Greece
Ύμνος εις την Ελευθερίαν
Imnos eis tin Elefterian
Hymn to Liberty
1823
1865
Dionysios Solomos
Nikolaos Mantzaros
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Key Facts
- 1. Greece and Cyprus share the same national anthem, making it one of only a handful of melodies that serve as the official anthem of two sovereign nations simultaneously.
- 2. Composer Nikolaos Mantzaros was from Corfu, which was under British rule at the time, meaning the anthem's music was technically composed on British soil.
- 3. A complete reading of all 158 stanzas takes roughly 55 minutes, and the full poem has never been performed in its entirety at any official state ceremony.
Lyrics
Σε γνωρίζω από την κόψη
του σπαθιού την τρομερή,
σε γνωρίζω από την όψη
που με βία μετράει τη γη.
Απ' τα κόκκαλα βγαλμένη
των Ελλήνων τα ιερά,
και σαν πρώτα ανδρειωμένη,
χαίρε, ω χαίρε, Ελευθεριά!
Translations are non-official and intended to convey meaning, not replace originals
Analysis
EditorialWritten by Dionysios Solomos in 1823 during the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. Set to music by Nikolaos Mantzaros in 1828, it was officially adopted in 1865. The full poem contains 158 stanzas, the longest anthem text ever written.