Sumus Victores ("We Are the Champions" in Latin)

In Medias Res |
 
The Triumph of Aemilius Paullus (Metropolitan Museum of Art, courtesy Wikimedia).
   The Triumph of Aemilius Paullus (Metropolitan Museum of Art, courtesy Wikimedia).

 

[Editor’s note: This version, one of the best translations by the redoubtable Luke Henderson, Latin teacher at Santa Monica High School, has become a standard at Living Latin events. Once learned it is just as easy and rewarding to sing as the English version.]

SUMUS VICTORES (“WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS”) [1977 Freddie Mercury; trans. Lucas Henderson]

Mea in me recepta sunt;

pœnæ meæ datæ sunt.

at innocens sic passus sum

quosdam errores laboresque nec nondum

 

[chorus]

sumus victores, amici,

pugnabimus usque ad finem.

sumus victores, sumus victores.

væ victis ipsis,

victores nos sumus — hodie.

fábula hæc acta hic est.

fortúna mihi quam máxime favet, et finis sic est.

victóriam non sine magno

atque ópere atque labóre adéptus ego.

 

[chorus]

sumus victores, amici,

pugnabimus usque ad finem.

sumus victores, sumus victores.

væ victis ipsis,

victores nos sumus — hodie.

In Medias Res

In Medias Res is the online magazine for lovers of Latin and Greek, published by the Paideia Institute.

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