E05878: Romanos the Melodist composes his kontakia /cantica (hymns) 57 and 58, on the *Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (S00103); they are invoked as heavenly protectors of the state and allies of the emperor at war. Written in Greek at Constantinople, in the mid-6th c. (possibly after 548).

Romanos the Melodist, Cantica 57, 58 (CPG 7570)

Hymn 58

proemium II
 (1) Χαίροις, ὁ στρατὸς    τῆς δόξης τοῦ βασιλέως,
  χαίρετε, φαιδροὶ    φωστῆρες τῆς εὐσεβείας,
  ἐκκλησίας, χαίρετε,    φρουροὶ ἀσφαλεῖς,
βασιλέων κλέος, χαίρετε,    πολιτείας πύργος, χαίρετε,    ἀθληταὶ οἱ τεσσαράκοντα,
:ἐν τῇ μνήμῃ τῇ ὑμῶν    οἰκτείρατε ἡμᾶς.:

'Hail, the army of our King’s glory!
Hail, the bright beacons of piety!
Of the Church, hail, the safe guards!
Of the emperors, hail, the pride! Of the state, hail, the bastion! Oh forty champions!
Pity us on your feast!'


strophe 18
ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ καὶ τότε,    Χριστέ, σωτήρ, βασιλεῦ μου,
  τοῖς σοῖς ἁγίοις    παρέσχες νίκην
  κατὰ δαιμόνων    καὶ τῶν τυράννων,
καὶ νῦν ὡς εὐδιάλλακτος    τῷ πιστοτάτῳ ἄνακτι
  κατὰ βαρβάρων δώρησαι    τὰς νίκας καὶ τὰ τρόπαια,    (10)
εἰρήνην νέμων σῷ λαῷ    ἱκεσίαις καὶ εὐχαῖς    τῆς τεκούσης σε σαρκί,
  τῶν ἁγίων καὶ στερρῶν    ἀθλοφόρων σου ἀεί,
  τῶν λαβόντων παρὰ σοῦ
:δόξαν ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν    καὶ στεφάνων πληθύν.:

‘But as then, Christ saviour, my king,
To your saints did you grant victory
Over demons and tyrants,
Even so now be merciful to our most faithful sovereign;
Grant him victories and trophies over barbarians,
Always awarding peace to your people, by entreaties and prayers of Her that gave you birth in flesh,
And your holy and steadfast champions
Who received from you glory from heaven and a multitude of crowns.’

Text: Maas, Trypanis 1963.
Translation: E. Rizos.