10. Do-rat Sé in Claideb (Ancient Celtic)

[Intro — the final dawn; no horn answers] Maidin cen cath. Brata for talam. Dá múr ina tost. Tic in lá deired. [Verse 1] Cruinnigit taísig na Gall i tech cen tene. Cen biad ina lámaib. Cen dóchas ón mag. Éirgid Vercingetorix, tuirsech, acht cen ecla: “Ní dom féin ro-thógbus cath, acht do sháirse chách. Do-ratus fuil is tene. Do-ratus cach ní ro-bí. Anois rogaid, a thuatha: mo bás nó mise beo.” [Pre-Chorus] Cromaid cach cenn. Ní labair corn. Téit techtaire tar múr co suide Caesar. “Tabraid dúinn bhur n-airm. Tabraid bhur taísig amach.” Tic in bríathar ar ais. Fosclaid in dorus. [Chorus] Do-rat sé in claideb, ní do-rat sé in guth. Gabid Róim in fer, mairid ainm i nGáil. Do-rat sé in claideb i lár na n-iolar. Cromaid cenn in taísig— ní chromaid cuimne. [Verse 2] Ticid fir ón dún, gaeithe ina lámaib. Teilgit claideb for chlaideb, sciath for sciath. Fásaid cnoc iarna re dorus Alesia. Ticid rí fri rí tríd in maidin liath. Suide Caesar for chlaí re longphort Róim. Iolair ós a chind. Legiúin ina thost. [Pre-Chorus 2 — solitary harp beneath the voice] Tic Vercingetorix for ech, torc for a brágit. Cathbarr for a chend. Claideb ina láim. Stadid re Caesar. Do-léci a gae. Do-léci a chathbarr. Do-rat sé in claideb. [Chorus 2] Do-rat sé in claideb, ní do-rat sé in guth. Gabid Róim in fer, mairid ainm i nGáil. Do-rat sé in claideb. Tuitid iarn for talam. Dúnad iarann im a lám— acht ní im ár gcuimne. [Bridge — the singer looks beyond the surrender] At-chíu sligid chloiche tar mag na Gall. At-chíu ór Róim for dorus cach dúin. Cluinim focla Róim i mbéal ár mac. At-chíu sean-dée fo ainmib úra. Acht ní tócbait ainm na habann. Ní tócbait céo na gcnoc. Ní tócbait dord in fheda. Ní tócbait cuimne. Fo luaith mairid tene. Fo thost mairid guth. Fada atá in oích— ní marb atá in maidin. [Instrumental Break — tenor sax restates the first album motif as a funeral lament] [Verse 3] Roinnid fir na Gall mar chreach do Róim. Óen daor do cach claideb. Slabhra fri slabhra. Coimeádtar Aedui, coimeádtar Arverni, ní do thrócaire— acht do bhríathra is smacht. Ó Alesia co Bibracte téit scél re gáeth: “Do-rochair in mór-shlóg. Do-rat in taísech é féin.” Osclaid dorus iar dorus. Tuitid brat iar brat. Ní in óen lá do-rochair Gáil— acht briste atá a haon-ghuth. [Final Chorus — the whole album returns within the refrain] Do-rat sé in claideb, ní do-rat sé in guth. Gabid Róim in talam, ní gabid cach cuimne. Do-rat in Gáil a hairm. Cromaid brata don iolar. Acht fo luaith na mbliadan mairid guth teined. Tene for cach cnoc ("anois tene fo luaith!") Óen guth in tSlóig ("anois guth fo thost!") Mairid Gergovia ard i gcuimne na Gall! Alesia do-rochair acht mairid in guth! Do-rat sé in claideb. Do-rat in Gáil a hairm. Acht ní do-rat sí a hainm. Ní do-rat sí a guth. [Outro — solitary horn, harp and the sound of one fading chain] Céo for dún. Tene i cridiu. Claideb for talam. Mairid guth teined ———————— English Translation ———————— [Intro — the final dawn; no horn answers] A morning without battle. Standards upon the ground. Two walls stand silent. The final day has come. [Verse 1] The chieftains of Gaul gather in a hall without fire. No food remains in their hands. No hope comes from the plain. Vercingetorix rises, weary, but without fear: “I did not raise this war for myself, but for the freedom of all. I gave blood and fire. I gave everything that remained. Now choose, O tribes: my death, or give me up alive.” [Pre-Chorus] Every head is lowered. No horn speaks. A messenger crosses the wall to where Caesar sits. “Give us your weapons. Bring out your chieftains.” The answer returns. The gate is opened. [Chorus] He gave the sword, but he did not give the voice. Rome takes the man; his name endures in Gaul. He gave the sword among the eagles. The chieftain lowers his head— memory does not bow. [Verse 2] The men leave the fortress, spears in their hands. They cast sword upon sword, shield upon shield. A hill of iron rises before the gate of Alesia. Chief after chief advances through the grey morning. Caesar sits upon the rampart before the Roman camp. Eagles stand above him. The legions remain silent. [Pre-Chorus 2 — solitary harp beneath the voice] Vercingetorix comes on horseback, a torc around his neck. A helmet upon his head. A sword within his hand. He stops before Caesar. He casts down his spear. He lays aside his helmet. He gives the sword. [Chorus 2] He gave the sword, but he did not give the voice. Rome takes the man; his name endures in Gaul. He gave the sword. Iron falls upon the earth. Iron closes around his hands— but not around our memory. [Bridge — the singer looks beyond the surrender] I see roads of stone crossing the plains of Gaul. I see the gold of Rome upon the gate of every fortress. I hear Roman words within our children’s mouths. I see the ancient gods beneath new names. But they cannot carry away the rivers’ names. They cannot carry away the mist of the hills. They cannot carry away the murmur of the forest. They cannot carry away memory. Beneath the ash, fire endures. Beneath the silence, a voice endures. Long is the night— but the morning is not dead. [Instrumental Break — tenor sax restates the first album motif as a funeral lament] [Verse 3] The men of Gaul are divided as plunder for Rome. One captive for every sword. Chain joined to chain. The Aedui are held back. The Arverni are held back, not through mercy, but for promises and control. From Alesia to Bibracte, the tidings ride upon the wind: “The great host has fallen. The leader has given himself up.” Gate after gate is opened. Standard after standard falls. Gaul does not fall in a single day— but its united voice is broken. [Final Chorus — the whole album returns within the refrain] He gave the sword, but he did not give the voice. Rome takes the land; it does not take every memory. Gaul gives up its weapons. Its standards bow before the eagle. But beneath the ash of years, the voice of fire endures. Fire on every hill (now fire beneath the ash) One voice of the host (now a voice beneath the silence) Gergovia still stands high within the memory of Gaul Alesia has fallen but the voice endures! He gave the sword. Gaul gave up its weapons. But she did not surrender her name. She did not surrender her voice. [Outro — solitary horn, harp and the sound of one fading chain] Mist over the fortress. Fire in the heart. A sword upon the earth. The voice of fire endures.