The Chanting Winged Dames are very special enemies in Elden Ring, and players may hear their hypnotizing song as they explore the Lands Between. This song is called the "Song of Lament," and the language that the bat-like foes are singing it in is Latin. Fans have been successful in translating Elden Ring's "Song of Lament," and this guide contains the lyrics in both Latin and English.
Elden Ring: Song of the Bat Lady Translation
Alas, that land, once blessed, now has diminished. (O, locus ille, beatus quondam, nunc deminuit.)
We, (betrothed) destined to be mothers, now become tarnished. (Nos, destinatae matribus, nunc fiunt turpes.)
We have lamented and we have shed tears but no one consoles us. (Ploarvimus lacrimavimusque sed nemo nos consolatur.)
Golden One, at whom you were angry? (Aureum, cui irascebaris?)
This translation and the associated Latin come from Antonius Tertius on YouTube, and Elden Ring fans can find their original video below. In this video, Tertius notes several points where the Latin that is heard in "Song of Lament" deviates from what would be considered proper. In some instances, those deviations are simply to alter the rhythmic pattern of the lyrics, though Tertius does mention a grammar mistake. That mistake centers around the verb "fiunt," which Tertius indicates should be "fimus" in this context.
Elden Ring: Song of the Bat Lady Meaning
With the English lyrics to "Song of Lament" established, it is now possible to delve deeper into the meaning of the Chanting Winged Dames' words. The first line in their song is quite clearly a reference to Elden Ring's Lands Between, which were "once blessed" by the Elden Ring and the Erdtree. The "diminishing" of this blessing materialized with individuals losing their grace and becoming "Tarnished" and the eventual shattering of the Elden Ring.
The next two lines in the harpies' song provide a bit of insight into the creatures themselves, indicating that they were to be married and to give birth to children before being "tarnished." Unsurprisingly, the change that these Elden Ring enemies underwent proved to be quite painful to them, and their grief has not been met with kindness.
The bat women end their song with a question directed toward the "Golden One," suggesting that their current state is a punishment that has been enacted upon them by an angered god. If that is indeed true, these harpies are certainly not the only souls in the Lands Between that are suffering at the hands of another. Elden Ring's merchants, for example, have a similar history, though their punishment was not decreed by the divine.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S.
