a midwinter song for Saturnalia

Happy St Stephen's Day! Just as a change from Christmas, Yule, or indeed Solstice ('bright blessings' etc), here's a song for Saturnalia, the old feast of misrule held at this time of the year, when things were turned upside down and masters waited on slaves. It also references Mithras, who was born from a rock about now. Io Saturnalia, by the way, was the greeting or invocation they used,like we'd say Merry Christmas.

A midwinter song (to the tune of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen)

Gaudete omnes per Iovem

Nil desperandumque

Memete Mithras salvator

Natus est hodie

De profundis hiberniae

Aestati ducere

Cantate io Saturnalia,

Saturnalia

Cantate io Saturnalia

In tempi tenebrissimi

Furibus regimur

Contentio sollicitant

Mendaci loquatur

Hi porcos nunc deicere

Debemus igitur

Cantate io Saturnalia...

Quamvis panem et circenses

Habemus hodie

Sed modo faenerantur sunt

Quiescens emere

Imperia delenda sunt

Pro orbis restite

Cantate io Saturnalia...

(Translation, singable)

Jove keep you merry, everyone,
Let nothing you dismay
Cos Mithras the unconquered sun
Came down to us today
From depths of winter to the spring
To show us all the way
Singing Io Saturnalia...

Although the times are at their darkest
And we're ruled by thieves
Who'd have us at each other's throats
If we their lies believed
Remember they're just greedy swine
And give the sods the heave!
Singing Io Saturnalia...

We like the bread and circuses
They throw us now and then
But they're just crusts they throw to us
To keep us in our pen
Destroy all empires, and create
A Golden Age again!
Singing Io Saturnalia...

(Translation, literal)

Everyone rejoice, by Jupiter,

And don’t despair

Remember that Mithras, the saviour,

Was born today

From the deepest bit of winter

To lead us to summer

Sing io Saturnalia...

In the darkest of times

We’re ruled by thieves

Who seek to create disunity

With the lies they speak

Now therefore we should

Overthrow these swine

Sing io Saturnalia...

Though bread and circuses

Are what we’ve got today

They’re only loaned to us

To keep us peaceful

Destroy the empires

And restore the world

Sing io Saturnalia...