For, from the time that the Bishop of Rome had gotten to…
““For, from the time that the Bishop of Rome had gotten to be acknowledged for bishop universal, by pretence of succession to St. Peter, their whole hierarchy, or kingdom of darkness, may be compared not unfitly to the kingdom of fairies; that is, to the old wives' fables in England concerning ghosts and spirits, and the feats they play in the night. And if a man consider the original of this great ecclesiastical dominion, he will easily perceive that the papacy is no other than the ghost of the deceased Roman Empire, sitting crowned upon the grave thereof: for so did the papacy start up on a sudden out of the ruins of that heathen power.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Hobbes likens the papacy to a lingering ghost of the fallen Roman Empire, suggesting it clings to past power without real substance.
In simple terms: The papacy is a relic of Rome’s old empire.
Key Takeaway
Recognize institutions that survive only by myth.
Themes
authority
religion
history
politics
myth
decline
Mood
skeptical
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
historical
political
When to use this quote
- church politics
- historical study
- modern governance
- cultural criticism
Key Concepts
political theory
historical critique
institutional analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- What modern institutions persist mainly through tradition?
- How does power persist after its original source disappears?
A Different Perspective
The analogy may oversimplify complex religious evolution.