Three Ships of Berik, Pt. 1: Calling to Arms and Fighting the Battle

[Acording to the Roman storyteller Jordanes, the Gothic Tribes gatheres unter the flag of their leader Berik. From their Motherland up in the North they sailed away with three ships to invade the christian Rome like pagan crusaders. The crew on the three ships were ancestors of three legendary Gothic tribes calles Ostrogoths, Visigoths and Gepids. The christian Rome empire feared the Goths and monks identified the Goths with Gog, a heathen chief mentioned the Bible. The Gothic king Theoderik founded his kingdom in Italy year 488 CE. Althoug the aristocracy of Italy and Spain often claimed their heritage back to the Goth the word gothic was later assciated with darkness and paganism. The Gothic god was Wotan or -odin and his spear insired fear and terror. During the Romanticism the Gothic art was revalued and become synonyme with art and inspiration. The renaissance of the Gothic spirit have made the three ships of Berik sail once again.]

[Lyrics by Thomas Karlsson]
[Music by Christofer Johnsson]

Leitmotif of the Gothic Army

Jordanes told us the story.
Yes, of Berik!

[Berik, the Gothic King:]
Â??Gather all the Ostrogoths
And Visigoths!
Ride like an arctic storm
Across the world!â??

Leitmotif of the Gothic Army

Gather all the Gothic tribes, all the sons of Berik
On three ships you sail away on a pagan crusade
Tyrants of the christian world fear you more than their God
Theoderik, gothic King: â??Gog iste gothus estâ??

The flashing spear of the sublime
Is flying in the air
Like the fear of the divine
The goths are everywhere

Leitmotif of the Gothic Army