And the Danube murmured in sadness, foaming in its banks, moved at the fall of the native realm, and the Tatras covered their brows in sadness, while a voice, yearning and dark like the voice of the owl at midnight, tolled from its cloudy summit ‘Slovaks!’ That voice echoed through mountain and vale, from all sides darkly resounding, ‘Slovaks!’ And the Slovaks bewept their empire, and their glory!
There had been seven kings of the Great Moravian Empire, and from the beginning the capital region had been the cities Velehrad and Nitra. O Nitra, Nitra, who can call Thee to mind without amazement; who can call to mind Thy ancient glory without shedding tears for Thee? Over and over they have told us: rejoice and be glad, dance! But how can we be joyful, how can we gladly dance, when Thou ever
