Ex 36:4 Unde artifices venire compulsi,
Whence the craftsmen, having been compelled to come,
| # |
Latin |
Gloss |
Grammar Tag |
| 1 |
Unde |
whence |
ADV |
| 2 |
artifices |
craftsmen |
NOM.PL.M, NOUN |
| 3 |
venire |
to come |
PRES.INF.ACT |
| 4 |
compulsi |
compelled |
NOM.PL.M, PTCP.PERF.PASS |
Syntax
Subordinate Clause Fragment:
Unde artifices venire compulsi — an incomplete clause functioning as a causal/relative expression.
• Unde introduces reason or origin (“whence”).
• artifices is the implied subject.
• compulsi is a perfect passive participle modifying artifices.
• venire is an infinitive expressing the compelled action (“to come”).
Morphology
- Unde — Lemma: unde; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: introduces relative or causal clause; Translation: whence; Notes: used here to express origin or reason.
- artifices — Lemma: artifex; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of compulsi; Translation: craftsmen; Notes: refers to skilled workers tasked with sanctuary construction.
- venire — Lemma: venio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive (4th conjugation); Function: complementary infinitive with compulsi; Translation: to come; Notes: expresses the forced action.
- compulsi — Lemma: compello; Part of Speech: verb (participle); Form: nominative plural masculine perfect passive participle; Function: predicate adjective modifying artifices; Translation: compelled; Notes: perfect participle indicating completed coercion prior to the action of coming.
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.