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Geske

Της δικαιοσύνης ήλιε νοητέ

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I have been asked before to translate this song.

I have refused because the Αξιον εστί can not be translated. Its essence and its language are essentially one. So I said "can't".

However. I was asked again. The request - for this specific song - came from the united states of america, a few days after the election.

Under the circumstances, I felt that any tiny portion of the meaning that I could get across would be better than nothing.

So, "though it's always dangerous to translate Elytis" as a friend of mine put it a long time ago - here goes. May the poet forgive me.

ΤΗΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΣΥΝΗΣ ΗΛΙΕ ΝΟΗΤΕ __||__ Sensible Sun of Justice

Μουσική: Μίκης Θεοδωράκης __||__ Music: Mikis Theodorakis

Στίχοι: Οδυσσέας Ελύτης __||__ Poem: Odysseas Elytis

Της δικαιοσύνης ήλιε νοητέ και μυρσίνη συ δοξαστική __||__ Sun of justice, whom we feel, and you, myrtle branch of glory,

μη παρακαλώ σας μη λησμονάτε τη χώρα μου! __||__ do not, I beg of you, do not forget my country!

Αετόμορφα έχει τα ψηλά βουνά στα ηφαίστεια κλήματα σειρά __||__ It has tall mountains shaped like eagles, the vines in ranks on the volcanoes' flanks

και τα σπίτια πιο λευκά στου γλαυκού το γειτόνεμα! __||__ and the houses more white for the neighbourhood of the azure.

Της δικαιοσύνης ήλιε νοητέ και μυρσίνη συ δοξαστική __||__ Sun of justice, whom we know, and you, myrtle branch of glory,

μη παρακαλώ σας μη λησμονάτε τη χώρα μου! __||__ do not, I beg of you, do not forget my country!

Τα πικρά μου χέρια με τον κεραυνό τα γυρίζω πίσω απ' τον καιρό __||__ My bitter hands, by thunder I am turning them back behind the times,

τους παλιούς μου φίλους καλώ με φοβέρες και μ' αίματα! __||__ my old friends, I am calling them forth with threats and with blood!

Της δικαιοσύνης ήλιε νοητέ και μυρσίνη συ δοξαστική __||__ Sun of justice, we know you are there, and you, myrtle branch of glory,

μη παρακαλώ σας μη λησμονάτε τη χώρα μου! __||__ do not, I beg of you, do not forget my country!

Translator's note: the adjective νοητός is related to νους (mind, understanding) and to νοήμα (meaning, sense). It means "that which one can understand/know (with the mind), perceive/feel (with the senses)". I have so far not found a word in English (or any other language) that covers all this. The first meaning of "sensible" (which I've used in the title) actually was "perceptible by the senses", but this has largely gone out of use.

So, this is why I put a different translation each time for νοητέ. I wouldn't do that in a translation to be read without the original, but in this case you can all see (hear) that they are the same word really.

(Btw, νοητός also means "that has meaning, that makes sense" - its contrary, ανόητος (meaningless, not making sense, stupid) is perhaps more frequent. Anyway, that is not its meaning here.)

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I would advise you to read a book called: To Axion Esti tou Eluth (I can't remember the author's name right now).

It is a full analysis of Elytis' work, with explanation of the verses, words, meanings and metaphors.

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Thanks, but no thanks.

Besides the fact that I have a lot more greek on my bookshelf than I can easily finish reading - I like hearing poetry sung as much as I dislike having it analysed.

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Hahaha

Yes, poetry analysis can be a real drag, as I am about to see once again in my 9:30 class.

Geske, thank you very much for your translation. I'm sure it was very difficult to put it up here.

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it's on my mind a lot these days

Της δικαιοσύνης ήλιε νοητέ ...

μη παρακαλώ σας μη λησμονάτε τη χώρα μου!

it's as near as i ever come to prayer (not bad, huh, for an irredeemable atheist?).

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