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Hey mountains of Grevená,
hey mountain pine of Métsovo,
can’t you dip a little lower.
Dip two rifle shots so we can see Grevená,
and much-lauded Spílio,
see how Ziakas is battling the Turks.
The shells fall like rain and the bombs like hail,
and rifles here and there like raindrops.
Keep fighting, poor Thódoros,
keep the shots ringing out, have no fear of Abdi Pasha’s shots.
How can I keep on, boys, how can I fight,
my cartridge belt is empty, I’ve not one bullet left,
and I’ve a thousand women and children
hanging round my neck.
Keep fighting, poor Thódoros.

Translated by Michael Eleftheriou

Εσείς βουνά του Γρεβενού

Του Ζιάκα

ν-Εσείς βουνά, βουνά του Γρεβενού
και πεύκα του Μετσόβου, λίγο για χα- για χαμηλώσετε.

Λίγο για χαμηλώσετε δυο ντουφεκιές του βάθους
για να φανούν τα Γρεβενά, το παινεμένο Σπήλιο,
πώς πολεμάει Τζιάκας με την Τουρκιά.
Πέφτουν τα τόπια1 σα βροχή κι οι μπόμπες σα χαλάζι,
κι αυτά τα λιανοντούφεκα σα σιγαλή ψιχάλα.
Βάστα καημένε Θόδωρε, βαστάξου στο ντουφέκι,
μη σε φοβίζουν τίποτε τ’ Αβδή πασά τα τόπια.
Πώς να βαστάξω βρε παιδιά και πώς να πολεμήσω,
ο τζιπχανές2 εσώθηκε, δεν έμεινε ένα βόλι,
και χίλια γυναικόπαιδα κρέμονται στο λαιμό μου.
Βάστα καημένε Θόδωρε.

1τόπια: τα βόλια των κανονιών
2τζιπχανές: πυρομαχικά

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Notes

A song about Thódoros Ziakas, a member of the famed family of armatoloi from Makrynoros, Grevená. Ziakas continued to fight the Turks after the founding of the modern Greek state and met his death near the village of Spίlio in 1854, taking part in a local uprising. Miranda Terzopoulou (2007)

Recording information

Studio recording, 2004.

Based on Simon Karas' recording which belongs to the Association for the Dissemination of Greek National Music.

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