4. Of the interpretative value of the Vulgate little need be said. There can be no doubt that in dealing with the New Test., at least, we are now iu possession of means infinitely more varied and better suited to the right elucidation of the text than could have been en- joyed by the original African translators. It is a false humility to rate as nothing the iidieritance of ages. If the investigation of the laws of language, the clear per- ception of principles of grammar, the accurate investi- gation of words, the minute comparison of ancient texts, the wide study of antiquity, the long lessons of expe- rience, have contributed nothing towards a fuller under- standing of Holy Scripture, all trust in Divine Provi- dence is gone. If w-e are not in this respect far in ad- vance of the simple peasant or half-trained scholar of North Africa, or even of the laborious student of Beth- lehem, we have proved false to their examjile, and dis- honor them by our indolence. It would be a thankless task to ((uote instances where the Latin version renders the (ireek incorrectly. Such faults arise most common- Iv from a servile adherence to the exact words of the original, and thus that which is an error in rendering proves a fresh evidence of the scrupulous care with which the translator generally followed the text before him. But while the interpreter of the New Test, will l)e fully justified in setting aside without scruple the authority of early versions, there are sometimes ambig- uous passages in which a version maj- preserve the tra- ditional sense (John i, 3, 9; viii, 25, etc.) or indicate an early difference of translation, and then its evidence may be of the highest value. But even here the judg- ment must be free. Versions supply authority for the text and opinion only for the rendering.
A'lII. Linguistic Character and Influence of the Latin Versions. — 1. The characteristics of Christian Latiniiy
VULGATE
837
VULGATE
have been most unaccountably neglected by lexicog- raphers and £;rammarians. It is, indeed, only lately that the full importance of provincial dialects in the history of languages has been fully recognised, and it may be hoped that the writings of Tertullian. Arnobius, and the African fathers generally will now at length re- ceive the attention which they justly claim. But it is necessary to go back one step further, and to seek in the remains of the Old Latin Bible the earliest and the purest traces of the popular idioms of African Latin. It is easy to trace in the patristic writings the powerful intiuence of this veneral)le version; and, on the otiier hand, the version itself exhibits numerous peculiarities which were evidently borrowed from the current dialect. General- ly it is necessary to distinguish two distinct elements both in the Latin version and in subsequent writings — (1) provincialisms and (2) Grtecisms. The former are cliiefly of interest as illustrating the history of the Latin language; the latter as marking, in some degree, its power of expansion. Only a few remarks on each of these heads, which may help to guide inquiry, can be offered here; but the careful readiug of some chapters of the Old version (e. g. Psa., Ecclus., Wisd.. in the mod- ern Vulgate) will supply numerous illustrations.
{I.) Pi-ovinciiiHsiiis. — One of the most interesting facts in regard to the language of the Latin version is the reajipearance in it of early forms which are found in Plautus or noted as archaisms by grammarians. These establish iu a signal maimer the vitality of the popular as distinguished from the literary idiom, and, from tlie great scarcity of memorials of the Italian dia- lects, possess a peculiar value. Examples of words, forms, and constructions will show the extent to which this phenomenon prevails.
(a.) Words. — Sfiiltihiiiuinni, midfilnqin'mn, vaniloqims (PhlUtus); MaJiilui,, iitinii (id.): ihitttx ( .-ul)st. id. ) ; con- ilifinus (id.) ; anitunicu/d (id.) ; vernilX'Ui.^ (id.); ttatiiritas (id.) ; stacte (id.) ; cordatus (Ennius) ; cvModitio (Fewtus) ; decipula, dejero (Plautus) ; exentero (id.) ; scius (Pac.) ; niiiin {to drive, Festus).
(b.) Forms. — Deponents as piissive: consnlnr, hortor, promereor ( Heb. xiii, 16); mim'stror. Irregular inflec- tions: partibor absconsiis ; conversely: exies, eXc; tapetia (Plautus), hcec ( I'em. plur. ). Unusual forms: pasciia (fem.) ; murmnr (niasc.) ; sal (neut.) ; retia (slug.) ; ccrtor, odio, CO rtnini, placer (subst.), diilcor.
(c.) ConstruclioDJi. — Eviigro with arc. (Psa. Ixi, 7, "eini- grabit te de tal)ernacnlo") ; dommnrw'nh. ivn. ; noceo with ace. ; sui, suus for ejus, etc. ; nun for ne prohibitive ; capit impers. •
In addition to the.se, there arc many other peculiarities which evidently belong to the African (or common) di- alect, and not merely to the Christian form of it.
Such are the words iiiiimrarf, iiiinurafin, iinjiKijirn'iim, fra-rnea (a sword), ahlartntlo, mi mi, il is, alh'i'iaii-, j/,;iiisi-u- liim, antenmrale, piinifirn, jntrutum. turtura, tiihulitre, (met.), tribulatio, vale/acre, vcredarhis, vinrc, victualia, virectum (viretum), ritulamen, volatilia (subst.), qnaternio, reclinatoriunt, scrntiiiium, sjiunsare, stratoria (subst.), sutferentia, sufflcieiitia, stipcrabimdantia, switriwntia, car- tallus, cassidlie, collactanens, condulcare, genimcn, grossi- tudo, refectio (KaT(<\ii/i<.), exterminium, defunctio (decease), substantia (abs.), inc.ulatns.
New verbs are formed from adjectives :pc.s.9TOiar<?,/)voa;z- viare, approximare, assidimre, pigritari, salvare {salvntor, salvatio), obviarc, jiinmdarc, and especially a larsre class iu -fico: mortijun. nn/i,;,, sniictijico, ylorifico, clarifico, be- atifico, casti/irii, iintlijirii, fnntifico.