Viva Roma

Viva Roma

I, II, III, IV, V
Roman legions at your door and you can't hide
from the new society and culture
assimilate you got like a hungry vulture.
The loved anything that's Greed.
They use concrete, they build wide and deep.
They made bridges, highways, statues so real
in every detail not like Greed ideal.

You know, when they built
they used the arche, vault and dome
to build it big 'cause big is Rome.
Roman law, code of justice.
You can trust it's the Age of Augustus.

Some poetry by Virgil, that's what he did,
his famous poem called the Aenid,
a little bit of duty was the theme
and faithfullness to Rome, that was his dream.

Anothe poet, Horace, his friende indeed
he wrote of human weaknesses and greed.
historian Livy he did debut
his History of Rome, but it's not all true.

The Roman gods
you know they give and nod to the Greeks
'cause the names were the only thing that changed.
An emperor could be divine,
have his own temple and his own schrine.
If you were a slave you had to behave
and you don't start a fuss like that pesky Spartacus.ç

The third and second centuries B. C.
they showed their engineenering expertise.
They liked to wear a toga and a cloak
apropiated from Etruscan folk.
The aqueductes with running waters gush,
the citizens to the arenas rush
to find a little respite from the stress,
only concerned with "Bread and Circuses" .

The paterfamilias he was the boss,
his children's education he paid the cost,
his daughters he guarded just like a hound
until they were 14 and husband found.
The wealthy lived in villas having fun
out in the countryside, under the sun.
The poor resided crammed under one roof
in insulae that were not fireproof.

Caput mundi , Senate run by the bourgeoisie,
governement, law and the Roman way
still impacts our lives today.

Iulius Ceasar

Iulius Ceasar

Iulius, Iulius Ceasar
conquered conquered the Gauls with his Roman military might.
Oh, Iulius, Iulius Ceasar, 
crown him with laurels and make him Dictaror for life.

Formed a Triumvirate with Crassus and Pompey,
but crossing the Rubicon River led to civil strife.
Oh, Iulius, Iulius Ceasar.
He's Pater Patriae, let's name him Dictator for life.

Veni, vidi, vici: "I came, I saw, I overcame".
Writing books about history,
not letting epilepsy keep me from fame.

After defeating Pompey 
met Cleopatra and wanted to make her his wife.
Oh, Iulius, Iulius Ceasar,
print his face in a coin and make him Dictator for life.


Veni, vidi, vici: "I came, I saw, I overcame".
Writing books about history,
not letting epilepsy keep me from fame.

On March 15 that was the Ides 
assesinate at Senate stabbed 23 times!

Oh, Iulius, Iulius Ceasar
light the funeral pyre,
he was Dictator for life.

The French Revolution

The French Revolution

Inequality, the relics of feudalism,
Revolution in France.
Oh, the Three Estates insured nobles favoritism,
Revolution in France.

La, la liberté, égalité, fraternité.
A Revolution.

Don't want no taxes, I'm paying too much.
Let them eat cake, we had a banquet for lunch.
I need my bread, bread, bread,
off withe head.
It went from 8 sous to 12 in a year,
exactly what impoverished peasants had feared
the royals jeered.
Ha, ha, ha, there's more for us.
There was a famine 
the peasants wouldn't pay.
Bad malnutriton and tooth decay.
It went from famine to Napoleon's war
you and me, let's start a revolution.
We will not take this poverty anymore,
you and me, let's start a revolution.
On a tennis court we swore to a constitution.
Revolution in France.
On July 14 we stormed the Bastille; we showed them
revolution in France.


La, la liberté, égalité, fraternité,
French Revolution.


The month of August, 1789,
no feudalism,  Declaration of Rights,
August Decree.
Swept away the two States.
Women of Paris marched down to Versailles 
carryng weapons,
the French king they defied,
you'll give us bread.
Bread, bread or we'll stab you dead.

A new Constitution with a limited monarchy,
it was a bad time for France.
We took on Austria, a war in the Spring,
Europe frightened by our revolution,
we will not take it Luis XIV must die,
tension hightened by our revolution.
Radical political mobs unite to start 
a Revolution in France.
Breech-less sans culottes of the Paris Commune demanded
Revolution in France.


La, la liberté, égalité, fraternité,
French Revolution.

Walk, walk, scaffold, baby,
guillotine was going crazy,
take heads of kings and ladies.
Europe armed for the invading.
Walk, walk, scaffold, baby,
guillotine was going crazy,
Robespierre, Reign of Terror,
did it for the public safety.

I want your loyalty or I'll get my revenge.
I take you out till your rebelion ends.
Don't want no church,
Catholicism's dead,
no room for God.
worship reasons instead
Good ol' Notre Dame became a "temple of Reason".
Revolution in France.
A new Calendar with months named for times and seasons.
Revolution in France.

The terror enden and with Robespierre gone.
Was this the ending of revolution?
Five members of the new Directory ruled,
could it be a permanent solution?
Directory and legislature filled with corruption .
Revolution in France. 
Monarchists and wars would cause even more disruption.
Revolution in France

Oh, oh la la, coup d'etat,
oh, oh, la la, Napoleon's here!

Gaudeamus igitur

Para todos mis alumnos:

Gaudeamus, igitur

The Trojan War

The TrojanWar

In the Homer's epic tale of
Ancient Greece in order to
make some peace at a wedding,
the handsome Paris had to make a choice:
Who was most fair of all the goddesses there?
A golden apple they'd receive
and don't you know he picked Aphrodite!
Then she promised him
the love of a maiden,
the most beautiful woman 
from Sparta, her name was Helen,
wife of the king Menelaus, oh
Trojan War.

The Greeks were mad,
the gatheres all the ships they had,
but then the fleed just wouldn't move,
so Agamemnon asked what could he do 
things right.
Diana needed  sacrifice
with Agamemnon's daughter sline
those Greek ships could sail for Troy again.
Oh, Odysseus,
known for his eloquence,
ambassador to Priam,
demanded Troy return fair Helen,
the king refused and that starred the war.
Trojan War. 

Hector was killed,
then Paris shot Achilles' heel,
but the Greeks hid in a wooden horse
and breached those walls of Troy of course!
Trojan War.
Face that launched a thousand ships.
Takin' bout the Trojan War.

Henry VIII

Henry VIII ("Money, Money, Money" by ABBA)

Lyrics:

Henry, Henry, Henry 

had some many wives that had to die.

Henry, Henry, Henry 

had some many, only one survived.

Six wives in all.

Oh, the things they coul do

if the hadn't married Henry.

That was their downfall.

The first was Catherine by name,

she was from Aragon in Spain.

Oh, poor Kate!

She married Arthur, Henry's bro,

and when he died, loved Henry so.

But had to wait!

He took her as his lowful wife,

but that caused her a lot of strife, 

she couldn't have a soon, you see,

their only child was Mary

Henry, Henry, Henry 

had some many wives that had to die.

Henry, Henry, Henry 

had some many, only one survived.

Six wives in all.

Oh, the things they coul do

if the hadn't married Henry.

That was their downfall.

Most infamous was Anne Boleyn,

but from the start she couldn't win.

Well, of course.

She was attractive to the King,

but wouldn't love unless a queen,

so a divorce!

She promise Henry a male heir,

but had Elizabeth with red hair.

"I have a little neck" she said

right before they chopped her head.

Henry, Henry, Henry 

had some many wives that had to die.

Henry, Henry, Henry 

had some many, only one survived.

Six wives in all.

Oh, the things they coul do

if the hadn't married Henry.

That was their downfall.

Jane Seymour was the next to wed,

betrothed the day Anne lost her head.

No one did mourn!

She loved the King and tried with might

and soon much to the king's delight

a son was born!

Prince Edward was a true blessing

long-awaited by the king.

But afterwards Jane would die

and poor Henry was left to cry.

Henry, Henry, Henry 

had some many wives that had to die.

Henry, Henry, Henry 

had some many, only one survived.

Six wives in all.

Oh, the things they coul do

if the hadn't married Henry.

That was their downfall.

Anna of Cleves from Germany

would be the next wife for Henry.

She would not last!

A lutheran princess though she be,

he didn't like her face, you see.

Annulment fast!

He nicknamed her the "Flanders mare",

divorced her without a care.

She stayed in England and became

 "The King belov'd Sister" in name.

Henry, Henry, Henry 

had some many wives that had to die.

Henry, Henry, Henry 

had some many, only one survived.

Six wives in all.

Oh, the things they coul do

if the hadn't married Henry.

That was their downfall.

Henry would be wed again

to a cousin of Anne Boleyn,

Kathryn Howard!

A "rose without a thorn", said he,

but her affair forced her to be

sent to the Tower!

Culpeper was her cousin dear 

and her love, so it appeared.

This was high treason and so Kate

upon the block did meet her fate!

Henry, Henry, Henry 

had some many wives that had to die.

Henry, Henry, Henry 

had some many, only one survived.

Six wives in all.

Oh, the things they coul do

if the hadn't married Henry.

That was their downfall.

And now we sing of Katherine Parr,

the most kindly of wives by far.

Number six!

Cared for Elizabeth and Ed,

and old Henry's ulcered leg.

He was sick!

After the King had passed away

she got remarried right away,

but in a year she left this earth,

had some trouble giving birth.

Henry, Henry, Henry 

had some many wives that had to die.

Henry, Henry, Henry 

had some many, only one survived.

Six wives in all.

Oh, the things they coul do

if the hadn't married Henry.

That was their downfall.

Two Annes, three Kates

and one precious Jane,

but they had to marry Henry

and it sealed their fate!

Hannibal

Hannibal ("Sixteen Tons" by Anna Domino)

Lyrics:

Ol' Hannibal was born an brave and clever man.
He was born in Carthage to the Barca clan,
had talent for war and a burning desire
to see Carthage get the best of the Roman Empire.

In the history books, he gained prominence
for cross the Alpes with his elephants,
marching miles and miles away from home.
He did al  to stick it to the Old Man Rome.

Hannibal's father was a general too,
had his plans but couldn't see them through,
his son-in-law would take up the cause.
Till his assassination Hannibal was boss.


In the history books, he gained prominence
for cross the Alpes with his elephants,
marching miles and miles away from home.
He did all to stick it to the Old Man Rome.

Carthaginian army went to settle the score
conquering Europe with their army corp.
The Roman were smart, they'd seen it all before
till Hannibal beat them in the Second Punic War. 


In the history books, he gained prominence
for cross the Alpes with his elephants,
marching miles and miles away from home.
He did all to stick it to the Old Man Rome.

At the Battle of Zama, he was admired.
Carthago surrendered, Hannibal retired,
fought on  the side of the Bythininan king,
then took his own life with a posin ring. 


In the history books, he gained prominence
for cross the Alpes with his elephants,
marching miles and miles away from home.
He did all to stick it to the Old Man Rome.



In the history books, he gained prominence
for cross the Alpes with his elephants,
marching miles and miles away from home.
He did all to stick it to the Old Man Rome.

The Canterbuy tales

The Canterbury tales  ("California Dreamin" by the Mamas and the Papas)

Lyrics:

The Canterbury tales, pilgrim's leaving town.
Oh a long journey
to Thomas Becket's shrine
in Canterbury.

Chaucer wrote about them
in his famous tome
Canterbury Tales
an Middle English poem.

They stopped into an inn
before they go underway.
They all tell their favorites stories
to pass the time away.

You know the Host will be the Judge.
he's gonna reward the best.
The Canterbury Tales,
medieval speech contest.

bla, bla

A knight, two nuns, a pardoner
and the Wife of Bath
are among  the pilgrims
from every social class.

The writing is vernacular.
People spoke that day.
The Canterbury Tales,
on such an Aprille day.

The Canterbury Tales
we read it still today.
The Canterbury Tales
we read it still today.

Beowulf

Beowul    "99 Luftballons" by Nena)

Lyrics:

Anglo-Saxon poetry from circa AD 750,
though it's based on history,
mots is just embellished story,
passed down by scops - singers tales,
mixed Saxon's dialects with Angles'.
The author's name we'll neve know
but Beowulf remains our hero. 

Beowulf hero of Geats
in a world governed by fate.
The monster Grendel plagued the Hell.
Attacked the warrior, kill them all.
So Beowulf and his thanes
leave their homeland to save the Danes,
their sword break from the magic charm
till Beowulf tears the Grendel's arm!

In revenge, dead Grendel's mother
comes to kill the king's best warrior.
Beowulf tracks her to her lair
and eerie lake of despair
protected by enchanted armor
He wins the fight and then beheads her
retourns victorious at the "nineth hour".
The comitatus gave him power!

Back to Sweeden he returns
to the kinships he has earned
until one day late in his life
his realm is struck with fiery strife.
The vengeful rage of a dragon
for his golde cup was stolen!
Who but Beowulf can slay him?
Save his people from destruction?
Save his people from destruction?

Written in alliteration!

Cremated, buried by the sea,
the poem drift into elegey,
English epic song of praise
tells of Beowulf's glory days.
How in those tragic "days of yore"
"The noble ones did deeds of valour"
The kennings speak in metaphor,
remains for ever in our lore.