Inno al Re

Inno al Re (English: "Hymn to the King"), composed by Giovanni Paisiello in 1787, was the national anthem of the southern European kingdom of the Two Sicilies from 1816 until the Italian unification in 1860.[1]

Inno al Re
English: Hymn to the King
anthem of Two Sicilies
MusicGiovanni Paisiello
Adopted1816—1861
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Lyrics

These are the lyrics which were used during the time of the kingdom. In the example, below the name of Ferdinand could be replaced by whichever Bourbon king was ruling the Two Sicilies at the time.[2] The "double throne of his fathers" is a reference to the fact that Naples and the Sicily were two kingdoms, hence the name of the country "Two" Sicilies.

Italian lyrics
Iddio conservi il Re
per lunga e lunga età
come nel cor ci sta
viva Fernando il Re!
Iddio lo serbi al duplice
trono dei Padri suoi
Iddio lo serbi a noi!
viva Fernando il Re!
English translation
God save the king
for a long, long time
as he is in our hearts
long live Ferdinand, the king!
God save him to the double
throne of his fathers
God save him to us!
long live Ferdinand, the king!

"Back from the Past"

A new set of lyrics has been written by Neapolitan songwriter Riccardo Pazzaglia to go along with the original composition. This variation of the anthem is known as Ritornati dal passato, meaning Back from the Past. It has been officially adopted as the anthem of the Two Sicilies independence movement in Southern Italy called "Movimento Neoborbonico (7 sept. 1993).[3] Below are the lyrics written by Riccardo Pazzaglia;[3]

Italian lyrics
Dio ti salvi, cara patria
che ti distendi in questo antico mare d'eroi,
millenaria culla del pensiero
che nacque in Grecia
e in questa terra rifiorí.
Cancellata dalla Storia,
le tue bandiere vengono rialzate da noi.
Sulle sacre torri di Gaeta
scriviamo ancora la parola: Dignità.
Soldato del Volturno
che cadesti qui,
nessuno per cent'anni
il nome tuo scolpí.
Dai figli che visti non hai
l'onore tu riavrai.
Ritornati dal passato,
chi in noi crederà stavolta vincerà.
Va avanti, tamburino,
suona come allor:
assente la fortuna
non mancò il valor.
Il Fato che un dí ci tradí
adesso ci riuní.
Ritornati dal passato,
chi in noi crederà
stavolta vincerà.
English translation
Let God save you, dear homeland
that stretches out in this ancient sea of heroes,
cradle of thought
that, born in Greece,
in this land flourished anew.
Erased from history,
we are once again flying your flags.
On the sacred towers of Gaeta
we write again the word: Dignity.
Soldier of the Volturno,
you that fell here,
no one for a hundred years
has engraved your name.
The children you never knew
will return honour to you.
Back from the past,
those who believe in us this time will win.
Go ahead, drummer,
beat like you once did:
without luck
but not without courage.
Fate that betrayed us
now reunites us.
Back from the past
those who believe in us
this time will win.

References
  1. "Inni e Musiche". Monzu Vladi.it. 18 February 2008. Archived from the original on 18 September 2007. Retrieved 19 February 2008.
  2. "L'Inno delle Due Sicilie". Elemal.org. 18 February 2008.
  3. "National Anthem by Paisiello". DueSicilies.org. 18 February 2008.
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