Born to a mighty general, interred for crimes of treason
And when he died in jail, for want of rhyme or reason
Cimon would pay his debts, heir to his father's crime
And all his battle-glory, sweet deeds are forged in time
Aristocratic bearing, hard-drinking and plain-talking
Destined for greater things, to set the harpies squawking
In love, as in war, his women proud and fair
Arise you sons of Athens, and let the trumpets blare
Into the light, our sharpened blades are flashing
Under a hostile sun, on Persian skulls they're crashing
Into the darkness, slicing through blood and water
Tiremes are flowing east, on crested waves of slaughter
Into the light, the gods of war are calling
A vanquished foe, on broken limbs are crawling
Into the darkness, his warrior ethos rising
He bears a Spartan heart, no conquest too surprising
Onwards to Asia Minor, and Eurymedon's river
Blue skies are wreathed in black, with arrows all a-quiver
Cimon the martial hero, this triumph ever his
In place of all the slain, our new Amphipolis
And tho' in spite of this, his rivals steeped in slander
Unfounded claims of treason, for ties with Alexander
Yet when he died in Cyprus, amid great secrecy
He won his greatest battle, posthumous victory
Into the light, our sharpened blades are flashing
Under a hostile sun, on Persian skulls they're crashing
Into the darkness, slicing through blood and water
Tiremes are flowing east, on crested waves of slaughter
Into the light, the gods of war are calling
A vanquished foe, on broken limbs are crawling
Into the darkness, his warrior ethos rising
He bears a Spartan heart, no conquest too surprising
Into the light, our sharpened blades are flashing
Under a hostile sun, on Persian skulls they're crashing
Into the darkness, slicing through blood and water
Tiremes are flowing east, on crested waves of slaughter
Into the light, the gods of war are calling
A vanquished foe, on broken limbs are crawling
Into the darkness, his warrior ethos rising
He bears a Spartan heart, no conquest too surprising