Libera et impera / Acerbus et ingens / Augusta per angusta (Lyrics)

Rikardos

New Member

Location:
New Zealand
Are you sure about Augusta per angusta?

I thought it was Augusta per (or par?) Augusta. Referring to King of all Kings or Greatest of the Great. Alternatively most noble or imperial.

In 27 BC the Roman Senate added the honorific Augustus "Majestic" as a title for future rulers. Definition of August: having great important and especially of the highest social class. Synonyms; noble, kingly, grand. From French auguste ("noble, stately") or Latin augustus ("majestic, imperial, royal"). Makes sense within the song.
 

Issacus Divus

H₃rḗǵs h₁n̥dʰéri diwsú

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Location:
Gæmleflodland
Par and per are not interchangeable at all.
 

Issacus Divus

H₃rḗǵs h₁n̥dʰéri diwsú

  • Civis Illustris

Location:
Gæmleflodland
And no.
Augusta per augusta is nonsense, it doesn't mean "greatest of the great". The saying is indeed augusta per angusta, "through difficulty, greatness."
 
 

Dantius

Homo Sapiens

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Location:
in orbe lacteo
And, though the word here is related to the emperor's name, it has nothing to do with the emperor himself.
 

DreezY

New Member

This appears in the song "The Lion from the North" by Sabaton, and the full chorus is as follows:

Gustavus Adolphus
Libera et impera
Acerbus et ingens
Augusta per angusta

I have a rough idea of what is trying to be said here, but I wondered for some time before discovering this forum whether the grammar is actually correct - considering the infamous use of incorrect Latin in music. Also, I'm assuming they're addressing the king directly, and it should actually be the vocative "Gustave Adolphe", right?

Thanks!
Here is what I can see at the meaning of the sentence.
This is taken in context of the text

"Legends have taught battles fought this lion has no fear at heart
Lion come forth come from the north, come from the north
Gustavus Adolphus, This was the swedish king Gustav 2nd of Sweden (Gustav II Adolf), also called Gustavus Adolphus

Libera et impera = Liberate and reign
Acerbus et ingens = Fierce and mighty
Augusta per augusta = Through Narrow straits to sublimity

Gustavus Adolphus is well-known for his time as a king and was very successful in the wars where he participated.
and is credited for the rise of Sweden as a great European power (Swedish: Stormaktstiden).
During his reign, Sweden became one of the primary military forces in Europe during the Thirty Years' War, helping to determine the political and religious balance of power in Europe.
 

DreezY

New Member

Here is what I can see at the meaning of the sentence.
This is taken in context of the text

"Legends have taught battles fought this lion has no fear at heart
Lion come forth come from the north, come from the north
Gustavus Adolphus, This was the swedish king Gustav 2nd of Sweden (Gustav II Adolf), also called Gustavus Adolphus

Libera et impera = Liberate and reign
Acerbus et ingens = Fierce and mighty
Augusta per augusta = Through Narrow straits to sublimity

Gustavus Adolphus is well-known for his time as a king and was very successful in the wars where he participated.
and is credited for the rise of Sweden as a great European power (Swedish: Stormaktstiden).
During his reign, Sweden became one of the primary military forces in Europe during the Thirty Years' War, helping to determine the political and religious balance of power in Europe.
 

Agrippa

Civis Illustris

  • Civis Illustris

Location:
Western Europe
Augusta per angusta (aNgusta!)
 

DreezY

New Member

Gustavus Adolphus is the latinized name King Gustav II Adolf chose for himself. and to my knowledge from Swedish history the rest translate to: Free to reign. Merciless and great/mighty. Honor through hardship. the Libera et impera is supposedly something he said and was meant as Swedens destiny as a great power in Europe something that Gustav Adolf put a lot of work into and succeeding at until the falsely celebrated King Carl XII put an end to that with his endless warring and losses. Acerbus et ingens i think is meant for his victories against Denmark, Poland and Russia as well as later against the Holy Roman Empire. and the last part i think is from that he inherited the throne at the age of 16 while the country was at war and that it was very poor and lacking any proper army both things that he changed.


Here is what I can see at the meaning of the sentence.
This is taken in context of the text

"Legends have taught battles fought this lion has no fear at heart
Lion come forth come from the north, come from the north
Gustavus Adolphus, This was the swedish king Gustav 2nd of Sweden (Gustav II Adolf), also called Gustavus Adolphus

Libera et impera = Liberate and reign
Acerbus et ingens = Fierce and mighty
Augusta per augusta = Through Narrow straits to sublimity

Gustavus Adolphus is well-known for his time as a king and was very successful in the wars where he participated.
and is credited for the rise of Sweden as a great European power (Swedish: Stormaktstiden).
During his reign, Sweden became one of the primary military forces in Europe during the Thirty Years' War, helping to determine the political and religious balance of power in Europe.
 
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