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!
Glaciēs Dānuviī sanguine Hunnōrum, rubrae factae sunt,
Vāde, Zabergan, Attila nōn es tū,
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!
English translation:
I am Rome’s sword. Where is our empire?
Weep not, mother Rome, again shall you prosper.
A citizen of Rome I am, yet without an empire I am,
In barbarians’ blood shall Rome be reborn!
The sands of Africa, with Vandals’ blood, are turned red!
Weep Gelimer, king without a kingdom,
I am the sword of Rome,
Belisarius!
The gardens of Italy, with Goth’s tears, are made fertile,
Weep Goths, barbarians,
I am the sword of Rome,
Belisarius!
The mountains of Lazica, with Sassanians’ blood are turned red,
Away, Khosrow, you mortal soul!
I am the sword of Rome,
Belisarius!
The city is threatened with fire and sword,
Remember Totila, how Rome is ancient,
If you are a true king, destroy not our queen.
The ices of the Danube, with Huns’ blood, are turned red,
Away, Zabergan, you are no Attila,
I am the sword of Rome,
Belisarius!
source
Music by Farya Faraji and Dimitris Athanasopoulos of the One Man's Noise channel who beautifully performed the tsambouna and mantura in the instrumentation of this piece. Many thanks to Luke Ranieri of the polýMATHY channel for helping transform my grammatically incoherent lyrics into something functional. Please note that this isn't reconstructed historical music, it's entirely modern music with a historical theme. Also note that the lyrics use Classical Latin Pronunciation, which has nothing to do with the historical context of Belisarius, at which point the many diverging dialects of Latin had changed immensely from the Classical Latin period; my usage of it is only pragmatic as it's the one pronunciation I'm used to, and one could make a thematic interpretation of it representing the dream of a restored Roman empire of the glory days, which correspond with Classical Latin's period.
I wanted to write a ballad-like piece about Flavius Belisarius, an Eastern Roman general who would be Justinian the Great's greatest servant in the Renovatio Imperii of the 6th century, the project that would see the reconquest and retaking of much of the lands previously controlled by the Roman Empire of Antiquity. Each of the verses refers to one of the main campaigns of Belisarius' career, first his war against Gelimer and the Vandals in North Africa, then his wars in Italy against the Goths, his battles against Khosrow Anushirvan (immortal soul) in the Lazic Wars, his further battles in Italy where he implored Totila to spare the city of Rome in a moving letter, in the chance that Totila were to win, and his final service post-retirement against the Kutrigurs in the Balkans.
The instrumentation is mainly based on a tsambouna, a Greek bagpipe very frequently played in the islands like the Cyclades and especially Crete, and a mantoura, a remnant of the Ancient Greek aulos, both expertly played by my collaborator Dimitris Athanasopoulos of the channel One Man's Noise, who perfectly took my basic melody and breathed into it the authentic rhythms and ornaments of Greek music, which contains echoes of older music of Belisarius' age, where the bagpipe was frequently used by the Eastern Romans. A mainland Laouto provides the backing chords, and a davul drum and darbuka provide the percussions as is typically the case in traditional Greek music. A low vocal hum supports the melody, inspired by the Ison of Byzantine Chant practice. The point of this was essentially to mix Latin lyrics with Byzantine Chant and a traditional Greek sound centred on the Cycladic-Cretan island sound.
Lyrics in Latin:
Gladius Rōmae imperī sum,
Ubi’st nostrum imperium?
Nē plōrā, mater Rōma,
Dēnuō flōrēbis,
Cīvis Romānus sum,
Sed sine imperiō sum,
Sanguine barbarōrum,
Renāta erit Rōma!
Arēnae Āfricānae,
Cum sanguis Vandalōrum rubrae factae sunt,
Plōrā Gelimer, Rēx sine rēgnō,
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!
Hortī Ītaliae lacrimīs Gothicīs fertilēs factī sunt,
Plōrāte, Gothicī, barbarī,
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!
Montēs, Lazicae,
Cum sanguis Sassanidārum, rubrī factae sunt!
Vāde, Chosroē, mortālis anime!
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!
Urbī ferro flammāque minatus est,
Mementō, Totila, Rōmam antīquam esse,
Sī rēx bonus es tū, nē nēlē rēgīnam nostram,
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!
Glaciēs Dānuviī sanguine Hunnōrum, rubrae factae sunt,
Vāde, Zabergan, Attila nōn es tū,
Gladius Rōmae sum,
Belisārius!
English translation:
I am Rome's sword. Where is our empire?
Weep not, mother Rome, again shall you prosper.
A citizen of Rome I am, yet without an empire I am,
In barbarians' blood shall Rome be reborn!
The sands of Africa, with Vandals' blood, are turned red!
Weep Gelimer, king without a kingdom,
I am the sword of Rome,
Belisarius!
The gardens of Italy, with Goth's tears, are made fertile,
Weep Goths, barbarians,
I am the sword of Rome,
Belisarius!
The mountains of Lazica, with Sassanians' blood are turned red,
Away, Khosrow, you mortal soul!
I am the sword of Rome,
Belisarius!
The city is threatened with fire and sword,
Remember Totila, how Rome is ancient,
If you are a true king, destroy not our queen.
The ices of the Danube, with Huns' blood, are turned red,
Away, Zabergan, you are no Attila,
I am the sword of Rome,
Belisarius!
It’s really a testament to the sheer might of Rome that one of its greatest generals ever arrived AFTER the empire fell.
Ave Belisarius.
Everytime you upload a new byzantine song I remain astonished. Good job!❤️
Предлагаю дать этому парню звание Народный артист Византии 😅
can do about the Kipchaks 🇰🇬🇰🇿 please 😀?
Justinian should have made him co-emperor. none was more worthy. perhaps in doing so, the empire would have lasted longer.
Good job
🇦🇲❤️🇬🇷🇨🇾🇮🇷
Now we need one about Flavius Heraclius, the new Scipio
The fact that this dude doesnt have a high value series about his life is criminally punishable
the intro is good.
HOLY SHIT
FINALLY!!!
i need this on spotify
Dopo questa e quella de narses voglio quella di Giustiniano I
Free Byzantine
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻😍😍😍😍
O love you work man. Love from Portugal ❤
Can you do a song over heraclius that starts hopeful and ends really depressing I feel like that would could be amazing
Ich möchte hier Respekt erwähnen, nur habe ich ein Problem damit,das irgendwelche Leute entweder Länder wieder haben wollen egal wer ,zb.Byzans,,,,oder O,smanen oder ,gross israel,oder armenien,,oder oder oder,,,,,..wir Menschen sind wirklich dumm,wenn jeder immer wieder was haben will gibt es nur noch Krieg, wir sollten überlegen wie wir die Erde erhalten können,,zb zuviel Menschen auf der Erde,,,TRINKWASSER KNAPPHEIT, luftverpestung,Erderwärnung,,,keine Bäume usw.
한국어 번역(Korean translation of the lyric)
"나는 로마의 검인저. 로마의 강토는 어디있느뇨? 우지마소 우리 어미이신 로마시여. 너 다시 흥하리로다. 난 로맛백성이건마는 이제 내 깃들일 강토가 어딨단 말고? 오랑캐놈들의 피를 흘리게 하여 우리 로마 다시 살려내리라.
아프리카 모랫벌을 반달놈들 피로 불게 물들였네. 젤리메르 이 놈아 울거라! 넌 이제 나라없는 임금되얏구나. 난 로마의 검이신 벨리사리우스인저.
이탈리아의 아름다운 뜨락아 고트놈들 눈물이 게 흘러 기름졌구나 울어라 고트놈 너 이 오랑캐야 나는 로마의 검이신 벨리사리우스인저.
라징카 산맥아 사산국 바사놈의 피로 붉어졌도다. 워어이 물렀거라 호스로야 너 죽을 수 밖에 없는 가련한 혼백아!! 나는 로마의 검 벨리사리우스인저.
오랑캐들 숭악하게 칼과 불을 들고 우리 죄없는 로맛땅 얼마나 겁박하였느뇨. 토틸라야 네 듣거라. 우리 로마국이 얼마나 유구한지 아느냐!! 네놈이 참 임금이라면 우리 여왕이신 로마말고 다른 곳을 치렷도다.
워어이 자벨간아 너는 아틸라만도 못한 놈이라. 나는 로마의 검 벨리사리우스인저!!!"
얼쑤!! 이 노래에 흥이 절로 난다!!! 지화자 벨리사리우스 장군님이 나가신다. 고트족 반달족 파사국놈들아 우리 로마국의 강토를 더럽히지 말거라!! 이 로마국의 검이신 벨리사리우스님이 나가신다. ❤
Belisarius’ response to the barbarian king Vitiges when asked to surrender Rome:
“As for Rome, moreover, which we have captured, in holding it we hold nothing which belongs to others, but it was you who trespassed upon this city in former times, though it did not belong to you at all, and now you have given it back, however unwillingly, to its ancient possessors. And whoever of you has hopes of setting foot in Rome without a fight is mistaken in his judgment. For as long as Belisarius lives, it is impossible for him to relinquish this city.”
Ave chad Belisarius. Razing Germ mud huts to the ground since 535.
This is amazing.
Χαιρε αδερφέ Φαρϊα/Ave te frate Faria / Assabbinirica frate Faria. I am wondering which language I gonna use to get in touch with you. I can speak Greek but I am from Sicily. I am a very very big fan of Byzantine culture I love all old Greek culture and Byzantine one as a Σικελιώτης I am aware of our common origins, I would like to hear songs about people like: George of Antioch or our first Sicilian king Roger II of Sicily. Of course we did also fight against Byzantium but it was just because our king wanted to create a country between North Italy and the pope and Byzantium. King Roger was used to speak Greek and Arabic, he made built many churches in Byzantine style and we also had liturgie in old Greek. In Sicilian language we still have many words from old Greek and Byzantine Greek that's why when i do speak Greek people think I am like from another century. I would love to hear about the admiral George of Antioch in Greek for example about the construction of churches like Cappella Palatina or Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio in Palermo. Pleas remember that Byzantine heritage was and still does live in Sicily and South Italy too. Ευχαριστώ παρα πολυ και εις πολλα έτη / ad multos annos 😊😊😊