Compendiolum totius sacrae scripturae per rhythmos

❧ Introduction

In 1510, Jacques Mareschal printed his first Latin Bible (no. 108), an octavo edition that marked the beginning of a steady output of similar Bibles in the years that followed—including further octavos in 1514, 1517, 1519, and 1526. After the conclusion of the biblical text and the Index to Hebrew Names, readers would have been surprised to find a new and unusual feature on the book’s final 30 pages: a mnemonic poem by Franciscus Gotthi—also known as François Le Goust, a Franciscan friar—that summarised the entire content of the Bible in a series of rhyming quatrains, one for each chapter. Other publishers, including Jacques Sacon (no. 112) and Lucantonio Giunta (no. 129), quickly followed Mareschal’s lead, incorporating the poem into their own octavo Bibles in subsequent years.

Works like the Compendiolum reflect a growing Renaissance interest in education and broader access to sacred texts—in this case, with the aim of making biblical content more engaging and easier to remember. Gotthi’s poem thus belongs to a wider category of pedagogical and devotional literature that sought to harmonise classical rhetorical techniques with Christian themes. Tellingly, the poem appeared only in relatively affordable octavo editions, suggesting it was intended chiefly for lay readers and others of modest means who wished to deepen their understanding of the Scriptures as a whole.

The poem employs a simple Latin metre with end rhyme (a hallmark of didactic verse), presenting quatrains that generally follow an ABAB scheme. The language is unadorned, favouring clarity over flourish, and relies on a Latin vocabulary familiar to Renaissance readers. Orthographically, Gotthi occasionally abbreviates words or adopts forms that reflect contemporary usage rather than strict classical norms—choices that render the verses more accessible to those not trained in formal Latin. Each quatrain compresses substantial theological or narrative content into just four lines, offering dense yet memorable summaries of the biblical text.

Its structure is notably consistent, a feature that reinforces its mnemonic function. Each quatrain encapsulates the key events or themes of its corresponding chapter, forming a poetic roadmap through Scripture. This suggests Gotthi prioritised usefulness and comprehension over literary elegance, an approach well suited to the poem’s devotional and instructional aims. The imagery is vivid but restrained, often marked by a telegraphic brevity. Articles and conjunctions are frequently omitted, allowing the rhythm to remain tight and the message to remain focused. Though its literary merit may be debated, the poem’s widespread inclusion in early sixteenth-century Bibles signals a genuine appetite among laypeople to memorise and internalise the Scriptures—nearly a decade before the Reformation would give fresh urgency to that very impulse.

What follows are the first thirty quatrains, corresponding to the opening chapters of Genesis from creation to Joseph’s birth. These verses exemplify Gotthi’s concise and rhythmic method. The original Latin appears on the left; an English translation is on the right.

---

❦ Genesis

[1] Ante fit lux producitur Dividens aquas congregat Ornatus factis additur Producta ad eam subiugat	Before a light in darkness shone, God parts the waters, zone from zone, Then to creation adds his art, And reigns supreme in every part.
[2] Benedictus fons irrigat Spirat flumen dividitur Prohibet, feras nominat Condormit, Eva conditur	The blessed stream, its course now finds, Among those parted waters winds, Man names each beast, God sets his state, Makes Adam sleep and Eve creates.
[3] Callidus Evam decipit Peccant et puniuit Deus Induens nudos eicit Custodit lignum angelus	But Eve, through guile, was led astray, They sinned, and so God made them pay, Now fully clothed but thrown from grace, God set an angel to guard that place.
[4] Dat penas Cain Dominus Enoch ab ipso gignitur Necat hunc Lamet bigamus Loco Abel Seth nascitur	Cain’s punishment from Heav’n descends, And from him Enoch’s line extends, Lamech’s cold wrath brings death again, Where Abel stood now Seth remains.
[5] E narrat quod genuerint A Seth tantum usque Noe Tempus per quod aduixerint Transfertur Enoch itaque	From Seth to Noah, births unfold, Their lengthy days in years are told, In time they lived, their stories long, Enoch walks on but then is gone.
[6] Fiunt ex ossibus domines terrae omnes statuit Placet ne progenies Mandato arca construunt.	From mortal lines come rulers all, O’er earth they stand at God’s firm call. The wicked seed God will not spare, He bids the ark be built with care.
[7] Gens arcam intrat modica Certis cum animantibus Delentur aquis reliqua Altiores sunt montibus	A chosen few the ark now fill, With creatures kept by God’s sure will. The waters rise; all else is lost, High mountains sunk in tempest tossed.
[8] Hic minui incipiunt Aqua columba mittitur De arca iussus exiit Altare Deo conditur	The waters now begin to wane, A dove is sent to seek the plain. By God’s command, they leave the ark, An altar raised to God they start.
[9] Iumenta Noe omnia Subicit foedus ac pangitur Legunt patris virilia Sem Japhet benedicitur	The beasts of Noah, all subdued, A covenant by God renewed. Ham mocks his father’s naked shame– Shem and Japheth share no blame.
[10] Kanaam multos generat Heber ex Sem producitur Japhet filios procreat De Cain Nemrod nascitur	From Canaan many sons arise, From Shem comes Heber, strong and wise. Japheth’s sons are full of life, While Cain’s heir Nimrod stirs up strife.
[11] Labium Deus variat Turrem facit dum populus Cum Abrahae Deus procreat Thare ex Sem progenitus	God scatters tongues and plans divide, The tower falls in shattered pride. From Shem, through Thare, a line secured, As Abram’s future is assured.
[12] Ad coetera vox altissimi Altare his constituitur Saram reddidit Egipti Rex vero cum affligitur	The voice of God speaks o’er the plain, An altar marks his sacred reign. Sarah, freed from Egypt’s grasp, The king afflicted, learns at last.
[13] Nequit terra ut habitet, Frater Abram cum nepote, In Sodomis Loth remanet, Addidit gens tecta Abrae.	The land no longer holds them both, Abram departs from Lot: his oath. In Sodom Lot now lives for show, While Abram’s camp and people grow.
[14] Obiurgant reges mutuo Captiuus Loth perducitur, Victores vicit subito Abram ac benedicitur.	The kings in strife each other face, And Lot is captured in disgrace. But Abram strikes, their might laid low, His life now blessed in weal and woe.
[15] Proles Abrae promittitur, Pro signo vacam accipit, Per timore concutitur, Cum illo foedus pepigit.	To Abram’s line, God makes his vow, A heifer marks the promise now. Though fear grips Abram, God draws near, And seals his covenant sincere.
[16] Quamcito Agar concipit, Sara habet contemptui, Afflictiam fugam arripit, Monitu redit angeli.	Hagar conceives with hurried pace, But Sarah’s anger shows no grace. In anguish, Hagar runs away, Until an angel bids her stay.
[17] Reliqunt ambo nomina, Circumcidi praecipitur, Ismaeli magnalia, Facit circumciditur.	New names are given, a sign assayed, Through circumcision vows are made. For Ishmael, blessings endure, As Abram’s line is made secure.
[18] Sumunt tres viri prandium, qui risit Sarra denegat. clamor obsecrat Dominum, propter iustos ne deleat.	Three men are served a meal fair, Denies Sarah her laughter there. A great cry comes to God’s high throne, For righteous few, his wrath postpones.
[19] Tenent Loth turbam execant. Tantum Segor perit Sodoma. Patrem duae inebriant, uxor salis fit statua.	They rescue Lot as judgment turns, Apart from Segor, Sodom burns. Two daughters make their father drunk, And Lot’s wife into salt is sunk.
[20] Vult Saram rex perconiuge, terret nocte hunc dominus. Munera donat Abrahe, sanantur huius precibus.	The king wants Sara as his wife, But in the night the Lord brings strife. Rare gifts to Abraham he gives, Through prayer the royal household lives.
[21] Exit Agar cum filio, Sarra gignens ut imperat. Consolatur ab angelo, rex Gera Abram visitat.	Hagar departs, her son in hand, Sarah gives birth as God had planned. Angels soothe Hagar as she weeps, The king of Gerar with Abram speaks.
[22] Isaac patri dominus. Ut immoletur praecipit. Prohibet Abrahae angelus. Retribuenda exprimit.	The Lord gives Isaac to his sire, Commands a sacrifice by fire. An angel stays his father’s hand, Then sets forth blessings God has planned.
[23] Sarra in Mambre moritur, Tempus habes quo vixerit. Abrahae ager venditur, Uxorem in quo sepelit.	In Mamre’s land, fair Sarah dies, Her years here counted none denies. To Abraham a field is sold, In which he lays his wife to hold.
[24] Abrahae iurat subditus. Prope fontem is obsecrat. Causam dona dat fratribus. Rebecca Isaac copulat.	An oath is sworn to Abraham, A servant prays near well and dam. Gifts to her kin the servant sends, And Isaac weds as God intends.
[25] Bona dat sua Ysaac. Abraham nubens ac moritur. Ismael Nabaioth gignat. Ius Esau esca venditur.	To Isaac, Abraham gives his store, Marries and dies, he is no more. Ishmael, Nabaioth’s line extends, His birthright for food Esau ends.
[26] Cum Isaac deus loquitur Culpat hic rex ac reicitur Pro puteis rediitur Fit fedus aquam reperit	When God speaks thus to Isaac fair, The guilty king is banished there. He seeks again the wells once quit, A pact is made, the spring is lit.
[27] Dum Jacob benedicitur, Rediens Esau eiuitat. Rebecca cor affligitur, Ad Laban vult ut fugiat.	While Jacob gains the blessing true, Back home, storming, Esau flew. Rebekah’s heart is full of fear, She bids him flee to Laban near.
[28] E docet Ysaac filium, Esau nubit tertio. Jacob scalam per somnium, Conspicit vovet Domino.	Then Isaac taught his son the way, While Esau wed in disarray. A ladder Jacob sees in sleep, He vows unto the Lord to keep.
[29] Fontem Jacob discooperit. Laban gaudet ut maneat. Filias huic tribuit. Quattuor Lya generat.	The well is cleared by Jacob’s hand, Laban rejoices he will stand. His daughters he to Jacob gave, And Leah bore four sons and brave.
[30] Signum vis duo famulae Lya et Ioseph nascitur. Decorticantur virgulae Merces Jacob præfigitur.	A sign of strength—two handmaids bear, Then Joseph comes, the favoured heir. The rods are peeled by shepherd’s skill, And Jacob’s wage is set by will.