i. The languages of nations (De linguis gentium) 1. The diversity of languages arose with the building of the Tower after the Flood, for before the pride of that Tower divided human society, so that there arose a diversity of meaningful sounds, there was one language for all nations, which is called Hebrew. The patriarchs and prophets used this language not only in their speech, but also in the sacred writings. But at the outset there were as many languages as there were nations, and then more nations than languages, because many nations sprang from one language stock. 2. The term ‘languages’ (lingua) is used in this context for the words that are made by the tongue (lingua), according to the figure of speech by which the thing that produces is named after the thing that is produced. Thus we will say ‘mouth’ for ‘words,’ as we speak of the letters we form as ‘a hand.’

3. There are three sacred languages – Hebrew, Greek, and Latin – which are preeminent throughout the world. On the cross of the Lord the charge laid against him was written at Pilate's command in these three languages (John 19:20). Hence – and because of the obscurity of the Sacred Scriptures – a knowledge of these three languages is necessary, so that, whenever the wording of one of the languages presents any doubt about a name or an interpretation, recourse may be had to another language. 4.