Black Swarm Orbis album cover: Kat holding a set of brass scales beside a gravestone and a cross-marked shield

ACT II · THE WAR

Orbis: The War

“My love is dead. My war is born.” She swears by ice and fire and raises an army under one law: spare the mothers, spare the little ones. Victory devours her. The law is drowned out by a new one — kneel or burn — and the dead are counted in the hundreds of thousands. She spares one woman, the one he chose, and gives her a sentence: live, and watch. Then the queen’s world turns to ash, and night takes her.

Act II of Black Swarm’s Latin electronic opera, sung by Kat. Every Latin line is translated below.

Tracklist

  1. 01CoemeteriumThe Cemetery
  2. 02Animae DamnataeDamned Souls
  3. 03Bellum Meum Natum EstMy War Is BornLyrics
  4. 04Ex Cineribus SurgoFrom the Ashes I RiseLyrics
  5. 05Ad ArmaTo ArmsLyrics
  6. 06Lex MeaMy LawLyrics
  7. 07Mille AnimaeA Thousand SoulsLyrics
  8. 08Victoria Me VoratVictory Devours MeLyrics
  9. 09LamentumLament
  10. 10Furor ZelotypiaeThe Fury of Jealousy
  11. 11Genua Flectite Aut ArdeteKneel or BurnLyrics
  12. 12Vive et VideLive, and WatchLyrics
  13. 13Una AnimaOne SoulLyrics
  14. 14Regina Sine RegnoA Queen Without a KingdomLyrics
  15. 15Sola RestoI Alone RemainLyrics
  16. 16Tyranni CaduntTyrants Fall

Lyrics & translation

TRACK 3

Bellum Meum Natum Est — My War Is Born

LATINENGLISH

Frigidus iaces
Sub luna muta
Amor meus mortuus est
Amor meus… mortuus est

You lie cold
Under a silent moon
My love is dead
My love… is dead

Non fleo
Numero
Una anima
Una anima

I do not weep
I count
One soul
One soul

Bellum meum natum est
Bellum meum natum est
Iuro per glaciem
Iuro per ignem

My war is born
My war is born
I swear by ice
I swear by fire

Orbis solvet
Orbis ardebit
Bellum meum natum est
(bellum… bellum…)

The world will pay
The world will burn
My war is born
(war… war…)

Amor meus mortuus est
Bellum meum natum est

My love is dead
My war is born

Bellum meum natum est
(bellum… bellum…)
Iuro per glaciem
Iuro per ignem
(bellum… bellum…)

My war is born
(war… war…)
I swear by ice
I swear by fire
(war… war…)

Una anima
Una… anima

One soul
One… soul

TRACK 4

Ex Cineribus Surgo — From the Ashes I Rise

LATINENGLISH

Glacies liquescit
Glacies liquescit
Ignis sub glacie

The ice is melting
The ice is melting
Fire beneath the ice

Ex cineribus surgo
Ex cineribus surgo

From the ashes I rise
From the ashes I rise

Flamma renovata
Flamma renovata
Ex cineribus surgo
Flamma renovata

The flame reborn
The flame reborn
From the ashes I rise
The flame reborn

Cudite gladios
(Cudite!)
Candet ferrum
(Candet!)
Surgite, surgite
(Surgite!)

Forge the swords
(Forge!)
The iron glows white-hot
(It glows!)
Rise, rise
(Rise!)

Ignis crescit
Ignis crescit
Numquam exstinguetur

The fire grows
The fire grows
It will never be put out

Flamma renovata
(Surgite!)
Ex cineribus surgo
(Surgite!)
Numquam exstinguetur

The flame reborn
(Rise!)
From the ashes I rise
(Rise!)
It will never be put out

Una anima
Una… anima

One soul
One… soul

TRACK 5

Ad Arma — To Arms

LATINENGLISH

Ad arma
Ad arma
Regina vocat
Regina vocat

To arms
To arms
The queen calls
The queen calls

Signa ferte
Imus ad bellum
Imus… ad bellum

Raise the banners
We go to war
We go… to war

Ad arma… regina vocat…
Regina iubet…

To arms… the queen calls…
The queen commands…

Pro regina omnia
Unum cor, una regina
Ad arma… ad arma…

Everything for the queen
One heart, one queen
To arms… to arms…

Pro una anima
Pro una… anima

For one soul
For one… soul

TRACK 6

Lex Mea — My Law

LATINENGLISH

Parcite matribus
Parcite parvulis
Nolite nocere
Haec est lex mea

Spare the mothers
Spare the little ones
Do no harm
This is my law

Iurate!
(Iuramus)
Iurate!
(Iuramus)
Parcite matribus
(Iuramus)
Parcite parvulis
(Iuramus)

Swear it!
(We swear)
Swear it!
(We swear)
Spare the mothers
(We swear)
Spare the little ones
(We swear)

Bellum est ignis
Innocentibus parcite
Haec est lex mea
Haec est lex

War is fire
Spare the innocent
This is my law
This is the law

Iurate!
(Iuramus)
Nolite nocere
(Iuramus)
Parcite matribus
(Iuramus)
Parcite parvulis
(Iuramus)

Swear it!
(We swear)
Do no harm
(We swear)
Spare the mothers
(We swear)
Spare the little ones
(We swear)

Servate animas
Servate… animas

Save the souls
Save… the souls

TRACK 7

Mille Animae — A Thousand Souls

LATINENGLISH

Venit tempestas
Venit tempestas

The storm is coming
The storm is coming

Mundus ardet!
Caelum cadit!
Mundus ardet!
Caelum cadit!
In media tempestate

The world is burning!
The sky is falling!
The world is burning!
The sky is falling!
In the heart of the storm

State firmi
(Mundus ardet!)
Nolite cedere
(Caelum cadit!)
Mecum ite
(In media tempestate!)

Stand firm
(The world is burning!)
Do not give way
(The sky is falling!)
Come with me
(In the heart of the storm!)

Mundus ardet!
(Venit tempestas!)
Caelum cadit!
(Venit tempestas!)
In media tempestate
In media tempestate

The world is burning!
(The storm is coming!)
The sky is falling!
(The storm is coming!)
In the heart of the storm
In the heart of the storm

Mille animae
Mille… animae

A thousand souls
A thousand… souls

TRACK 8

Victoria Me Vorat — Victory Devours Me

LATINENGLISH

Victoria me vorat
Victoria me vorat
Quod capio, me capit

Victory devours me
Victory devours me
What I seize, seizes me

(Parcite matribus… parcite parvulis…)
Tace!

(Spare the mothers… spare the little ones…)
Silence!

Plus volo
Plus volo
Non satis
Numquam satis

I want more
I want more
Not enough
Never enough

(Parcite… parcite parvulis…)
Tace!
(Tace!)

(Spare… spare the little ones…)
Silence!
(Silence!)

Fames mea crescit
Quod capio, me capit
Victoria me vorat
Et ego… volo

My hunger grows
What I seize, seizes me
Victory devours me
And I… want it

(Parcite…)
Tace.

(Spare…)
Silence.

Victoria me vorat
Et ego volo
Victoria me vorat
Et ego volo

Victory devours me
And I want it
Victory devours me
And I want it

Decem milia animarum
Decem milia… animarum

Ten thousand souls
Ten thousand… souls

TRACK 11

Genua Flectite Aut Ardete — Kneel or Burn

LATINENGLISH

Audite
Audite
Regina dicit

Hear me
Hear me
The queen speaks

Genua flectite
(aut ardete… aut ardete…)
Genua flectite
(aut ardete… aut ardete…)
Flamma aut palus
(flamma aut palus…)

Bend the knee
(or burn… or burn…)
Bend the knee
(or burn… or burn…)
The flame or the stake
(the flame or the stake…)

Qui non flectit
(ardet…)
Qui non flectit
(ardet…)
Nulla misericordia
(nulla…)

Whoever does not kneel
(burns…)
Whoever does not kneel
(burns…)
No mercy
(none…)

(Parcite matri—)

(Spare the moth—)

Genua flectite
(aut ardete… aut ardete…)
Omnes flectent
(aut omnes ardebunt…)
Flamma aut palus
(flamma aut palus…)

Bend the knee
(or burn… or burn…)
All will kneel
(or all will burn…)
The flame or the stake
(the flame or the stake…)

Centum milia animarum
Centum milia… animarum

A hundred thousand souls
A hundred thousand… souls

TRACK 12

Vive et Vide — Live, and Watch

LATINENGLISH

Occide me
Te precor
Mori volo
Da mihi mortem

Kill me
I beg you
I want to die
Give me death

Mori vis?
Vives
Vive et vide
Vives

You want to die?
You will live
Live, and watch
You will live

Ille te elegit
Ille te elegit
Nunc ego te eligo
Vive et vide

He chose you
He chose you
Now I choose you
Live, and watch

Mille animae
Decem milia animarum
Centum milia animarum
(Vive et vide)
(Vive et vide)

A thousand souls
Ten thousand souls
A hundred thousand souls
(Live, and watch)
(Live, and watch)

Amavi eum
Amavi eum
(Ego quoque)
Amavi eum

I loved him
I loved him
(So did I)
I loved him

Vives!
(Te precor!)
Vive et vide!
(Occide me!)
Vives!
(Te precor…)
Memento omnia

You will live!
(I beg you!)
Live, and watch!
(Kill me!)
You will live!
(I beg you…)
Remember everything

Scribam iterum
Vive… et vide

I will write again
Live… and watch

TRACK 13

Una Anima — One Soul

LATINENGLISH

Adferte librum
Numera animas
Numerate mortuos
Numerate

Bring the book
Count the souls
Count the dead
Count them

Mille animae
Mille animae
Decem milia
Decem milia

A thousand souls
A thousand souls
Ten thousand
Ten thousand

(Centum milia… centum milia…)

(A hundred thousand… a hundred thousand…)

Centum milia
Decies centena milia
Decies centena milia
Decies… centena… milia

A hundred thousand
A million
A million
A… mil… lion

Tot animae
Tot… animae
Quis numerabit me?

So many souls
So many… souls
Who will count me?

Una anima
Una… anima

One soul
One… soul

TRACK 14

Regina Sine Regno — A Queen Without a Kingdom

LATINENGLISH

Orbis meus
Cinis et umbra
Omnia teneo
Nihil habeo

My world
Ash and shadow
I hold everything
I have nothing

Regina sine regno
Regina sine regno

A queen without a kingdom
A queen without a kingdom

Regina sine regno!
Orbis meus, cinis et umbra
Regina sine regno!
Nihil restat
Sola sto

A queen without a kingdom!
My world, ash and shadow
A queen without a kingdom!
Nothing remains
I stand alone

Amor meus
Ad te venio

My love
I am coming to you

Libera es
Vive et narra
Memento omnia
Narra omnibus

You are free
Live, and tell it
Remember everything
Tell everyone

Numero me
Ultima anima
Ultima… anima

I count myself
The last soul
The last… soul

Frange caelum!
(Frange caelum!)
Rumpe terram!
(Rumpe terram!)
Frange caelum!
(Frange!)

Break the sky!
(Break the sky!)
Split the earth!
(Split the earth!)
Break the sky!
(Break it!)

Nox…
Nox me accipit…

Night…
Night takes me…

TRACK 15

Sola Resto — I Alone Remain

LATINENGLISH

Sola resto
Cinis ubique
Sola… resto

I alone remain
Ash everywhere
I alone… remain

Litteras teneo
Omnes litteras
Memini omnia
Memini… omnia

I hold the letters
All the letters
I remember everything
I remember… everything

Vivo et video
Vivo et narro
Narrabo omnibus
Narrabo omnibus

I live, and I see
I live, and I tell
I will tell everyone
I will tell everyone

Et te numero
Et te… numero

And I count you
And I… count you

Una anima
Una… anima

One soul
One… soul

Amor meus means both “my love” the feeling and “my love” the man; the opera uses both.