THE RMRS Handbook Part Eight: Songs & Ceremonies
Introduction: Songs & Chants
One of the unique aspects of THE RMRS’ drill displays are the use of songs and marching chants in Latin. A recording of the songs and chants will soon be available on the Society's website, but for now imitation and practice probably remains the best method of learning.
The first column contains the Latin text, the second column has a phonetic version to help with pronunciation, and the third column has the English translation. It is all sung or chanted by the whole drill squad except the text in green, which is called by an officer.
The bold text in the phonetic version is sung (or chanted) as the left foot strikes the ground. Syllables (or part syllables) in brackets are not pronounced, and (skip) indicates the left foot striking the ground without a syllable being sung or chanted.
Sumus
Sumus Quartadecumani,
Legio Gemina,
Aufer te, de via decedite,
Cornu sonat pedem inferre,
Milites Romani procedite.
Soo-mus kwar-tah-dek-oo-man-ee,
Leg-ee-oh Gem-ee-nah,
Ow-fer tay! Day wee-ah deh-ked-dee-tay!
Kor-noo so-at pay-dem in-fer-ray,
Mil-ee-tays Row-mah-nay pro-kay-dee-tay!
We are the fourteenth,
twin legion,
Away with you! Get out of the way!
The trumpet sounds advance,
Soldiers of Rome, forward!
Unus, duo, tres, quattuor, quinque, sex, septem, octo, novem, decem...
Oo-nus, doo-oh, trez, kwar-tor, kwin-kway, sex, sep-tem, ok-toe, no-vem, dek-em...
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten...
Sive sequimur aquilas,
Sive progredimur ad cornices soli,
Nostra superbia est in legione,
Et pugnans peditatus est domus gensque,
Et pugnans peditatus est domus gensque.
See-way sek-kwee-moor ak-kwee-las,
See-way pro-gray-dee-moor ad kor-nee-kays sol-ee,
Nos-trah soo-per-bee-ah est in leg-ee-oh-nay,
Et poog-nans ped-ee-tah-toos est dom-oos gens-kway,
Et poog-nans ped-ee-tah-toos est dom-oos gens-kway,
Whether we follow the Eagles,
Or we go to the ravens alone,
​
Our pride is in the Legion,
​
And the fighting infantry are our family and home,
And the fighting infantry are our family and home.
Unus, duo, tres, quattuor, quinque, sex, septem, octo, novem, decem...
Oo-nus, doo-oh, trez, kwar-tor, kwin-kway, sex, sep-tem, ok-toe, no-vem, dek-em...
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten...
Nos signa sequimur, Quocumque nos ducunt,
A barbara Germaniae silva, Ad Caledoniam caliginem, Domitores Britannorum, procedite.
Nos sig-nah sek-kwee-moor,
Kwo-kum-kway nos doo-kont,
Ah bah-bah-rah Ger-man-ee-eye seal-wah, Add Kal-ee-doh-nee-am kal-ee-gee-nam, Dom-ee-tor-ees Brit-tan-nor-oom
pro-kay-dee-tay!
We follow the Standards,
Wherever they lead us,
From the barbarian forests of Germany,
To the mist shrouded hills of Caledonia,
Tamers of Britain,
March!
Semper Hic
Semper hic venti deserta gelidis perflant imbribus, Sordet iam pediculosa
tunica: madidus nasus est,
Saeve me umectat tempestas grandinibus cottidie,
Cur? Quod est meum tueri limites Britanniae.
​
Saxa cana ubique nubes obtegit caligine,
Cara in Tungria est puella: semper solus dormio,
Quod dedit mi amoris pignus, perditumpst in alea,
Heu! Puellam concupisco: desidero stipendium.
Sem-per hik wen-tee des-er-tah (skip)
gel-ee-dees per-flant im-bree-boos (skip), Sor-det yam ped-ee-koo-low-sah (skip)
too-nee-kah, mad-dee-doos nah-sus est (skip).
Sigh-way meh oo-mek-tat tem-pes-tas (skip) gran-din-ee-boos kot-tid-ee-ay (skip),
Koor? Kwod est may-oom too-air-ee (skip)
lim-ee-tes Brit-tan-nee-aye (skip).
Sak-sah car-n(ah) oo-bee-kway noo-bays (skip)
ob-tay-git kal-ee-gee-nay (skip),
Kar-rah in toon-gree-ah est poo-ay-lah (skip) sem-per sow-loos dor-mee-oh (skip).
Kwod day-dit mee am-or-ees pig-noos (skip), per-dee-tompst in al-ee-ah (skip),
Hew! Poo-ay-loom kon-koo-pis-koh (skip),
des-ee-day-row stee-pen-dee-oom (skip)
Here the winds blow over the wasteland with chill showers,
Already my tunic is filthy with lice, my nose is running.
Daily the savage tempest soaks me with hail stones,
Why? Because it’s my job to protect the borders of Britain.
​
Everywhere the mist shrouds the grey rocks in darkness,
My dear girl is in Tungria,
always I sleep alone.
The pledge of love she gave me has been lost at the dice board,
Alas! I dearly want my girl,
and I want my pay.
Urbani
This song is noteworthy because the words (of the first two verses at least) are recorded as having been sung by Caesar's troops during his triumph to celebrate his victory in Gaul (Suetonius, “Life of Julius Caesar”, 51.1 and 49.4 respectively).
Urbani, servate uxores, moechum calvum adducimus, Aurum in Gallia effutuisti,
hic sumpsisti mutuum,
Aurum in Gallia effutuisti,
hic sumpsisti mutuum.
Gallias Caesar subegit, Nicomedes Caesarem,
Ecce Caesar nunc triumphat qui subegit Gallias, Nicomedes non triumphat
qui subegit Caesarem.
Gallos Caesar in triumphum ducit, idem in curiam,
Galli bracas deposuerunt,
latum clavum sumpserunt,
Galli bracas deposuerunt,
latum clavum sumpserunt.
Oor-bah-nee, ser-wah-t(ay) ooks-or-ays (skip), moy-kum kal-w(um) ad-doo-kee-moos (skip), Ow-r(oom) in Gal-ee-ah eff-foo-too-is-tee (skip), hik soomp-sis-tee moo-too-oom (skip),
Ow-r(oom) in Gal-ee-ah eff-foo-too-is-tee (skip), hik soomp-sis-tee moo-too-oom (skip),
Gal-ee-ass Kai-sah soo-bay-git (skip),
Nik-oh-mee-dees Kai-sah-rem (skip),
Ek-kay Kai-sah nunk tree-oom-fat (skip)
kwee soo-bay-git Gal-ee-ass (skip),
Nik-oh-mee-dees non tree-oom-fat (skip),
kwee soo-bay-git Kai-sah-rem (skip).
Gal-los Kai-sah in tree-oom-foom (skip),
doo-kit, ee-d(em) in koo-ree-am (skip),
Gal-lee brak-kas day-pos-oo-air-oont (skip),
lah-toom klah-woom sump-ser-oont (skip),
Gal-lee brak-kas day-pos-oo-air-oont (skip),
lah-toom klah-woom sump-ser-oont (skip).
Citizens, keep an eye on your wives, we’re bringing back the bald adulterer.
He’s f***ed away the gold in Gaul
that you loaned him here [in Rome]. He’s f***ed away the gold in Gaul
that you loaned him here.
Caesar vanquished the Gauls, Nicomedes Caesar,
Caesar who vanquished the Gauls now triumphs.
Nicomedes does not triumph,
who vanquished Caesar.
Caesar leads the Gauls in triumph, likewise into the Senate House.
The Gauls have laid aside their trousers and put on the broad purple stripe.
The Gauls have laid aside their trousers and put on the broad purple stripe.
Bacchae
The words for this song are taken from De Qvalitate Vitae, a group of short poems by the late 1st-century/early 2nd-century poet Publius Annius Florus.
Bacche, vitium repertor, plenus adsis vitibus,
Effluas dulcem liquorem comparandum nectari, Conditumque fac vetustum, ne malignis venulis,
Asperum ducat saporem versus usum in alterum.
Bak-kee wee-tee-um rep-per-tor,
play-nus add-sees wee-tee-bus,
Eff-loo-ass dull-kem lick-woo-rem
com-par-ran-doom neck-tah-ree,
Con-dee-tum-kway fack wet-oos-toom,
nay mal-lig-niss wen-oo-liss,
As-per-room doo-kat sapp-or-em
wer-sus us(um) in al-ter-rum.
Bacchus, discoverer of vines,
come to our vines in full force,
Pour forth the sweet juice comparable to nectar,
And when it is stored make it grow old without taking on,
The malignancy of a harsh flavour, turning it to some other use.
Cras Amet (a chant, repeated twice)
The words for this chant are taken from Pervigilivm Veneris, possibly by Tiberianus.
Cras amet qui numquam amavit,
quique amavit,
cras amet!
Krass ah-met kwee num-kwam
ah-mah-wit,
kwee-kway ah-mah-wit,
krass ah-met!
He who has never loved will love tomorrow,
and he who has loved will also
love tomorrow!
Mille Germanos (a chant, repeated twice)
Mille Germanos,
mille Persos
semel et semel
decollavimus!
Meel-lay Germ-mah-noos,
meel-lay Per-sos,
sem-ell et sem-ell
dek-kol-lah-wee-moos!
We’ve decapitated thousands of Germans
and thousands of Persians
over and over again!
And finally, a (relatively) modern classic that no self-respecting Roman re-enactor should be without.
​
“The Woad Ode” is also known as “Woad”, “The Woad Song” and “Woad of Harlech” and is a humorous song set to the tune of “Men of Harlech”. It recounts the ancient British tradition of [allegedly] fighting naked in woad dye, but is definitely not intended as a history lesson. It first became popular in 1920s as a song in the English Boy Scouts. The author, William Hope-Jones, was a housemaster at Eton who wrote it some time before 1914, as he sang it at a College dinner at that time.
The Woad Ode
What's the use of wearing braces
Spats and hats and shoes with laces
Vests and coats you buy in places
Down on Brompton Road
What's the use of shirts of cotton
Studs that always get forgotten
These affairs are simply rotten
Better far is woad
Woad's the stuff to show men
Woad to scare your foemen
Boil it to a brilliant blue
And rub it on your back and your abdomen
Ancient Britons ne’er did hit on
Anything as good as woad to fit on
Neck and knees and where you sit on
Tailors, you be blowed!
Romans came across the channel
All dressed up in tin and flannel
Half a pint of woad per man'll
Clothe us more than these
Saxons, you can save your stitches
Building beds for bugs in britches
We have woad to clothe us, which is
Not a nest for fleas
Romans, keep your armours
Saxons, your pyjamas
Hairy coats were made for goats
Gorillas, yaks, retriever dogs, and llamas
So march on Snowdon with your woad on
Never mind if you get rained or snowed on Never need a button sewed on
Go it ancient B’s
Introduction: Religious Ceremonies
Altar dedication ceremony
Our normal religious ceremony is an altar (or possibly standard) dedication. The altar should be garlanded with oak leaves and with a fire burning in the focus. The officiating priest and officers are attended by an acolyte who will provide them with water to wash their hands and the offerings of incense, wine and a sacred bread to the god Jupiter. It needs a bit of explanation from a commentator and a bit of theatricality! Where possible musical instruments should be distributed to the audience and used to make noise where indicated to attract the god's attention and drive off “evil spirits”. Soldiers can slap their shields.
The Latin text is provided below in the left hand column, with English translation and additional notes in the right hand column. It is all spoken by the officiating priest except the text in blue, where the brackets indicate who is speaking.
The Preface
Procul O Procul este profani!
Aqua.
Favete Linguis!
The auguries (optional)
Haruspex! Iubeo te omina inspicere.
Dic mihi quid vides?
(Haruspex) Lecur bonus est!
(Haruspex) Omina Sunt Optima!
Offerings to Jupiter
Tus!
Deo Iovi in supplicatione!
Vinum!
Deo Iovi in supplicatione!
Libum!
Deo Iovi in supplicatione!
Prayer to Jupiter
Iuppiter Optime Maxime,
tibi hanc aram hoc signumque dedicamus,
quod te duce res nuper prospere gessimus.
A te precamur ut huic legioni huic vexillationi faveas,
da nobis victorias sempiternas.
Conserva omnes in hac centuria militantes!
[All] Iuppiter Optime Maxime conserva nos!
Illicet.
The Preface
Depart oh impious ones!
Water. [Acolyte the priest water to wash his hands]
Hold your tongues!
The auguries (optional)
Haruspex! I command you to take the omens!
Tell me what you see!
​
(Haruspex) The liver is good!
(Haruspex) The omens are favourable!
​
Offerings to Jupiter
Incense! [Acolyte hands the priest incense to burn]
Divine Jupiter we appeal to you! [Make noise]
Wine! [Acolyte hands the priest wine to pour on the altar]
Divine Jupiter we appeal to you! [Make noise]
Sacred cake! [Acolyte hands the priest bread to burn]
Divine Jupiter we appeal to you! [Make noise]
​
Prayer to Jupiter
Oh Jupiter greatest and best,
we dedicate to you this standard and this altar in grateful thanks for giving us your blessing in recent events.
We pray that you may favour this legion and this detachment
and bring us everlasting victory.
Protect all who serve in this century!
​
[All] Jupiter Greatest and Best, protect us!
It is finished.