The Course of Empire (All Thrones in Earth and Heaven)

As gold turns into brown, the autumn of an era
Our clarion Harps fall silent – Twelve Stars are stained in blood
The graves of Mare Nostrum, Mother Europe trembling

And nameless ghosts of guilt haunt sanctuaries forlorn
In this era of confusion tradition's saferope is cut
All thrones in earth and heaven – devoured by Mammon's wrath
An old enemy stirs discord.

Dark rumours from the frontlines
False prophets spread his gospel, evoking Empire's end

Empires rise, empires fall.
Conquering kings sleep in timeless halls
Freedom and Glory, corruption at last.
Ever westward the course of empire takes its eternal way

And how shall we comfort ourselves – the murderers of all murderers?
The noble, true and holy – we bled it with our knives
Who'll wipe this blood off our hands now?
Which Arthur will rise to defend us?
No sacred king can lead us, as nothing sacred's left alive

And now our future's over, secular void unfolds
Arcadian memories haunt us as discord's taking hold
The lands beneath the evening, in fire, blood and hate
The drums of pictdom summon us back to the savage state

Empires rise, empires fall, conquering kings,
The White Goddess calls Freedom and Glory, desolation at last.
Ever westward the course of empire takes its eternal way

Empires rise and Empires fall – the moral of all human tales
Cities shall crumble and all towers
Will break under the triumphant fist of time

Yet from the ruins a flower will spring,
The laurel wreath of future kings
Titans march onward in perpetual strife,
New kingdoms arise in their wake

Empires rise and Empires fall,
The moral of all human tales Titans march onward
In perpetual strife, new kingdoms arise in their wake

Children of Europe, Daughters of Eden, defiant, unbroken and free
Raise proudly the torch of Enlightenment's triumph
The great wars are yet to come