DID YOU KNOW THERE IS AN OFFICIAL OLYMPIC THEME?
It's not the one that plays each time the games are televised either when returning from commercial breaks.
In FACT it was first written - the music, THEN the lyrics. First sung in 1896 Greek Olympics!!! Music by Spyridon Samaras, and lyrics written by poet Kostis Palamas [both Greek]. It was voted and made the official anthem in 1958 in Tokyo....and has been played each consecutive Olympic Ceremony since 1960.
Αρχαίο Πνεύμα αθάνατο, αγνέ πατέρα
του ωραίου, του μεγάλου και του αληθινού,
Κατέβα, φανερώσου κι άστραψε εδώ πέρα
στη δόξα της δικής σου γης και τ' ουρανού.
Στο δρόμο και στο πάλεμα και στο λιθάρι
Στων ευγενών αγώνων λάμψε την ορμή
Και με το αμάραντο στεφάνωσε κλωνάρι
και σιδερένιο πλάσε και άξιο το κορμί. (δις)
Κάμποι, βουνά και θάλασσες φέγγουνε μαζί σου
σαν ένας λευκοπόρφυρος μέγας ναός.
Και τρέχει στο ναό εδώ προσκυνητής σου (δις)
Αρχαίο Πνεύμα αθάνατο, κάθε λαός. (δις)
literal translation from Greek to English:
O Ancient immortal Spirit, pure father
Of beauty, of greatness and of truth,
Descend, reveal yourself and flash like lightning here,
within the glory of your own earth and sky.
At running and at wrestling and at throwing,
Shine in the momentum of noble contests,
And crown with the unfading branch
And make the body worthy and ironlike. (twice)
Plains, mountains and seas glow with you
Like a white-and-purple great temple,
And hurries at the temple here, your pilgrim, (twice)
O Ancient immortal Spirit, every nation. (twice)
If you'd like to hear this sung .... http://youtu.be/xio0TcKhRUI
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As you may have noticed from the sidebar, Tahoe and Winston decided to become the Blogville's Olympic athletes with some of the special events this year. First the Olympic Medal awarded to all Gold Medal Winners [each athlete won!!]....
Then, on to the events of Tahoe & Winston---
One event they excelled in was SYNCHRONIZED SLEEPING...
Here are my 'trained' pawticipants in their glory---
synchronizzzzzzzzzzed training!!
Listed Photo Shares of the Sleeping Athletes
*
COUCH POTATO PEELER EVENT....
"SEW" Athletic!!!
Dreamin' of the Gold!!!
The Couch Potato Peelers Athletes
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...and last event for Ms. T and Sir Winston is Gymnastics...
The Pommel Horse
What a graceful take-off....Oops...deduct points here, she didn't clear the Horse!!!
and
The Balance Beam
What concentration, what skills....oops, a bird outside, let me stop and think about this balancing act for now...
Hosted by Madi and Mom, check out ALL the athletic skills of the Olympian Gymnasts
CONNECTING TO:
_ _ _
Here is an entire listing of all the events for the pets Olympics for 2012!!
I would like to send along my thanks and my utmost admiration to the hosts of all events prior to today and to the ending ceremony in August!!! Each and every one of you have been FANGtastic and have done one PURRfect job of bringing this all together for the bloggers and the trained athletes!!! My hat's off to you.
Anthem history borrowed from wikipedia
