Genesis 1:1

Posted on January 1, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn1:1 In principio creavit Deus cælum, et terram.

In the beginning God created heaven and earth.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 In in PREP+ABL
2 principio beginning ABL.SG.N
3 creavit created 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
4 Deus God NOM.SG.M
5 cælum heaven ACC.SG.N
6 et and CONJ
7 terram earth ACC.SG.F

Syntax

Main Clause: Deus (Subject) + creavit (Verb)
Objects: cælum (Direct Object 1), terram (Direct Object 2)
Phrase: In principio — Adverbial temporal phrase setting the context of action

Morphology

  1. In — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Introduces temporal phrase; Translation: “in”; Notes: Defines the temporal sphere of the event.
  2. principio — Lemma: principium; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular neuter; Function: Object of preposition; Translation: “beginning”; Notes: Ablative of time when.
  3. creavit — Lemma: creo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “created”; Notes: Completed action in the past.
  4. Deus — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject; Translation: “God”; Notes: The agent performing the act of creation.
  5. cælum — Lemma: cælum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular neuter; Function: Direct object; Translation: “heaven”; Notes: First of two coordinated elements created.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Connects direct objects; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple add-on connector.
  7. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Direct object; Translation: “earth”; Notes: Paired with cælum as the total created order.

 

About Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Born around 346 A.D. in Stridon, St. Jerome was a scholar fluent in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew whose ascetic discipline and deep engagement with Scripture prepared him for a monumental task: translating the Bible into Latin. Commissioned by Pope Damasus I around 382 A.D., Jerome began by revising the flawed Old Latin Gospels, then expanded his work to the entire Bible. For the New Testament, he corrected Latin texts using Greek manuscripts; for the Old Testament, he translated most books directly from Hebrew—a controversial but principled choice. His final Psalter, however, followed the Greek Septuagint tradition for liturgical use. This composite translation, later known as the Vulgate (editio vulgata), became the authoritative biblical text of the Western Church, formally endorsed at the Council of Trent in 1546. The Vulgate’s influence extends beyond theology into textual criticism and Latin education. As one of the earliest translations grounded in original-language scholarship, it offers a vital witness to the state of biblical texts in late antiquity. Jerome’s lexical and syntactic decisions are studied to trace manuscript history and assess variant readings. Its elegant Latin, consistent in grammar and rich in vocabulary, became a model for medieval and Renaissance learning, bridging classical and ecclesiastical Latin. More than a translation, the Vulgate helped define Christian doctrine, preserved the Latin language, and laid essential groundwork for the critical study of Scripture—remaining indispensable to students of Latin, theology, and textual history.
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