Opening theme - what are the words and the language?

Does anyone know?

Cari seems to think the words are in Latin (as in the language of the Romans, 2000 years ago, or as still used in some Roman Catholic Churches today). Is there anyone here that knows enough Latin to make out what the words are and translate them to English?

I am currently doing a Latin course. I try to figure it out next time I start the game...

OK.... Listened to it several times. My guess would be it isn't Latin. For reference: The Roman units in Civ IV speak Latin (saying things like "Quid consilio est?" - What is your order?). Those lyrics sound more like elvish (Tolkien) to me, but it's sung so operatically that it's hard to tell. The word melodies just doesn't sound like Latin.

I know, however, that the Civ IV intro is the Our Father prayer in Swahili.

I believe the language is Scoobian, the language of Scooby-doo.

Thats my guess

Baba yetu....

Hello there!

The vocalists name is Toni Burdey. She is a wonderful talent! When I worked with her to add the lyrics to the melodies I composed for the intro movie, it was more important that the lyrics matched the existing melodies and were "singable." We took MANY liberties with the phrases to make them work musically. So, the lyrics are short Latin phrases that are somewhat organized as far as meaning and content.

The language is Latin. Here is a VERY rough translation for the intro movie. Again, many liberties with the language are taken here.

Qui-he mah-leh-swah-dah-fah-mays
et behl-luum In i tehr-nuum
Qui-ah-paw-steh-ree oh-ree
wi-wih-kttees wee-et-ahr--mees
Qui-uul-tih-mah-Rah-tee-oh
mawrs tu-ah
Doo-kit ah-mawr Pah-tree
ahd glaw-reeum
day-baw-noh- et mah-loh
tay naws-keh
sem-pehr-pah-rah-tuus
way-rih-tahs

A hunger that leads to crime and war...forever.
From effect to cause...woe to the vanquished by force of arms.
The final argument...your death.
Love of country guides me for glory
come what may...know thyself...always on the ready....truth.

Very cool. But I realise why I didn't get it, when you stretched out words like bellum (bell-um) to something like behl-luum and arma (that's already plural: ar-mah) to ahr-mees.

What I get from your transcription is:

...
Et bellum eternum
...
... et arma
...
Mors tua
... armo patri
Ad gloria
...
...
Semper paratus (I gues you mean "semper fidelis"?)
Veritas

Interesting. Very interesting. I thought it was latin from the sound of the words, but I don't know enough to make an intelligent guess on that.

Hehe, I didn't think it was Boogiebac as he claimed in the IRC channel ... it's a little to female of a voice for him.

I can see a little more Latin than the above poster, no expert though. The "w" sound in the singing is spelled "V" in Latin.

Qui-he mah-leh-swah-dah-fah-mays
Qui males defames
What bad crimes

et behl-luum In i tehr-nuum
et bellum in eternum
and eternal war

Qui-ah-paw-steh-ree oh-ree
Qui posteriori
What afterwards

wi-wih-kttees wee-et-ahr--mees
Vivictis ... armas
victims of arms

Qui-uul-tih-mah-Rah-tee-oh
Qui ultima oratio
What last speech

mawrs tu-ah
mors tua
your death

Doo-kit ah-mawr Pah-tree
Ducet amor Patriae
leads to love of the Fatherland

ahd glaw-reeum
ad gloriam
and to glory

day-baw-noh- et mah-loh
de bono et malo
from good to bad ("come what may")

tay naws-keh
te ...
"Know thyself"?

sem-pehr-pah-rah-tuus
Semper paratus
Always ready ("semper fidelis" is "Always faithful")

way-rih-tahs
veritas
Truth.