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March of the Spirit
March of the Spirit πνευματικο εμβατηριο La Marche de I’ Esprit

Introduction
The <> is Mikis Theodorakis second Folk Ortario after <> (1960) composed in 1969 at Zatouna in Peloponnesse Arcadia, where the composer had been exiled by the military dictatorship. Therefore his choice of a patriotic poem by Angelos Sikelianos wasn’t by chance. The simplicity, the directness and austerity of the melody as the use of folk instruments (bouzoukis, mandolins and guitars) shows that Theodorakis aim composed the immediate understanding and welcoming of the artistic patriotic message of the crowd of all those who suffered under the boots of the dictators. For one more time the composer showed how much he respects the <> distinguishing relief, the greatest and fiery verses of Sikelianos.

Verse I
As I threw the last torch into the spark of light, (the torch of my life locked in time). into the spark of Your new Freedom, oh Greece, my soul was suddenly enveloped in light as if all space were copper, or as if I were enshrined in the holy cell of Herakleitos where for years, he forged his theories on Eternity and hung them up like arms in the Temple of Ephesus

Verse II
Gigantic thoughts, like fiery clouds or islands crimson in a mythical sunset, were lit up in my mind, for my whole life was all at once burning in concern for Your new Freedom, oh Greece! For this reason I did not speak: This is the light of my funeral pyre… The torch of Your History, am I, I cried out and so, let my abandoned corpse burn like a torch with this torch here marching upright, as at the final hour, to illumine at last all the corners of the Universe, to open the way to the soul, to the spirit to Your body, oh Greece! I spoke, and marched on holding my enflamed liver on Your Caucasus, and my every step was the first, and, I thought, the last, how my naked foot kept stumbling over Your blood, how my naked foot kept stumbling over Your corpsess because my body, my face, my whole spirit was reflected, as in a lake, in Your blood! There, in such a scarlet mirror, oh Greece, a bottomless mirror, a mirror of the abyss of Your Freedom and Your thirst, I saw myself heavy formed out of red earth clay, a new Adam, formed out of the newest creation that we are about to create for You, oh Greece!

Verse III
And I said: I know yesterday I know, that your Gods too, the Olympians, have now become the earthy foundation, for we buried them deep down, lest foreigners find them. And the whole foundation was twice and thrice stablished with as many bones as our enemies piled up one upon the other… And still I know that for the libations and offerings of the new Temple which was dreamed of for You, oh Greece, for days and nights, more brothers were slaughtered among them, than lamps have ever been sacrificed for Easter!..

Verse IV
Fate: and for Your Fate is mine to my innermost depths! And from Love, from the great creative Love, my should is hardened, is hardened and enters wholly into the mud and Your blood, to mold the new heart which you, oh Greece, in Your new struggle need! The new hear which is already locked in my breast, and I cry out with it today to all the comrades:

Verse V
Forward; help us raise the sun over Greece; forward, help us raise the sun over the world! Oh look, its wheel is stuck fast in the mud, and see, its axle sunk deep in the blood! Forward Men, its not easy for the sun to rise by itself; Push with knee and chest to get him out of the mud; push with chest and knee to get him out of the blood. Look how we lean on him, his blood-brothers! Forward, brothers; he has encircled us with his fire.

Verse VI
Forward, creators! Your burdened thrust support with heads and feet, lest the sun sink! Help me too, brother, not to sink as well! He has already been on me, in me, and all around me, and I have been turning in a sacred dizziness with him! A thousand bulls’ croups grip his roots; a two-headed eagle, who beats over me his wings and his scream pierces my head beside and whiten my soul, and the far and the near for me are already one! Heavy Harmonies, unheard before encompass me! Forward comrades, help lift up the sun to become the Spirit!

Verse VII
The new Word draws near, which will color everything in its new flame, mind and body, solid steel. Our earth has been over fertilized with human flesh! Fat and fecund, lest we let our soil go dry from this deep bath of blood, more rich and deep than any first autumn rain! Tomorrow let every one of us go out with twelve yokes of oxen to plough this blood-soaked land… Mary laurel blossom upon her and become the tree of life, and our Vineyard spread to the ends of the Universe… Forward, men, it is not easy for the sun to rise alone. Push on with knee and chest, to get him out of the mud; push with chest and knee, to get him out of the blood; push with hands and heads, that the sun may enkindle the Spirit.

Verse VIII
Thus, as I threw the last torch into the spark of light, (torch of my life locked in time), into the spark of Your new Freedom, oh Greece, suddenly my cry was raised aloud,, as if all space were copper, or as if I were enshrined in the holy cell of Herakleitos where, for years, he forged his theories on Eternity and hung them up like arms in the temple of Ephesus, as I cried out to You, comrades!