The next track I stumbled into off of Ethernaut was also one recommended of of one of John Ringo’s book inspiration playlists – Citadel. Another danceable, synth-heavy, driving song. In it, you can see the inspiration for the battlestation developed in the Troy Rising books.
Lyrically it is one of their shorter and more repetitive songs. The first verse sets the scene, with cold winds, storm, and rain arriving as an omen of the human storm arriving to besiege the title fortress. Then we shift viewpoints, to a soldier at the gates, looking on all of this, unbowed, determined to stand.
I see storms on the horizon
I see the tempest at the gates
I see storms on the horizon
And a citadel alone
Clinging brave defying fate
And I will stand here at the gates to face the onslaught fighting
Without surrender or defeat
With Troy besieged by tyrants’ greed – (tyranny)
In Hector’s memory, God willing
We shall save this victory
Without surrender or defeat
The song poetically recalls the fragility of each moment that defeat has not arrived, of Achilles death, and closes with a determination that Troy shall not fall. We know it does, but the sacrifice, the courage, the unwillingness to bow, the sheer heroism are to be treasured.
