Arsène speaking to the protagonist during his Awakening.
"I am thou, thou art I..." (我は汝、汝は我, Ware wa Nanji, Nanji wa Ware)? is a common quote of the signature Personas of the protagonists of the Persona series when they are being summoned the first time. The complete quote varies a bit throughout the series, but the general meaning is almost the same. Archaic grammar is deliberately used here to denote the figure that the Persona is most usually based on characters and creatures which originate from ancient mythology.
This quote is also said by a "mysterious voice" that rings in the protagonist's head when obtaining a new Persona or maxing out a Social Link or Confidant.
Similar words may be spoken by Philemon depending on the actions the player takes at the end of Persona 2: Innocent Sin, referring to the fact that Philemon, as one personification of the Collective Unconscious, lives within the protagonists just as their Personas do. In Persona 5, not only the initial Personas of the playable members, all Shadows speak the same quote when they are reminded of coming from the sea of human souls after a successful negotiation.
Quotes[]
"I am thou... Thou art I... From the sea of thy soul, I cometh..."
"我は汝…汝は我…我は汝の心の海より出でし者…
(Romaji: Ware wa nanji… nanji wa ware… Ware wa nanji no kokoro no umi yori ideshi mono…)"
After this part, one more verse follows by briefing the identity of the figure in the originating legend. Some examples are listed below.
Persona[]
"I shall lend you my strength..."
Persona 2[]
"The bearer of the inferno that burns away impurity, Vulcanus!"
"Thy heart that beats for thy friends lights mine holy flame... I am thou... Thou art I... I am Vulcanus, awakened to the ancient fire..."
—Vulcanus Prime
"Ruler of the blazing sun and blue skies, Apollo..."
"I am the brilliant mother, Maia..."
"I am the one who dwells in the rift between human consciousness and unconsciousness. I am you. You are me... I am always within you, watching over you. Farewell..."
—Philemon
Persona 3[]
"I am Orpheus, master of strings..."
—Orpheus and Orpheus Telos
Persona 4[]
"From the very moment of my emergence, I have been a guiding light shed to illuminate thy path...I am the original god...Izanagi-no-Okami."
Persona 5[]
"Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice! Call upon my name, and release thy rage! Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained to Hell itself! I am the pillager of twilight, Arsène!"
Forging a New Social Link/Confidant[]
Persona 3 and Persona 3 FES don't have the "I am thou..." quote when obtaining a new Social Link. Instead, it only says:
"Thou shalt have our blessings when thou chooseth to create a Persona of the (Arcana Name) Arcana..."
"(汝、“(アルカナ名)” のペルソナを生み出せし時、
我ら、更なる力の祝福を与えん…,
Nanji, "(Arukana Na)” no Perusona o umidaseshi toki,
Warera, saranaru chikara no shukufuku o ataen...)?"
Since Persona 3 Portable, "I am thou..." is present when obtaining a new Social Link/Confidant and the quote varies depending on the game.
"Thou art I... And I am thou...
Thou hast established a new bond...
Thou shalt be blessed when creating
Personas of the (Arcana's Name) Arcana..."
"(我は汝… 汝は我…
汝、新たなる絆を見出したり…
汝、“(アルカナ名)” のペルソナを生み出せし時、
我ら、更なる力の祝福を与えん…,
Ware wa nanji... Nanji wa ware...
Nanji, aratanaru kizuna o miidashitari...
Nanji, "(Arukana Na)” no Perusona o umidaseshi toki,
Warera, saranaru chikara no shukufuku o ataen...)?"
"I am thou... thou art I...
Thou hast established a new bond...
Thou shalt have our blessings when thou chooseth
To create a Persona of the (Arcana's Name) Arcana..."
"(我は汝… 汝は我…
汝、新たなる絆を見出したり…
汝、「(アルカナ名)」のペルソナを生み出せし時、 我ら、更なる力の祝福を与えん…,
Ware wa nanji... Nanji wa ware...
Nanji, aratanaru kizuna o miidashitari...
Nanji, [(Arukana Na)] no Perusona o umidaseshi toki,
Warera, saranaru chikara no shukufuku o ataen...)?"
"Thou art I... And I am thou...
Thou hast established a new bond...
It brings thee closer to the truth...
Thou shalt be blessed when creating
Personas of the (Arcana's Name) Arcana..."
"(我は汝…汝は我…
汝、新たなる絆を見出したり…
絆は即ち、まことを知る一歩なり。
汝、“(アルカナ名)” のペルソナを生み出せし時、 我ら、更なる力の祝福を与えん…,
Ware wa nanji... Nanji wa ware...
Nanji, aratanaru kizuna o miidashitari...
Kizuna wa sunawachi, makoto o shiru ipponari.
Nanji, "(Arukana Na)” no Perusona o umidaseshi toki,
Warera, saranaru chikara no shukufuku o ataen...)?"
"Thou art I... And I am thou...
Thou hast seen how bonds may change...
The bond that hath changed... It is thy
"The Jester" becoming "Hunger""
first step in learning the truth.
Thou must bear thine inner power of
"(我は汝…汝は我…
汝、変貌する絆に気付きたり…
変貌する絆…それは即ち、
更なるまことを知る一歩なり。
汝には見ゆるべし。
汝が内なる“道化師”の力が、
“欲望”へと生まれ変わらんにとを…,
Ware wa nanji… Nanji wa ware…
Nanji, henbōsuru kizuna ni kizukitari…
Henbōsuru kizuna… sore wa sunawachi,
Saranaru makoto o shiru ipponari.
Nanji ni wa mi yurubeshi.
Nanji ga uchinaru "Dōkeshi" no chikara ga,
"Yokubō" e to umarekawaran ni to o…)?"
"I am thou... Thou art I...
Thou hast acquired a new vow...
It shall become the wings of rebellion
That breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of (Arcana's Name) Persona
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall lead to freedom and new power..."
"(我は汝…汝は我…
汝、ここに新たなる契りを得たり
契りは即ち、
囚われを破らんとする反逆の翼なり
我、(アルカナ名)のペルソナの生誕に祝福の風を得たり…
自由へと至る、更なる力とならん…,
Ware wa nanji... Nanji wa ware...
Nanji, koko ni aratanaru chigiri o etari
Chigiri wa sunawachi, toraware o yaburan to suru hangyaku no tsubasa nari
Ware, (Arukana Na) no Perusona no seitan ni shukufuku no kaze o etari
Jiyū e to itaru, saranaru chikara to naran…)?"
"I am thou, thou art I...
My vow stands renewed in pursuit of the truth.
In breaking free of doubt, the chain that impedes
shall guide thee to the furthest depths."
thee, is thy strength of heart made manifest.
With the rebirth of the Faith Persona,
Thou hast obtained the winds of blessing that
"(我は汝…汝は我…
我、再び真実を目指す契りをここに得たり
迷いを炊け、
現れ出し鋪を砕かんとする意思こそ強き心たり．
汝、「信念」のペルソナの再起の風を得たり
風は即ち, 最奥へ至る道筋を照らす導きとならん…,
Ware wa nanji… Nanji wa ware…
Ware, futatabi shinjitsu o mezasu chigiri o koko ni etari. Mayoi o take,
Araware-dashi shiki o kudakan to suru ishi koso tsuyoki kokorotari.
Nanji,`shin'nen' no perusona no saiki no kaze o etari
Kaze wa sunawachi, saiō e itaru michisuji o terasu michibiki to naran…)?"
Maxing a Social Link/Confidant[]
While the text change between FES and Portable in the English localization, the text in the original Japanese doesn't.
"Thou art I... And I am thou...
The bond thou hast nurtured hath
finally matured.
The innermost power of the (Arcana's Name)
Arcana hath been set free.
We bestow upon thee the ability to
create (Persona's Name), the ultimate form
of the (Arcana's Name) Arcana..."
"Thou art I... And I am thou...
Thou hast established a genuine bond...
The innermost power of the (Arcana's Name)
Arcana hath been set free.
We bestow upon thee the ability to
create (Persona's Name), the ultimate form
of the (Arcana's Name) Arcana..."
"(我は汝… 汝は我…
汝、ついに真実の絆を得たり。
ここに、“(アルカナ名)”の力は、
その最奥を開かれたり。
我ら、汝に“(アルカナ名)”の究極の力、
“(ペルソナ名)”を生み出す資格を授けん…,
Ware wa nanji... Nanji wa ware
Nanji, tsuini shinjitsu no kizuna o etari.
Koko ni, [(Arukana Na)] no chikara wa,
Sono saiō o hirakaretari.
Warera, nanji ni, "(Arukana Na)" no kyūkyoku no chikara,
"(Perusona Na)" o umidasu shikaku o sazuken...)?"
"I am thou... thou art I...
The bond thy hast nurtured hath finally matured.
The innermost power of the (Arcana Name) Arcana hath been set free.
We now bestow upon thee...
The ultimate form of the (Arcana name) within thy self..."
"(我は汝…汝は我…
汝、ついに真実の絆を得たり
ここに、「(アルカナ名)」の力は、その最奥を開かれたり
今こそ我ら、汝に与えん…
「(アルカナ名)」の究極なる力、汝が内に満たされんことを…,
Ware wa nanji... Nanji wa ware
Nanji, tsuini shinjitsu no kizuna o etari.
Koko ni, [(Arukana Na)] no chikara wa, sono saiō o hirakaretari.
Ima koso warera, nanji ni ataen...
[(Arukana Na)] no kyūkyokunaru chikara, nanji ga uchi ni mitasaren koto o...)?"
"Thou art I... And I am thou...
Thou hast established a genuine bond...
These genuine bonds... shall be your
eyes to see the truth.
We bestow upon thee the ability to
create (Persona's Name), the ultimate form
of the (Arcana's Name) Arcana..."
"(我は汝…汝は我…
汝、ついに真実の絆を得たり。
真実の絆…それは即ち、
真実の目なり。
今こそ、汝には見ゆるべし
“(アルカナ名)”の究極の力、“(ペルソナ名)”の
汝が内に目覚めんことを…,
Ware wa nanji... Nanji wa ware
Nanji, tsuini shinjitsu no kizuna o etari.
Shinjitsu no kizuna soreha sunawachi,
Shinjitsu no menari.
Ima koso, nanji ni wa miyurubeshi.
"(Arukana Na)" no kyūkyoku no chikara, "(Perusona Na)" no Nanji ga uchi ni mezamen koto o...)?"
"I am thou, thou art I
Thou hast turned a vow into a blood oath.
Thy bond shall become the wings of rebellion
and break the yoke of thy heart.
Thou hast awakened to the ultimate secret
of the (Arcana's Name), granting thee infinite power..."
"(我は汝… 汝は我…
汝ここに、契りを血盟の絆えと転生せしめたり
絆は反逆の翼となりて
魂のくびきを打ち破らん
今こそ汝、「(アルカナ名)」の究極なる秘奥に目覚めたり
無尽の力を汝に与えん…,
Ware wa nanji... Nanji wa ware
Nanji koko ni, chigiri o ketsumei no kizuna e to tenseiseshimetari.
Kizuna wa hangyaku no tsubasa to nari te
Tamashī no kubiki o uchiyaburan.
Ima koso nanji, (Arukana Na) no kyūkyokunaru hiō ni mezametari
Mujin no chikara o nanji ni ataen…)?"
"I am thou, thou art I
Thou hast birthed a bond clad in the heart's strength.
This union, born and embraced by will unyielding,
granting thee further power to tread the abyss..."
shall become the balefire that lights thy path.
Thou hast gained a glimpse of the Faith's truth,
"(我は汝…汝は我…
我ここに、心を鎧う堅牢たる絆を生み得たり
強き意志に抱かれし絆は、
行く道を照らす篝火なり
今こそ汝、「信念」の秘奥たる片鱗に触れ得たり
更なる深淵に歩むべき力を、汝に与えん…,
Ware wa nanji… Nanji wa ware…
Ware koko ni, kokoro o yorou kenrōtaru kizuna o umi etari.
Tsuyoki ishi ni dakareshi kizuna wa, iku michi o terasu kagaribi nari
Ima koso nanji, [Shinnen] no hiōtaru henrin ni fure etari
Saranaru shin'en ni ayumubeki chikara o, nanji ni ataen…)?"
Music[]
- "Awakening Legend" (Megami Ibunroku Persona)
- "Strength of the Heart" (Persona 3 Social Link)
- "The Path is Open" (Persona 3 Social Link maxed out)
- "Strength of the Heart" (Persona 4 Social Link)
- "The Path is Open"" (Persona 4 Social Link maxed out)
- "The Spirit" (Persona 5 Confidant)
- "Swear to My Bones" (Persona 5 Confidant maxed out [teammates only, during Second and Third Awakenings])
See also[]
- I am a shadow
Trivia[]
- The line is referenced in Joker's initial reveal trailer for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where Arsène says, "I am thou, thou art I... Show the strength of thy will, and rage against all challengers!"
- Additionally, Joker's up special move in the game itself, when Arsène is active, pays homage to the line's iteration in Persona 5, as it is named Wings of Rebellion; this reference holds true even in Japanese.