The Real Anthem: Agni Parthene 2

Lorenzo: Here's the translation. The previous post was in the original Greek.

Anselmo: Okay, I get it now.

Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded

O Virgin pure, immaculate/ O Lady Theotokos

O Virgin Mother, Queen of all/ and fleece which is all dewy

More radiant than the rays of sun/ and higher than the heavens

Delight of virgin choruses/ superior to Angels.

Much brighter than the firmament/ and purer than the sun's light

More holy than the multitude/ of all the heav'nly armies.

Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

O Ever Virgin Mary/ of all the world, the Lady

O bride all pure, immaculate/ O Lady Panagia

O Mary bride and Queen of all/ our cause of jubilation

Majestic maiden, Queen of all/ O our most holy Mother

More hon'rable than Cherubim/ beyond compare more glorious

than immaterial Seraphim/ and greater than angelic thrones.

Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

Rejoice, O song of Cherubim/ Rejoice, O hymn of angels

Rejoice, O ode of Seraphim/ the joy of the archangels

Rejoice, O peace and happiness/ the harbor of salvation

O sacred chamber of the Word/ flow'r of incorruption

Rejoice, delightful paradise/ of blessed life eternal

Rejoice, O wood and tree of life/ the fount of immortality.

Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

I supplicate you, Lady/ now do I call upon you

And I beseech you, Queen of all/ I beg of you your favor

Majestic maiden, spotless one/ O Lady Panagia

I call upon you fervently/ O sacred, hallowed temple

Assist me and deliver me/ protect me from the enemy

And make me an inheritor/ of blessed life eternal.

Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded!

The Real Anthem: Agni Parthene 1

Lorenzo: Hi guys! A little correction here. The real anthem of the EOGC is the Agni Parthene. The previous song was the EOGC's inaugural hymn.

Anselmo: My bad.

Lorenzo: No harm done.

Agni Parthene (O Virgin Pure)

S.TI	Greek Original	Transliteration
1.Aα	Ἁγνὴ Παρθένε Δέσποινα, ἄχραντε Θεοτόκε,	Agní Parthéne Déspina, Áhrante Theotóke,
R	Χαῖρε νύμφη ἀνύμφευτε.	Hére Nímfi Anímfefte.
1.Aβ	Παρθὲνε μὴτηρ ἄνασσα, πανένδροσέ τε πόκε.  R	Parthéne Mítir Ánassa, Panéndrose te póke.  R
1.Bα	Ὑψηλοτέρα οὐρανῶν ἀκτίνων λαμπροτέρα,  R	Ipsilotéra Uranón, aktínon lamprotéra,  R
1.Bβ	Χαρὰ παρθενικῶν χορῶν ἀγγέλων ὑπερτέρα.  R	Hará parthenikón horón, angélon ipertéra,  R
1.Cα	Ἐκλαμπροτέρα οὐρανῶν, φωτὸς καθαρωτέρα,  R	Eklamprotéra uranón fotós katharotéra,  R
1.Cβ	Τῶν οὐρανίων στρατιῶν, πασῶν ἁγιωτέρα.  R	Ton Uraníon stratión pasón agiotéra.  R
2.Aα	Μαρία ἀειπάρθενε κόσμου παντὸς Κυρία,  R	María Aipárthene kósmu pantós Kiría,  R
2.Aβ	Ἄχραντε νύμφη πάναγνε, Δέσποινα Παναγία.  R	Áhrante Nímfi Pánagne, Déspina Panagía,  R
2.Bα	Μαρία νύμφη ἄνασσα, χαρᾶς ἡμῶν αἰτία,  R	María Nímfi Ánassa, harás imón etía,  R
2.Bβ	Κόρη σεμνή, Βασίλισσα, Μήτηρ ὑπεραγία.  R	Korí semní Vasílissa, Mítir iperagía,  R
2.Cα	Τιμιωτέρα Χερουβίμ, ὑπερενδοξοτέρα,  R	Timiotéra Heruvím, iperendoxotéra  R
2.Cβ	Τῶν ἀσωμάτων Σεραφίμ, τῶν θρόνων ὑπερτέρα.  R	Ton asomáton Serafím, ton Thrónon ipertéra.  R
3.Aα	Χαῖρε τὸ ᾆσμα Χερουβίμ, χαῖρε ὕμνος ἀγγέλων,  R	Hére to ásma Heruvím, hére ímnos angélon,  R
3.Aβ	Χαῖρε ᾠδὴ τῶν Σεραφίμ, χαρὰ τῶν ἀρχαγγέλων.  R	Hére odí ton Serafím, hará tón Arhangélon,  R
3.Bα	Χαῖρε εἰρήνη καὶ χαρά, λιμὴν τῆς σωτηρίας,  R	Hére iríni ke hará, limín tis sotirías,  R
3.Bβ	Παστὰς τοῦ Λόγου ἱερά, ἄνθος τῆς ἀφθαρσίας.  R	pastás tu Lógu ierá, ánthos tis aftharsías,  R
3.Cα	Χαῖρε παράδεισε τρυφῆς, ζωῆς τε αἰωνίας.  R	Hére Parádise trifís, zoís te eonías,  R
3.Cβ	Χαῖρε τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς, πηγὴ ἀθανασίας.  R	Hére to xílon tis zoís, pigí athanasías.  R
4.Aα	Σὲ ἱκετεύω Δέσποινα, σὲ νῦν ἐπικαλοῦμαι.  R	Se iketévo Déspina, Se, nin, epikalúme,  R
4.Aβ	Σὲ δυσωπῶ Παντάνασσα, σὴν χάριν ἐξαιτοῦμαι.  R	Se disopó Pantánassa, Sin hárin exetúme.  R
4.Bα	Κόρη σεμνὴ καὶ ἄσπιλε, Δέσποινα Παναγία,  R	Korí semní ke áspile, Déspina Panagía,  R
4.Bβ	Θερμῶς ἐπικαλοῦμαί σε, ναὲ ἡγιασμένε.  R	Thermós epikalúme Se, Naé igiasméne,  R
4.Cα	Ἀντιλαβοῦ μου, ρῦσαί με ἀπὸ τοῦ πολεμίου  R	Antilavú mu, ríse me apó tu polemíu,  R
4.Cβ	Καὶ κληρονόμον δεῖξόν με ζωῆς τῆς αἰωνίου.  R	Ke klironómon díxon me zoís tis eoníu.  R

We Are the New Byzantium

Anselmo: This may be a hymn from the Orthodox Church, but it's also the official anthem of the EOGC, unlike the An Die Freude. It was suggested by Cardinal Zhang, even though he's Catholic.

Lorenzo: He was ordained in the Byzantine Rite, like me; that explains everything. Byzantine Rite Catholics are Catholics. They just follow the practices of the Orthodox, but their loyalty is the same as the rest of the Church.

A Modern Nemo 39

Shoji and Chidori, together with all the people Konstantiniadis picked up found themselves being ordered to quickly return to their vessels. It came as strange.

"What's going on?" he asked the security man who was leading them up the plank. "We're not supposed to leave for another two weeks!"

"There's been a sudden change of plans," replied the guard. "Mr. Konstantiniadis is planning something big."

Chidori remembered something. "Saya!" she cried. "What about Saya?"

"They'll be safe!" retorted the guard as everyone was herded aboard the ship.

Hayashi and Mori had been clashing their weapons already for a while as Onodera and the giant were keeping watch on their scopes when a noise was heard. It was a ship's whistle.

Both fighters stopped and looked at the harbor; they saw the Green Oceans ships begin to move.

"Well, it looks like it's pointless to continue this fight," remarked Mori

"You were going to buy them time to escape, weren't you?" said Hayashi suspiciously.

"Oh no, Ryuichi-kun," replied Mori, shaking his head. "I never intended this."

"Liar!" snapped Hayashi. "You lie just as easily to me as you did to your wife and daughter!"

"Wife?" Mori chuckled. "I never had a wife. That woman was just infatuated with me and took advantage of my depression after your sister entered the convent."

"You have a family that you abandoned!"

Mori lowered his head. His smile vanished. For a moment, he remained silent.

"My daughter is the only family I have left," Mori hissed, looking back up at Hayashi. "That woman, her mother, is just merely incidental."

"Bastard!" shrieked Hayashi as he rushed toward Mori. His rush was interrupted by a gunshot. A bullet had just passed between them. It grazed Hayashi's shirt. Both men leaped back and looked toward the trees.

Onodera turned his scope in the direction of the forest, as did the giant. He saw several men with guns, apparently Green Oceans security personnel, who had just arrived and were about to attack. Three men were there and five more were arriving.

"I hate these kinds of interruptions," snarled Mori.

Onodera squeezed the trigger, taking out one man; the giant took down another.

Hayashi and Mori rushed toward the forest and headed straight toward their shocked attackers. In fifteen minutes, it was over.

"I'm going to have a long chat with my liaison," said Mori after wiping the blood from his chisels

"You've been suspected," said Hayashi. "What are you going to do now?"

"No, I haven't," replied Mori. "And besides, there's something I can do about it."

"What?"

"You already know what it is; we learned it when we first arrived in the EOGC. diskarte." With that, Mori took off.

Hayahsi looked at the bodies for a moment and noticed that a radio giving off static. Someone was on the other end.

"Are you there? Are you there? Over." said the voice.

"What's happening? Over." it continued as Hayashi approached it.

Raising his right foot, Hayashi brought it down, crushing the radio.

A Moder Nemo 38

Onodera started. He spat out the cigarette the moment he saw Hayashi leap to his feet. He was, however, unable to train his rifle on Mori as the Dutch giant tossed his beer can away and went back to eyeing him through his scope. 

Onodera clenched his teeth. "Of all people, it had to be you, big guy," he grumbled.

The giant merely smiled.

"Using scissors again, Ryuichi-kun?" remarked Mori as Hayashi's scissors slammed against his left chisel. "You're getting soft. Using the same weapon again; where's your creativity? Have you forgotten the EOGC special forces' motto?"

Hayashi leaped back. "How could I not forget?" he snapped. "But it doesn't matter when I'm dealing with you!"

Mori straightened himself and took a step back. "Then say it, my friend," he said, "you who are still with the EOGC special forces."

Hayashi paused and stared at Mori. The latter smiled,  took a step back with his right foot and bent his legs.

"Armamentarium," said Mori in latin, raising his left chisel with the blade pointing in a downward, diagonal, outward and forward direction.

"Meum," followed Hayashi. He also took a step backward with his right foot and bent his legs. He held his scissors in an outward, horizontal position.

"Mundum," continued Mori, bringing his right chisel near his left elbow.

"Est," concluded Hayashi as he brought his left fist -holding the shot glass behind his right fist.

Before Mori could do anything Hayashi threw his glass at the former, who deflected it with his right chisel.

"Now that's the Ryuichi-kun I know!" Mori exclaimed. "Looks like I'm going to enjoy this fight!"

"Bring it on, Taro Mori!" Hayashi cried.

Both men charged at each other, eager for blood.

A Modern Nemo 37

Mori laughed again upon seeing the look of disappointment of Hayashi's face. "So," he said, "now that we've run into a dead end, why not we talk about something else? Let's talk about things going on back home."

"Home?" Hayashi snarled. "You don't have any home."

"We both lost our homes when we fled Japan as refugees, Ryuichi-kun," said Mori after emptying his glass. "The EOGC took us in."

"You left."

Hayashi finished his glass in one gulp.

"Oh, but I'm always intent on returning, Ryuichi-kun, no?"

"After always causing trouble."

"Oh, I have to earn a living."

"By wreaking havoc wherever it is you go."

"Let's not talk about me, Ryuichi-kun. Let's talk about you," said Mori ashe leaned forward. "How's your sister?"

Instantly, Hayashi leaped to his feet. He pulled out another pair of scissors. "Don't you ever talk about my sister!" he snapped.

"Why not, Ryuichi-kun?" sneered Mori. "I used to have a crush on her."

"The path she took, she took on her own free will! You were in her way! You have no right to follow her, you scum!"

Mori rose slowly. "So like you, Ryuichi-kun. Always shrinking her options and keeping an eye on her," he hissed. "She's a bird in a beautiful cage; it's called a convent."

"Shut up, Taro!"

Mori dropped his glass and the wine bottle. Almost immediately a pair of chisels slithered, handles first, into his hands from the sleeves of his blazer.

"Don't deny it, Ryuichi-kun,"said Mori as Hayashi took a step back. "A control-freak of an older brother like you maneuvered her into taking that kind of life."

"Shut up!" cried Hayashi as he swung his scissors at Mori.

A Modern Nemo 36

Onodera clenched his teeth. Mori was looking at him, right through his crosshairs, and smiling. Now he had to watch both Mori and the giant. The playing field was leveled; now both snipers were watching each other as well as their men on the ground.

Mori reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of shot glasses. He tossed one to Hayashi. Hayashi caught the glass as Mori approached him, holding the bottle out.

"Mavrodafni," noted Hayashi,eyeing the wine. "I prefer retsina."

Mori chuckled. "Let's talk," he said.

Onodera's smartphone buzzed. He ignored it, even as it vibrated repeatedly in his coat pocket. Finally, he noticed movement on the giant's side.

Joop pulled his phone out and waved it playfully at Onodera.

Realizing he was being contacted by the dutch giant, Onodera pulled out his phone and saw a missed call and a text message.

"Hi there, 4 eyes." read the text. "This will take a while. Why don't we just sit down and cool off?"

Onodera looked back through his scope and saw the dutch giant wave a can of beer. He sent a reply. "Don't mind if I do, Necker D. Wrecker." it read.

The dutch giant grinned, popped the can open, inserted a straw and started drinking. Onodera lit a cigarette.

Hayashi tasted the mavrodafni  as he and Mori seated themselves among the rocks. The wine was sweet, with tones of chocolate and raisins. Mori drank from his glass, looked up and closed his eyes for a moment. "So, Ryuichi-kun," he began, "what's made you so interested in my employer's business?"

"Nothing, Taro-kun," Hayashi replied, "I'm just following orders."

"Part of the background work again, eh?"

Hayashi glanced at Mori irritably and continued drinking.

"Eh?" asked Mori, leaning forward.

Hayashi continued drinking.

"Eh?"persisted Mori, leaning closer.

"You're getting too close to my face."

Mori leaned back and laughed.

"It strikes me as odd that your boss is gathering all his ships in one place instead having them ply the shipping routes," Hayashi continued.

"And what of concern is that to Eric Ong?"

Hayashi looked at Mori suspiciously.

"Oh, you can trust me," said Mori, waving a hand. "I don't exactly like my employer. I'm just in here for the money."

"You are truly a mercenary, you know that?" said Hayashi as he held out his glass for a refill. "It's abnormal, the movement of your ships."

"It is, but what do I care?"

"This huge fleet of ships will make its way through the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean, won't it?" said Hayashi. "Konstantiniadis wouldn't go all this way to bring a huge fleet of ships to Greece and not have everybody on board them disembark permanently."

Mori laughed. "At least you know that much," he chuckled.

"And then what?" Mori persisted. "What then, when you reach the Indian Ocean?"

"I don't know, Ryuichi-kun," Mori replied as he filled Hayashi's glass as well as his. "Your guess is as good as mine. Even Konstantiniadis' pick-ups have no idea where they're going."

"Damn it; this is a dead end."