The Latin phrase loquebantur variis linguis possesses a rhythmic, almost mystical quality. For scholars, theologians, linguists, and history enthusiasts, these three words serve as a portal into one of the most significant narratives in Western civilization: the story of the Tower of Babel and the subsequent dispersion of languages.
In visual art, the phrase is depicted in Pentecost icons and frescoes (e.g., the Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily; the Rossano Gospels), where flames rest on the apostles’ heads, and rays descend upon them, often with Latin scrolls inscribed with loquebantur variis linguis . loquebantur variis linguis translation