Hellfire
Hellfire's Temptation: A Soul's Struggle in the Flames of Desire
Lyrics
Confiteor Deo
Confession to God
Omnipotenti
To the Almighty
Beatae Mariae
To Blessed Mary
Semper Virgini
Always a Virgin
Beato Michaeli archangelo
To Blessed Archangel Michael
Sanctis apostolis
To the Holy Apostles
Omnibus sanctisBeata Maria
To all the saints; continued reference to Blessed Mary
You know I am a righteous man
The speaker sees himself as morally upright
Of my virtue I am justly proud (Et tibit Pater)Beata Maria
The speaker's pride in his righteousness; prayer to Blessed Mary
You know I'm so much purer than
The speaker believes himself morally superior
The common, vulgar, weak
Belittling others' morals
Licentious crowd (Quia peccavi nimis)Then tell me, Maria
The speaker questions why he's attracted to someone considered sinful
Why I see her dancing there
Wondering about the presence of the person he desires
Why her smold'ring eyes
Her intense gaze affects him deeply
Still scorch my soul
Her gaze troubles his soul
(Cogitatione)I feel her, I see her
The speaker senses her presence intensely
The sun caught in her raven hair
Describing her beauty
Is blazing in me
Her beauty overwhelms him
Out of all control (Verbo et opera)Like fire
His desire for her is uncontrollable
Hellfire
Describing the intensity of his desire akin to hellfire
This fire in my skin
His inner fire and passion
This burning
His burning passion for her
Desire
His desire leads him toward sin
Is turning me to sinIt's not my fault (Mea culpa)
He denies responsibility for his desires
I'm not to blame (Mea culpa)
He continues to absolve himself of blame
It is the gypsy girl
Blaming the gypsy girl for his desires
The witch who sent this flame (Mea maxima culpa)It's not my fault (Mea culpa)
Attributing his feelings to her bewitching him
If in God's plan (Mea culpa)
He deflects responsibility by referencing God's plan
He made the devil so much
Suggesting that the devil's influence is stronger than a man's will
Stronger than a man (Mea maxima culpa)Protect me, Maria
Seeking protection from Blessed Mary
Don't let this siren cast her spell
Praying for protection against temptation
Don't let her fire sear
Asking not to succumb to desire
My flesh and bone
Fearing his physical and spiritual destruction
Destroy Esmeralda
Expressing a desire for the girl's destruction
And let her taste the fires of hell
Desiring her punishment in hell if she rejects him
Or else let her be mine
Alternatively, wanting her to be exclusively his
And mine aloneI'll find her... I'll find her if I have to burn down all of Paris!Hellfire
His determination to find her regardless of the consequences
Dark fire
Describing his inner torment
Now gypsy, it's your turn
Declaring it's the gypsy's turn to make a choice
Choose me or
Asking her to choose him or face death by fire
Your pyre
Threatening her with death if she doesn't choose him
Be mine or you will burnGod have mercy on herKyrie Eleison
Seeking mercy for her
God have mercy on meKyrie Eleison
Seeking mercy for himself
But she will be mine
Asserting his possession of her or her inevitable fate
Or she will burn!
Final declaration of possessing her or her damnation
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