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illa ego sum, cui tū solitus prōmittere caelum. eī mihi, prō caelō quālia dōna ferō!
I am the woman to whom you used to promise heaven. Alas, in place of heaven what kind of gifts do I get? (trans. Anne and Peter Wiseman, 2011)
Late 4th century, Jerome [et al.], transl., edited by Roger Gryson, Biblia Sacra: Iuxta Vulgatam Versionem (Vulgate), 5th edition, Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, published 2007, →ISBN, Genesis 28:12:
viditque in somnis scalam stantem super terram et cacumen illius tangens caelum
And he saw in his dream a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven
Regiones autem, quas debent spectare aedes sacrae deorum inmortalium, sic erunt constituendae, uti, si nulla ratio inpedierit liberaque fuerit potestas, aedis signumque quod erit in cella conlocatum, spectet ad vespertinam caeli regionem, uti, qui adierint ad aram immolantes aut sacrificia facientes, spectent ad partem caeli orientis et simulacrum, quod erit in aede, et ita vota suscipientes contueantur aedem et orientem caeli ipsaque simulacra videantur exorientia contueri supplicantes et sacrificantes, quod aras omnes deorum necesse esse videatur ad orientem spectare.
The directions which the sacred temples of the immortal gods ought to face should be so arranged that, if there is no reason to the contrary and the architect has full power, the temple and the image in the shrine should face to the west, in order that those who approach the altar to offer or to sacrifice may see to the east the image in the shrine, and that in making their vows they may behold the temple and the east, and that the images themselves may appear rising in the east to behold such as offer prayer and sacrifice.
The singular is neuter, the plural masculine. In the singular, the masculine form caelus exists but is archaic. In the plural, a neuter form does not exist. The plural was classically rare and avoided, but is frequent in Christian usage, translating Hebrew שמים.
^ De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “caelum”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 80-81
^ Frazer, James George. 2015. Fastorum libri sex: The Fasti of Ovid. Cambridge Library Collection. Page 367.
the star-lit sky; the firmament: caelum astris distinctum et ornatum
the pole: vertex caeli, axis caeli, cardo caeli
a storm accompanied by heavy claps of thunder: tempestas cum magno fragore (caeli) tonitribusque (Liv. 1. 16)
the heavens are shaken by the thunder: caelum tonitru contremit
to extol, laud to the skies: laudibus aliquem (aliquid) in caelum ferre, efferre, tollere
to raise the hands to heaven (attitude of prayer): (supinas) manusad caelum tendere
(ambiguous) to run its course in the sky: cursum conficere in caelo
(ambiguous) to be struck by lightning: de caelo tangi, percuti
(ambiguous) when it is growing dusk; towards evening: die, caelo vesperascente
(ambiguous) to observe the sky (i.e. the flight of birds, lightning, thunder, etc.: de caelo servare (Att. 4. 3. 3)
“caelum”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
“caelum”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin
^ De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “caedō, -ere”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 79-80
