Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum

Latin to English Other History The Mare Nostrum Empire of Mussolini

Dictators can undoubtedly make men work hard and endure discomforts - tantum religo potuit suadere malorum. Il Duce, after ten years' rule, knew that he could get from his people the sweat if not the blood needed for building an empire.
"As far as religion could recommend evil" is the best I could come up with.

Taken from a book called: Mussolini's Roman Empire.
Thanks in advance!

Proposed translations (English)

3 +4

So much evil could religion induce

Rebecca Garber

Change log

Apr 3, 2013 12:51: Rebecca Garber Created KOG entry

Proposed translations

17 mins

Rebecca Garber

257 answers

Native in English

Specializes in field

Selected

So much evil could religion induce

Lucretius, De rerum natura

Alternates, some rather poetic as opposed to literal:
To such heights of evil are men driven by religion
Only religion could lead to such evil
So much wrong could religion induce
So much wrong could religion convince (people to perform)
So potent was religion in compelling evil

Note from asker:

Typo------> religio and not religo. The position of the verb mislead me. Now reading corrrectly it is much clearer. Thanks!

Peer comment(s):

agree	Joseph Brazauskas 23 mins
	Thanks, Joseph
agree	Olga Cartlidge 3 hrs
	Thanks, Olga
agree	Eva Blanar : http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tantum_religio_potuit_suadere_... 5 hrs
	Thanks, Eva
agree	Veronika McLaren 8 hrs
	thanks, Veronika

4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks everyone! I think Eva's suggestion suits best the context."

Glossary entry (derived from question below)

Latin term or phrase:

Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum

English translation:

So much evil could religion induce

Latin term

Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum

Proposed translations

So much evil could religion induce

Something went wrong...