Nm 15:13 Tam indigenæ quam peregrini
As well the native-born as the foreigners
| # |
Latin |
Gloss |
Grammar Tag |
| 1 |
Tam |
as well |
ADV |
| 2 |
indigenæ |
native-born |
NOM.PL.M.1ST DECL |
| 3 |
quam |
as |
CONJ |
| 4 |
peregrini |
foreigners |
NOM.PL.M.2ND DECL |
Syntax
Correlative Construction: Tam … quam forms a balanced comparison meaning “as well … as.”
Subjects: indigenæ and peregrini are coordinated nominatives referring to two groups included equally.
Morphology
- Tam — Lemma: tam; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: first element of correlative pair; Translation: as well; Notes: Introduces the first term in an equal comparison.
- indigenæ — Lemma: indigena; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine first declension; Function: subject term in the comparison; Translation: native-born; Notes: Refers to those born within the land or community.
- quam — Lemma: quam; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: second element of correlative pair; Translation: as; Notes: Completes the comparison introduced by Tam.
- peregrini — Lemma: peregrinus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine second declension; Function: second subject term in the comparison; Translation: foreigners; Notes: Refers to those from outside the land, often resident aliens.
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.