Album

to LISTEN click here

Wedding Hymn

Raise the torch and fling the flame!

Flood the walls with holy light!

Worship the almighty

Hymen, God of Marriage!

Agamemnon,
master of my maiden flesh,

King of Argos, take me!

Heaven's blessing falls on me
 & falls on you.

Hear our cry of worship,

Hymen, God of Marriage!

Dancers, come!

Loose your leaping feet,

Wild with wine of ecstasy!

Glorify my father's happy fate!

God Apollo, lead this holy ritual dance!

In your temple-court,

Under your immortal laurel-tree,

I your priestess call on you!

Hymen, mighty god,

Hymen, hear!

Come and dance, Mother, dance with me;

Charm the Powers with lucky words.

Loudly chant your daughter's wedding-song!

Wildly whirl and turn in purest ecstasy!

Maids of Troy,

Wear your finest gowns:

Come, and sing my wedding-song,

Hail the lover Love and Fate appoint for me!

All my life has been made for this day. All my life.

All my life I've prepared for this time. All my life.

Commentary
The words of this song are principally Cassandra’s entrance speech in Euripides’s  ancient Greek tragedy “The Women Of Troy”.  Troy has just been sacked, the women from the royal family are being allotted as slaves to various of the victorious Greeks. Into this context of shock & morning bursts Cassandra, still defiant and unexpectedly proclaiming that this should be a time of celebration. Unlike the others, she knows in advance the dire fates which will face their captors.

This ‘defiant dance’ (cf ‘January 13th’) is my favourite image of Cassandra and, despite my limited drawing skills, I felt inspired to create the accompanying picture which now also represents the entire “Emerging Into The Brightness of The Day” album.

Words (except “All my life” section):
Euripides 500 BCE
English translation:  Philip Vellacott 1955

Words (“All my life” section only) & music:
 Ed Hooke 2006

Date of Recording:  2006

Guest Vocalist:   Amanda Menezes
Date of Recording:    2005