LYRICS · ACT II · ORBIS
Genua Flectite Aut Ardete — Kneel or Burn
Track 11 on Orbis: The War, Act II of Black Swarm’s Latin electronic opera.
Latin lyrics & English translation
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
Amor meus means both “my love” the feeling and “my love” the man; the opera uses both.