Questions & Answers
Q: How do I use this?
A: Download it, extract it to your Marathon 2 plugins folder, make sure no other soundtrack plugins are enabled, adjust volume to taste (I recommend at least 120% music volume because I mastered this quietly), enjoy.
Q: How do I preview this?
A: I host it on my Dropbox site. Go into the “Music” subfolder, click on a file name, and then press the play button in the bottom-left corner.
Q: What’s with the title?
A: Τὼ μᾰρᾰ́θω means the fennel in Attic Greek’s dual form, which explicitly specifies a quantity of two. But since marathon is ultimately a romanization of μᾰ́ρᾰθον, or fennel, it’s also a pun for Two Marathons. Wiktionary and Λογεῖον have more information.
Q: Why make yet another Marathon 2 fan soundtrack? There are three already.
A: I hadn’t planned to until a project I’d put thousands of hours into chucked hundreds of said hours’ work without my knowledge or approval. I wrote many of these to be dynamic compositions that would evolve as players progress through a level, and I want players to hear them as they’re meant to be heard: at the risk of sounding immodest, I’m extremely pleased with how they’ve turned out. Repurposing them into a Marathon 2 soundtrack felt like the easiest way to ensure that my work on them wouldn’t go entirely to waste.
Q: But they don’t evolve at the moment.
A: I haven’t rewritten the scripting yet. I can’t just implement my original scripts into Marathon 2: they depended on hooks for their original levels, which I need to rewrite around Marathon 2’s levels. I also need to re-export a few of these tracks in different ways. This all takes time.
Q: Why not make a Marathon Infinity soundtrack instead? There’s only one of those.
A: I briefly considered it. Then I decided several of its levels benefit so much from silence that I’d need to write bespoke dynamic compositions for them that would honor their use of silence.
Q: Will you write a soundtrack for Infinity, then?
A: Don’t count on it.
To be honest, the only reason I didn’t unequivocally answer “No” here is that I already have an Infinity soundtrack title: Τᾰ̀ μᾰ́ρᾰθᾰ (Tằ mắrăthă, Three or More Marathons). Given this one’s title, that’s objectively perfect.
Q: What about [insert existing mod here]?
A: Don’t count on that, either.
Q: What about my in-development mod?
A: I’ll only even consider it if you offer me monetary compensation, complete creative control over its audio, or (preferably) both. And even then, I doubt it. This soundtrack exists because I’m burnt out and want to reduce the unfinished Marathon content in my portfolio.
Q: Some of this music feels unusually Renaissance-themed for a Marathon 2 soundtrack, and some of its song titles seem to be puns on the title of an existing Marathon mod.
A: What bizarre, inexplicable synchronicity.
Q: Where can I find other fan soundtracks for the Marathon trilogy?
A: I have a relatively up-to-date list of complete soundtracks with a detailed index. Many older soundtracks are on Craig Hardgrove’s page.
Q: There’s no music on the net levels.
A: That’s because I currently haven’t specified music for any net levels. I’ll get to it before the final release.
Q: What genre is this soundtrack?
A: What’s a genre?
More seriously, it’s all over the place, encompassing electronic, metal, progressive rock, folk, jazz, disco, ambient, drone, choral, soul, gospel, industrial, post-rock, and probably at least half a dozen I missed. Often, one track encompasses several genres – and given my workflow, they could technically all be considered electronic music.
Q: What’s your workflow, then?
A: I compose primarily in Apple’s Logic Pro, using East West’s Composer Cloud+ and Cherry Audio’s GX-80 to supplement its instrument library, and master my compositions in iZotope RX Standard. While I’m a competent pianist, I consider my playing too rhythmically inexact to work for game music, which often must loop precisely; any variance in tempo will therefore stick out.
Q: Who are your biggest influences?
A: Johann Sebastian Bach is almost singlehandedly responsible for my understanding of harmony; Brian Eno is almost singlehandedly responsible for my understanding of creativity. Rounding out the big five are The Beatles, Pink Floyd, & Nobuo Uematsu. I wrote a longer list here, to which I’d just add Nightwish and Ren today.
Q: Where can I find credits and/or commentary on these songs?
A: These songs originally appeared on the albums Compositions 2023-2024, Mūsica ex tempore malōrum, and Κᾰτηγορῐκή ᾰ̓πολογῐ́ᾱ. See their documentation for more detailed credits. The tracks «Θῠ́ραι παραλήρησεως» and «Ἡ μεγᾰ́λη σιγή» are cowritten by Chris Christodoulou and are used with his gracious permission.
Q: May I reuse these songs for my own project?
A: Not without permission. While I’ve made this collection freely available, no part of it may be reproduced without my permission, apart from the tracks that I’ve explicitly released under Creative Commons-Attribution-Share Alike-NonCommercial releases for Endless Sky – currently meaning just “Fīnis fīnālis” and «Κοιμητήρῐον».
(Stated as plainly as possible: I did not release the tracks “Cauda toxica”, «Ἡ μεγᾰ́λη σιγή», or “Lamento latrōnis” under Creative Commons licenses; I released them under a license explicitly requiring that people ask me before reusing them for anything else. I was not consulted about the relicensing, and it is therefore illegitimate.)
Q: How can I contact you?
A: I list several forms of contact on my website.
Q: Do you have other music?
A: Yes.
Q: How finished are these tracks?
A: I’m likely to extend “Omnēs viae Sōlem dūcunt” some more and to write a few new instrumental parts for “Above Cloud City”, “Nōtiō nivālis”, “Ritratto in grigio”, “Ludo mortale”, “Tempus tempestātum”, and “Below Cloud City”. I also plan to redo the mixes for a few of these tracks.
Most of the rest are as close as they’re likely to get anytime in the near future. (I contend that art is never “finished”; artists just stop working on it.) If I ever feel compelled to work on any of these after I complete this soundtrack’s scripting, I might release an update to it, but again, don’t count on it.
Tracklist
Tracks originally appeared on Compositions 2023-2024, Mūsica ex tempore malōrum, & Κᾰτηγορῐκή ᾰ̓πολογῐ́ᾱ.
| # | Level | Track (hover: translation/romanization) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterloo Waterpark | Above Cloud City | 5:00 |
| 2 | The Slings & Arrows of Outrageous Fortune | Πλέοντες ἐν τῷ αἰθέρῐ | 6:24 |
| 3 | Charon Doesn’t Make Change |
Θῠ́ραι παραλήρησεως α. Ὁ ζῐ́γγος αὔξεται μέγᾰς β. Ὀνειροπολεῖς βῐαίᾱν αὔξησῐν |
10:48 5:41 5:07 |
| 4 | What About Bob? | Blood on the Sequencer | 8:19 |
| 5 | Come and Take Your Medicine | Cauda toxica | 10:20 |
| 6 | We’re Everywhere | Nōtiō nivālis | 4:32 |
| 7 | Ex cathedra | Ambiēns aquātica | 6:40 |
| 8 | Nuke and Pave |
Ritratto in grigio a. Ritratto in grigio (elettrico) b. Ritratto in grigio (acustico) |
10:20 5:05 5:15 |
| 9 | Curiouser and Curiouser… |
Ludo mortale a. Danza frattale b. フラクタル・ジャズ |
11:00 5:22 5:38 |
| 10 | Eat It, Vid Boi! |
Tempus tempestātum a. Tempo tempestoso (elettrico) b. Tiempo tempestuoso (acústico) |
11:40 5:44 5:56 |
| 11 | The Hard Stuff Rules… |
Ἡ μεγᾰ́λη σιγή α. Μίᾰ ᾰ̓γᾰ́πη ἀνώτατη β. Ἡμέρᾱ ὀργῆς |
9:00 4:55 4:05 |
| 12 | Bob’s Big Date | Fīliī Bombayānī | 7:20 |
| 13 | Six Thousand Feet Under | Lurkers in the Deep | 6:24 |
| 14 | If I Had a Rocket Launcher, I’d Make Somebody Pay | Dēsīderāta | 2:44 |
| 15 | Sorry Don’t Make It So | Malizia premeditata | 10:00 |
| 16 | For Carnage, Apply Within | Adronal | 10:30 |
| 17 | Begging for Mercy Makes Me Angry! |
tIq’oy’ je taHqeqpu’ i. Diēs īrae ii. Sōlitūdō aeterna iii. Ballāns morte iv. Cōnspicitor ad astra |
14:15 3:15 4:52 2:38 3:30 |
| 18 | The Big House | You Wanted To a. You Wanted To (metal) b. You Wanted To (jazz) |
4:20 2:00 2:20 |
| 19 | This Side Toward Enemy | Below Cloud City | 5:00 |
| 20 | God Will Sort the Dead… | Βυθῐ́ζοντες εἰς Ἔρεβος | 6:24 |
| 21 | My Own Private Thermopylae | The Pipeline, Filling In Time a. The Pipeline, Filling In Time (jazz) b. The Pipeline, Filling In Time (metal) |
13:00 6:18 6:42 |
| 22 | Kill Your Television | Οἶκος κεκλεισμένων θῠρῐ́δων, ᾰ̓κρόπολῐς σῑγῆς | 19:30 |
| 23 | Where the Twist Flops |
Fīnis fīnālis α. Πτῆσις ἐν διάστημᾰτῐ β. Ναυτῐκόν πολῑτείᾱς γ. Κρίσιμη μᾰ́χη |
7:00 2:40 1:54 2:26 |
| 24 | Beware of Abandoned Rental Trucks |
Īra temporis i. Ex tempore, ex locō ii. Nōn omnia in suā locō corrēctō erant |
8:19 4:00 4:19 |
| 25 | Requiem for a Cyborg | Κοιμητήρῐον | 12:00 |
| 26 | Fatum iustum stultorum | Disco Apocalypse in 5/4 (co-starring the delicious talents of Logic Pro) | 12:27 |
| 27 | Feel the Noise | Tempestās īrae | 5:12 |
| 28 | All Roads Lead to Sol… |
Omnēs viae Sōlem dūcunt i. Celeritās Deī tibī̆, imperātor fusce ii. Quattuor pūnctum sex miliardum annōrum iii. Vīdī rēs vōs hominēs nē crēderētis | 20:15 7:07 5:25 7:43 |
| Total length | 4:18:43 |
Lyrics
11. Ἡ μεγᾰ́λη σιγή
α. Μίᾰ ᾰ̓γᾰ́πη ἀνώτατη
| Byzantine | Romanized | Latin | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ἅγιος ὁ Θεός |
Hágios ho Theós |
Sānctus Deus |
Holy God |
| Ἅγιος ἰσχυρός |
Hágios iskhūrós |
Sānctus fortis |
Holy mighty |
| Ἅγιος ἀθάνατος |
Hágios āthánatos |
Sānctus immortālis |
Holy immortal |
Ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς |
Eléēson hēmâs |
Miserēre nōbīs |
Have mercy on us |
β. Ἡμέρᾱ ὀργῆς
| More poetic (formal equivalence) | Lyrica latīna | More literal (dynamic equivalence) |
|---|---|---|
| Day of wrath and doom impending Heav’n and Earth in ashes ending David’s word with Sibyl’s blending Day of wrath and doom impending |
Diēs īrae, diēs illa Solvet saeclum in favillā Teste Dāvīd cum Sibyllā Diēs īrae, diēs illa |
Day of wrath, that day Shall dissolve the world into ashes As David and the Sibyl attestèd Day of wrath, that day |
| King of Majesty tremendous Who dost free salvation send us Fount of pity, then befriend us King of Majesty tremendous |
Rēx tremendae māiestātis Qui salvandōs salvās grātīs Salvā mē, fōns pietātis Rēx tremendae māiestātis |
King of fearsome majesty Who freely savest the elect Save me, O fount of mercy King of fearsome majesty |
| Once the damn’d have been confoundèd Doom’d to acrid flames unboundèd Call me with Thy saints surroundèd Once the damn’d have been confoundèd |
Cōnfūtātis maledictīs Flammīs ācribus addictīs Vocā mē cum benedictīs Cōnfūtātis maledictīs |
Once the wicked are restrain’d Damnèd to acrid flames Call me with the blessèd Once the wicked are restrain’d |
| Ah! that day of tears and mourning From the dust of earth returning Man for judgement must prepare him Spare, O God, in mercy spare him |
Lacrimōsa diēs illa Quā resurget ex favillā Iūdicandus homō reus Huic ergō parce, Deus |
Tearful [shall be] that day When from glowing embers ariseth The guilty man to be judg’d Thus spare him, O God |
| Lord, all-pitying, Jesus blest Grant them Thine eternal rest Amen |
Pie Iēsū Domine Dōnā eis requiem Amen |
O Holy Lord Jesus Grant them rest Amen |
17. tIq’oy’ je taHqeqpu’
i. Diēs īrae
| More poetic (formal equivalence) | Lyrica latīna | More literal (dynamic equivalence) |
|---|---|---|
| Day of wrath and doom impending Heav’n and Earth in ashes ending David’s word with Sibyl’s blending Day of wrath and doom impending |
Diēs īrae, diēs illa Solvet saeclum in favillā Teste Dāvīd cum Sibyllā Diēs īrae, diēs illa |
Day of wrath, that day Shall dissolve the world into ashes As David and the Sibyl attestèd Day of wrath, that day |
| King of Majesty tremendous Who dost free salvation send us Fount of pity, then befriend us King of Majesty tremendous |
Rēx tremendae māiestātis Qui salvandōs salvās grātīs Salvā mē, fōns pietātis Rēx tremendae māiestātis |
King of fearsome majesty Who freely savest the elect Save me, O fount of mercy King of fearsome majesty |
| Once the damn’d have been confoundèd Doom’d to acrid flames unboundèd Call me with Thy saints surroundèd Once the damn’d have been confoundèd |
Cōnfūtātis maledictīs Flammīs ācribus addictīs Vocā mē cum benedictīs Cōnfūtātis maledictīs |
Once the wicked are restrain’d Damnèd to acrid flames Call me with the blessèd Once the wicked are restrain’d |
| Ah! that day of tears and mourning From the dust of earth returning Man for judgement must prepare him Spare, O God, in mercy spare him |
Lacrimōsa diēs illa Quā resurget ex favillā Iūdicandus homō reus Huic ergō parce, Deus |
Tearful [shall be] that day When from glowing embers ariseth The guilty man to be judg’d Thus spare him, O God |
ii. Sōlitūdō aeterna
[Instrumental]
iii. Ballāns morte
[Instrumental]
iv. Cōnspicitor ad astra
[Instrumental]
28. Omnēs viae Sōlem dūcunt
i. Celeritās Deī tibī̆, imperātor fusce
[Instrumental]
ii. Quattuor pūnctum sex miliardum annōrum
[Instrumental]
iii. Vīdī rēs vōs hominēs nē crēderētis
| Latin Lyrics (Lyrica latīna) | English Translation | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Viāvī omnis circum astra Vidē nāvēs fervēntes in Ōrīōne Trabēs C ad portam Tannhäuser Mōmenta erunt perdita in tempore Sed post omnia quae vidēbam Ac post omnia quae faciēbam Prīmae vēritātēs quās cōnstābunt Omnēs viae ad sōlem dūcunt |
I’ve voyaged all around the stars I’ve seen ships on fire in Orion C-beams by the Tannhäuser Gate Moments will be lost in time But after everything I’ve seen And after everything I’ve done The first truths will stay constant All roads lead to the Sun |
||
|
Post īnsidiās Strauss et MIDA Ac rampans ignis ferrum cūdit Nōs vīcerimus mangōnibus Ac ballō Ūnā Obscurā Ac vīsimus ad astrum vagum Sciō nec quamdiū viābō nec quem fiām Sōlum dēstinātiōnem meam Omnēs viae retro sōlem eunt |
After Strauss and MIDA’s machinations After rampant fire forged a sword After we’ve won the war with the slavers After I’ve danced with the Dark One And after we’ve visited the rogue star I know not how long I’ll travel nor who I’ll become I know only my destination All roads lead back to the Sun |
| Attic Greek (Ᾰ̓ττῐκή Ἑλληνῐκή) | Romanized (Rhṓmēĭsméni) | English Translation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ᾰ̓πᾰντήσομεν ἐν ὠχρῷ σελήνόφωτῐ́ Ἐν κήπῳ εἰς γένεσῐν κόσμου Μᾰχώμεθᾰ ἤ ἔρωτευώμεθᾰ Ᾰ̓πό νῷν αἰωνίου χοροῦ Καί εἰ πᾰ́λῐν σύμβῐβᾰ́σοιμεν Πᾰ́ντες τῠ́ρᾰννοι ὀφείλωσῐ δείσειν Δῐκαιοσῠ́νη καί ἰσότης νῑκήσουσῐν Πᾶσαι ὁδοί ἡγέονται εἰς ἥλῐον! |
Ăpăntḗsomen en ōkhrôi selḗnófōtĭ́ En kḗpōi eis génesĭn kósmou Măkhṓmethă ḗ érōteuṓmethă Ăpó nôin aiōníou khorôu Kaí ei pắlĭn súmbĭbắsoimen Pắntes tŭ́rănnoi ofeílōsĭ deídein Dĭkaiosŭ́nē kaí isót̄es nīkḗsousĭn Pâsai hodoí hēgéontai eis hḗlĭon! |
We’ll meet in the pale moonlight In the garden at the world’s birth We may fight, we may fall in love From our eternal dance And if once more we should unite All tyrants should beware Justice and equality will prevail All roads lead to the Sun! |
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