6. Mairid Gergovia Ard (Ancient Celtic)

[Intro — the suspended horn breath from the previous song finally sounds] Céo for Gergovia. Óen cnoc cen slóg. Súil Caesar for a mullach. Seinnid corn Róim. [Verse 1] I ndeired na hoíche rithit eich im chnoc. Fir na muile fo chathbarr, brata ceilte fo brat. Do-chí Gergovia gluasacht tríd in cheó. Téit cach fer siar. Fácaid campa cen guth. [Pre-Chorus] Ón longphort bec éirgit fir Róim. Brata cen chomhartha, iarn cen son. Gabait múr na gcloch. Gabait trí campa. Teutomatus ón lepaid, leth-nocht for ech gonta. [Chorus] Mairid Gergovia ard. Téit in t-ilar ró-ard. Seinnid corn na fillte— ní chluin cach slóg. Cloch ós cionn, gleann ina diaid. Mairid Gergovia ard. Téit in t-ilar ró-ard. [Verse 2] Rithit fir co dorus. Lám for chloich. Mná for múr teilgit brat is airget. “Trócaire dár macaib. Ná dénaid Avaricum dínn.” Éirgid Fabius for múr, trí fir ina diaid. [Pre-Chorus 2 — the frame drum begins to stumble] Tic gáir ón taobh thiar. Tic ech. Tic gae. Tillit mná friú féin, tócbait a maca for lám. Fir úra ón chnoc. Fir Róim tuirsech. Cloch ós a cind. Gae ina n-aghaid. [Chorus 2] Mairid Gergovia ard. Téit in t-ilar ró-ard. Seinnid corn na fillte— ní chluin cach slóg. Fabius fon chloich. Fuil for a brat. Mairid Gergovia ard. Téit in t-ilar ró-ard. [Bridge — close voice over broken harp chords] Ticid Aedui ón leith deis, gualainn deas cen brat. “Carait!” gairit. Acht at-chí Róim námait. Brissid in líne. Measctar guth is gae. Petronius oc dorus, fuil for a chlaideb. “Imthigid, a chairde. Fácaid mise sund.” Do-rochair fri cath. Do-beir slán do lucht. [Instrumental Break — tenor sax repeats the retreat call while the dark fiddle answers from above] [Verse 3] Tuitid fir Róim fon chnoc. Seasait in Dechmad for mag. Ticid fir na Trí Déag ón longphort bec. Gabid Vercingetorix a shlóg ar ais fon múr. Ní rithid Gáil tar mag. Fácaid tost do Róim. Arna márach for mag seasait Róim fri cath. Ní thic Gáil ón chnoc. Arís, ní thic. Dá lá fo ghréin. Dá lá cen bris. Tócbait brata Róim. Téit in t-ilar ón dún. [Final Chorus — communal and immovable] Mairid Gergovia ard. Ísel téit Róim. Corn ón múr, tost fon chnoc. Ní thuitid in dún. Ní gabtar a guth. Mairid Gergovia ard— óen lá do Gáil. Dá guth i n-óen túath (Mairid Gergovia ard) Téit in t-ilar (téit ón chnoc) Mairid Gergovia! (Mairid Gergovia ard) (Mairid Gergovia ard) (Mairid Gergovia ard) [Outro — solitary Gallic horn above the fading Roman march] Céo for Gergovia. Fuil fon chloich. Corn i n-airde. Mairid in dún!!!~~~~ ———————— English Translation ———————— GERGOVIA STILL STANDS HIGH [Intro — the suspended horn breath from the previous song finally sounds] Mist over Gergovia. One hill without a host. Caesar’s eye fixes upon its summit. The Roman horn sounds. [Verse 1] At the ending of the night, horses race around the hill. Mule drivers wear helmets, standards hidden beneath cloth. Gergovia sees movement through the mist. Every warrior turns westward. They leave the camps without a voice. [Pre-Chorus] From the smaller camp, the men of Rome arise. Standards stripped of their emblems, iron without sound. They cross the wall of stone. They seize three camps. Teutomatus leaps from his bed, half-naked upon a wounded horse. [Chorus] Gergovia still stands high. The eagle climbs too high. The horn of retreat is sounding— not every soldier hears. Stone overhead, the valley behind. Gergovia still stands high. The eagle climbs too high. [Verse 2] The soldiers run toward the gate. Hands reach for the stone. Women upon the wall throw down clothing and silver. “Have mercy upon our children. Do not make another Avaricum of us.” Fabius climbs onto the wall, three men following behind him. [Pre-Chorus 2 — the frame drum begins to stumble] A roar comes from behind. Horses come. Spears come. The women turn toward their own men, raising their children in their arms. Fresh warriors descend from the hill. The men of Rome are exhausted. Stone hangs above their heads. Spears confront them. [Chorus 2] Gergovia still stands high. The eagle climbs too high. The horn of retreat is sounding— not every soldier hears. Fabius lies beneath the stone. Blood stains his cloak. Gergovia still stands high. The eagle climbs too high. [Bridge — close voice over broken harp chords] The Aedui come from the right, their right shoulders uncovered. “Friends!” they cry. But Rome sees enemies. The line breaks apart. Voices and spears become confused. Petronius stands at the gateway, blood upon his sword. “Go now, my companions. Leave me here.” He falls fighting and brings his men to safety. [Instrumental Break — tenor sax repeats the retreat call while the dark fiddle answers from above] [Verse 3] The men of Rome fall back down the hill. The Tenth stands upon the plain. Men of the Thirteenth advance from the smaller camp. Vercingetorix calls his host back within the defences. Gaul does not pursue across the plain. It leaves silence to Rome. On the following morning, Rome stands ready for battle. Gaul does not descend from the hill. Again, it does not come. Two days beneath the sun. Two days without another breach. The Roman standards are lifted. The eagle leaves the fortress. [Final Chorus — communal and immovable] Gergovia still stands high. Rome marches below. A horn upon the wall, silence beneath the hill. The fortress did not fall. Its voice was not taken. Gergovia still stands high— a day belonging to Gaul. Two voices in one tribe (Gergovia still stands high) The eagle is leaving (leaving the hill) Gergovia endures (Gergovia still stands high) (Gergovia still stands high) (Gergovia still stands high) [Outro — solitary Gallic horn above the fading Roman march] Mist over Gergovia. Blood beneath the stone. A horn upon the heights. The fortress endures.