The Vulgate Version of the Song of Songs and Hexaplaric Readings

In this paper I wish to show which translational choices made by Jerome in his iuxta Hebraeos translation of the Song of Songs are likely to reflect readings of Aquila and (especially:) Symmachus. In arguing this point, I will take into consideration Hexaplaric evidence that was unknown to Frederick Field and that has come to light since 1875. I will also argue which choices in the Vulgate version that have in the past been identified as echoes of Hexaplaric readings might be explained in another way and do not necessarily reflect Aquila or Symmachus. These cases will bring me to reflect, referring to Jerome’s Hexaplaric recension of the Song of Songs (ed. Vaccari 1955) and other Latin versions, on the methodological challenges and conceptual value of this kind of comparative research.

Website Reinhart Ceulemans