# Ambiance Nocturnae (re: 13 Ghosts) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 19, 2008, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ambiance-nocturnae-re-13-ghosts/434114 "2008-01-19T03:40:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cat\_In\_A\_Top\_Hat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@Cat\_In\_A\_Top\_Hat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_In_A_Top_Hat)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2008, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ambiance-nocturnae-re-13-ghosts/434114/1 "2008-01-19T03:40:03Z")
So there’s this movie called 13 Ghosts. Fun. Not Oscar-faire, by any stretch, but really fun. The guy who played Shaggy in the Scooby Doo movie’s a supporting character (he’s a paranoid psychometric), among other amusements. The thing is, there’s this chant that’s played over the title page on the DVD and also when they summon the ghosts together at the end for the climax. I have thus far been entirely unable to find it either in audio or text form. Anybody know where to find it? Bonus if there’s a translation available. Thankee big-big! ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ambiance-nocturnae-re-13-ghosts/434114/2 "2008-01-19T21:05:15Z")
Well, It doesn’t seem to be on the soundtrack, but I managed to find the DVD title page with the chant on YouTube at [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6ncJsLa9jA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6ncJsLa9jA) I couldn’t make out much of it, and what I did sounds like badly mangled Latin (or maybe Latinglish). I listened to it a few times, and consulted my references, for all the good it did. I think the bit you quoted in your title would be something along the lines of “surrounded by night(s)”. The “vene\*” section that’s almost clear later on could be from any number of roots. “Veneficium”–“magic” or “oisoning”. “Veneo”–“to be sold”. “Venia”–“indulgence” or “favor”. “Venio”–“to come”, “to happen”, or “to arise”. Any of those could conceivably fit with the theme of the chant. There’s a scream effect over the second word of each phrase, so that’s no help. I think there’s a word based on the root “crucio” (“torment”) somewhere in there, but I couldn’t swear to it. That’s all I’ve got, I’m afraid. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ambiance-nocturnae-re-13-ghosts/434114/3 "2008-01-19T22:26:46Z")
Just as an FYI, **13 Ghosts** is a remake of a movie by the same name that’s an entertaining watch as well. I really liked Tony Shalhoub in the modern version. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ambiance-nocturnae-re-13-ghosts/434114/4 "2008-01-19T22:29:45Z")
[QUOTE=Eonwe] Just as an FYI, **13 Ghosts** is a remake of a movie by the same name that’s an entertaining watch as well. I really liked Tony Shalhoub in the modern version. [/QUOTE] Tony Shalhoub is magic in whatever he does. He’s one of those actors that makes a turkey into something better just by showing up on set. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_In\_A\_Top\_Hat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@Cat\_In\_A\_Top\_Hat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_In_A_Top_Hat)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ambiance-nocturnae-re-13-ghosts/434114/5 "2008-01-20T02:19:12Z")
[QUOTE=Balance] Well, It doesn’t seem to be on the soundtrack, but I managed to find the DVD title page with the chant on YouTube at [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6ncJsLa9jA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6ncJsLa9jA) I couldn’t make out much of it, and what I did sounds like badly mangled Latin (or maybe Latinglish). I listened to it a few times, and consulted my references, for all the good it did. … That’s all I’ve got, I’m afraid. [/QUOTE] Ah, no worries. Thanks for looking. There’s actually a better and more audible version towards the end of the film, itself, when the twelve are being gathered in the middle of the house, but it seems like the people involved never bothered to write it down, anywhere. Or at the very least, nowhere I’ve been able to find. Fiddlesticks. _tip o’ the hat_ ---
**Author:** ![Imago\_Inferis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bcef8e/32.png) [@Imago\_Inferis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imago_Inferis)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2020, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ambiance-nocturnae-re-13-ghosts/434114/6 "2020-05-23T19:48:41Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > Well, It doesn’t seem to be on the soundtrack, but I managed to find the DVD title page with the chant on YouTube at [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6ncJsLa9jA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6ncJsLa9jA) > > I couldn’t make out much of it, and what I did sounds like badly mangled Latin (or maybe Latinglish). I listened to it a few times, and consulted my references, for all the good it did. > > I think the bit you quoted in your title would be something along the lines of “surrounded by night(s)”. > > The “vene\*” section that’s almost clear later on could be from any number of roots. “Veneficium”–“magic” or “oisoning”. “Veneo”–“to be sold”. “Venia”–“indulgence” or “favor”. “Venio”–“to come”, “to happen”, or “to arise”. Any of those could conceivably fit with the theme of the chant. There’s a scream effect over the second word of each phrase, so that’s no help. > > I think there’s a word based on the root “crucio” (“torment”) somewhere in there, but I couldn’t swear to it. > > That’s all I’ve got, I’m afraid. I also heard “Obsequi”, which is like compliance or obedience. I’m pretty sure I heard “Sulce”, to furrow or plough, though I’m not sure if that makes any sense. lol