The Creation (1-35)

In nova fert animus mūtātās dīcere fōrmās

corpora; dī, coeptīs (nam vōs mūtāstis et illās)

adspīrāte meīs prīmāque ab orīgine mundī

ad mea perpetuum dēdūcite tempora carmen!

Ante mare et terrās et quod tegit omnia caelum 5

ūnus erat tōtō nātūrae vultus in orbe,

quem dīxēre chaos: rudis indīgestaque mōlēs

nec quicquam nisi pondus iners congestaque eōdem

nōn bene iūnctārum discordia sēmina rērum.

nūllus adhūc mundō praebēbat lūmina Tītān, 10

nec nova crēscendō reparābat cornua Phoebē,

nec circumfūsō pendēbat in āere tellūs

ponderibus lībrāta suīs, nec bracchia longō

margine terrārum porrēxerat Amphītrītē;

utque erat et tellūs illīc et pontus et āēr, 15

sīc erat īnstabilis tellūs, innābilis unda,

lūcis egēns āēr; nūllī sua fōrma manēbat,

obstābatque aliīs aliud, quia corpore in ūnō

frīgida pugnābant calidīs, ūmentia siccīs,

mollia cum dūrīs, sine pondere, habentia pondus. 20

Hanc deus et melior lītem nātūra dirēmit.

nam caelō terrās et terrīs abscidit undās

et liquidum spissō sēcrēvit ab āere caelum.

quae postquam ēvolvit caecōque exēmit acervō,

dissociāta locīs concordī pāce ligāvit: 25

ignea convexī vīs et sine pondere caelī

ēmicuit summāque locum sibi fēcit in arce;

proximus est āēr illī levitāte locōque;

dēnsior hīs tellūs elementaque grandia trāxit

et pressa est gravitāte suā; circumfluus ūmor 30

ultima possēdit solidumque coercuit orbem.

Sīc ubi dispositam quisquis fuit ille deōrum

congeriem secuit sectamque in membra coēgit,

prīncipiō terram, nē nōn aequālis ab omnī

parte foret, magnī speciem glomerāvit in orbis.

1: Metamorphoses, -um: Ovid's epic poem

Line 1: "In nova fert animus mutatas dicere formas corpora" - This sentence features an example of chiasmus, a literary device where words are repeated in reverse order. In this case, "animus" and "corpora" are the two repeated words that form the chiasmus.

3: In nova fert animus: The narrator's mind is turned to telling a new story.

4: corpora: bodies

5: Forma: beauty, form, shape

7: Elementum: element, primary principle

Line 7: "incipit esse novos" - This phrase features an example of ellipsis, where the subject of the verb "esse" (which means "to be") is omitted. The full sentence would be "he (Jupiter) begins to make new things."

Line 8: "loci" is genitive, singular, and masculine, indicating possession.

9: Aethera: sky, atmosphere

11: Igneus: fiery, burning

12: concipit: conceives, takes on

Line 12: "quo fuit incepto" - This phrase features the ablative of respect, which is used to indicate the standard or measure by which something is done. In this case, "quo" means "by which" and "fuit incepto" means "was begun." The whole phrase means "by which [standard] it was begun."

13: generis: race, lineage

Line 13: "erat" is a linking verb meaning "was". "saevus" is nominative, singular, and masculine, modifying "Iuppiter". "irā" is ablative, singular, and feminine, indicating the means by which Jupiter was "saevus".

16: ferae: wild animals

17: traxitque colubras: and drew serpents

19: sensere: feel, perceive

Line 19: "dumque petit, petitur" - This sentence features an example of chiasmus, where the verb "petit" (meaning "he seeks") is repeated in reverse order. The full sentence means "while he seeks, he is sought."

20: mora: delay

23: impetus: attack, rush

24: uno: one

26: virgine: girl, maiden

27: Nympha: nymph, goddess of nature

29: flumina: rivers

31: virginis: of the maiden

32: haec: this (referring to the girl)

33: aurīs: ears

35: nomine: name