This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed

actually..some people think that moatilliata is Ben, the guy who pushed Julio Venegas to his suicide..

I don't know how much this has to do with the actual story that is told. To me the lyrics makes me think Moatilliatta is death or tragedy. It reminds me of a Twighlight Zone episode of this old woman who became secluded in her house because she knew if she went outside, that death would get her in some way, shape, or form. Its like death is hiding around every corner, but in disguise. Some stuff that might support that is: "Can you cure us of this fate?" "Prefect, dictate your final words." "And now it won't be long."

I don't know if I am correct. Its just an idea I had since I havn't really seen any shots at explaining this song.

This song is meant to convince TMV fans to unearth apparati.

this apparatus must be unearthed unearthed can mean discovered apparatus in a larger sense could be the mechanism behind something... does anyone see where i'm going with this? what's behind something is usually the root of it, or, if you prefer, the cause the cause must be discovered, perhaps unveiled (because when you unearth, you uncover... yes, uncover can mean find BUT it can also mean to unmask) this cause must be unmasked!

well this is an amazing song... after three years of using this site i think i'm finally gonna add what i have to say... i have yet to find an explanation for the "anonymous avenge my name" part... it seems to stick out a bit from the rest... some lines that haven't been explained and i'd like to take a crack at...

can anyone offer an explanation for the "is there straw dressed in these fields" i mean yes, i associate straw with fields and animals and pasture but... if it helps, i have two definitions for a straw man

1. it is a weak or imaginary opposition...
2. a person set up to serve as a cover for a usually questionable transaction if we use the latter definition dressed could mean ready, arranged (someone on standby in case of, in the event of... don't get it? who's played the Avenging Angels mission in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City? 'Nuf said, you watch over a drug transaction) fields is defined as a complex of forces that serve as causative agents in human behavior... or you can say a field when you refer to a group of people who participate in a sport... field could also just be used as an area, a meeting point is there a straw man waiting in these fields or is there a straw man AMONGST US, making sure that something goes as planned... such as the death of Julio Venegas... a traitor (not information wise) far-fetched? not as much as you would think if you knew the whole Ben - Julio relationship which I will not explain right now... but supposedly Ben edged Julio on to commit suicide

This song is about vocabulary. To anyone who reads a lot, keep it up and you'll understand words like these. to anyone who doesn't, just make sure you have a dictionnary handy :)

A litany is a sort of chant... so assuming this chant was to symbolise his death, this would work. However, it's more of a supplication than anything... why would you mock a supplication? Can you cure us of this fate suggests that the person talking is Julio (who is in desperation and considering suicide). Why would someone who is trying to find a way out of a situation, mock a supplication? "Mock the litany in it's face" could also be seen as an order given by a character (obvious the antagonist) to someone that is helping him (him being the antagonist).

Does it sting of augur truth. Augur is a roman prophet, yes BUT more importantly, it's designates someone who foretells events by omens, and may be used simply to designate the prediction itself

a prefect was a chief officer in ancient Rome. if you look a little further, a prefect apostolic is a roman clergyman that occupies a high, important, priest-like position...

omerta is kind of like a rule, a code... used in underground crime organisations that swears you to secrecy

My guess: ...Hex zero rouge
-symbolizes his awakening? (let's ignore this line, hex is a spell (usually a curse, but i think it can be positive too) ...He'll hybernate no more
-he awakes from coma ...The altars run dry
-altars might be hopes and prayers, he's run out of hope... ...Prefect dictate your final words -a priest dictating final words... high priests at one point replaced the doctors role of declaring someone dead... i believe ...does it sting of augur truth -does the truth of the prediction sting ...was your temple left in ruins? -everything he had, plans, aspirations... just crumbled ...is that you moatilliatta? -i'll believe everyone else... moatilliatta was something uttered subconsciously (well obviously) by the comatosed Julio Venegas or (and this one seems more plausible) moatilliatta is really evil disguised as a friend, who leads Julio Venegas to suicide

words from ancient rome civilization used include: augur, prefect, litany, (perhaps omerta, as underground bandits were something quite common in Rome... off the top of my head i can actually think of fictional (or semi-fictional) references: Underworld (headquarters are in Rome), (Luigi Vampa from The Count of Monte Cristo BOOK), and also The Da Vinci Code, which I haven't read but I feel compelled to add it in).

So this kind of leaves me with one conclusion, although The Mars Volta may be geniuses at times... their lyrics are definitely often misleading.

I'd like someone to challenge something (or everything) i've written, i realize that i may have made some points, but have probably not covered them all and after listening to this about a million times... i think it's about time i figure out EXACTLY what everything means... my fav song on their first album, probably because it's the song that made me love them

The title is a reference to the phrase "This apparatus must be earthed", which is found on the back of the Orange guitar amplifiers. This is a warning in regards to using proper electrical grounding for the amplifier. The Mars Volta guitarist, Omar Rodriguez, almost exclusively uses Orange amps.

this is deep shit!

i really like this song, its not my fav on the album or anything tho, its good no doubt

aah, these lyrics are crazy! I don't really understand them, lol but I LOVE EM!!

does anyone know what the hell "moatilliatta" is, if that's how you spell it?

moatilliatta is a character in the story, open to interpretation. many people think it is cerpin taxt (another character) in a different form.