Not only did E.A. Mario write lyrics to one of the previously mentioned documents, La Leggenda del Piave, he also wrote the lyrics to a tribute song and quite patriotic hymn, Soldato Ignoto.  Being that the “casualties suffered by the participants in World War I dwarfed those of previous wars: some 8,500,000 soldiers died as a result of wounds and/or disease,” (“World War I”, 2013) there were many soldiers whose remains went unidentified.  Popular memorials referred to as Tombs of the Unknown Soldiers were created in Britain and France and the idea later spread to different countries such as the United States and Italy.

 

By singing this hymn, the Italians were paying homage to those who had fought and served in the First World War.  Soldato Ignoto conveys a sense of Italian pride and legacy; the lyrics mention The Battle of the Piave, one of Italy’s victorious battles, and they also give the notion that although an unknown soldier’s body is no longer visible in the physical sense, their spirit will live on forever and their actions will never be forgotten. 

 

English translation:

 

The Karst was a bow:

Prow of Italy vault in the future,

I dipped the aurora,

the motto at the top of "win or die!”

And around the prow they died

when the ship smiled victory,

but the name of every young man who perished

bronze went to the book History of the ...

 

Unknown Soldier, and you?

Lost among the twists and turns of fate!

Pile without platelet,

hero without a medal,

Your name no longer existed!

After the battle,

was asked in vain...

No tea could say: - Present!

 

The Piave was a dam:

File helmets, rifles hedges,

hoes and guitars in line ...

- No, General! The infantry are not the vile

The Death of them died within him with his stench.

Squeezed them a thousand between the bony arms,

made them unknowable ghosts,

they dispersed from the last track ...

 

Unknown Soldier, and you?

Lost among the twists and turns of fate!

Pile without platelet,

hero without a medal,

your face no more ...

After the battle,

your mother vain

among the dead intact sought to the Absent!

 

La Gloria was an abyss

That’s extending from the Stelvio to the sea,

but the 'glowing eye is fixed

not turned away: they had to pass?

And the spiked shoe you passed!

Chopped the impervious Karst rock, rock

pressed into the Piave sacred reddened

blood enemy suddenly drop by drop ...

 

Unknown Soldier, and you

return from the twists and turns of fate!

Brilla your beautiful platelet

fregiato de la palma:

you're the hero who will never die again ...

It's just your body,

ch 'vault is to the east,

from Rome can answer: - Present!

 

* A YouTube link has been provided to actually hear Soldato Ignoto performed.  

Note: we do not claim ownership of this video.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

World War I. (2013). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/648646/World-War-I

 

 

Metadata tags: Sheet music; Soldato Ignoto; Italian; Tribute; Tradition; Patriotism; World War I; E.A. Mario; hymn; unknown soldier; memorial; commemoration