I read today that while Michelangelo followed a tradition that depicted Moses as having horns , this tradition apparently derives from a mistranslation in the Latin Vulgate of Exodus 34:29 :

34:29 cumque descenderet Moses de monte Sinai tenebat duas tabulas testimonii et ignorabat quod cornuta esset facies sua ex consortio sermonis Dei

34:29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with two tables of testimony in Moses' hand that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone because of speaking with the Lord.


The Vulgate rendered "his face shone" as "his face was horned" (cornu).

Can anyone tell me which two Latin words (for "horn" and "shine" I guess) were likely confused?

Thanks.