Song Meaning
The vocals here feel like a chant, a ritualistic invocation echoing through ancient stones. The Latin phrases, "Aetas sancto Rome aetas nam regna" and "risus omnia licita," translate roughly to "holy age of Rome, age of kingdoms" and "laughter, all is permitted." This sets a scene that’s both grand and decadent, a historical echo of imperial power and its accompanying freedoms, or perhaps excesses.
The core tension seems to lie in the juxtaposition of the sacred and the permissive. The "holy age" is immediately followed by the idea that "all is permitted," suggesting a society where religious or moral boundaries might have blurred under the weight of power and pleasure. It’s a snapshot of a civilization at its zenith, where the rules might have bent or broken.
The repetition of "Aetas sancto Rome aetas nam regna" reinforces the sense of a bygone era, a powerful kingdom that has since faded. The phrase "risus omnia licita" stands out, painting a picture of uninhibited revelry. This contrast between the solemnity of the "holy age" and the wild abandon of "laughter, all is permitted" is what gives the lyrics their haunting quality.
Ultimately, these lyrics are effective because they evoke a potent, almost tangible atmosphere of historical grandeur and moral ambiguity. The ancient language and the stark contrast between sacredness and license create a powerful, albeit brief, impression of a lost world where power corrupted and all was indeed permitted.
