--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can imagine no greater misfortune for a…" description: "\"I can imagine no greater misfortune for a cultured people than to see in the hands of the rulers not only the civil, but also the religious power\" — Ca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8f/catullus-11720_greater_i-can-imagine-no-greater-misfortune-for_1671863.jpg" --- # I can imagine no greater misfortune for a cultured people… ![“I can imagine no greater misfortune for a cultured people than to see in the hands of the rulers not only the civil, but also the religious power” quote by Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8f/catullus-11720_greater_i-can-imagine-no-greater-misfortune-for_1671863.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8f/catullus-11720_greater_i-can-imagine-no-greater-misfortune-for_1671863.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8f/catullus-11720_greater_i-can-imagine-no-greater-misfortune-for_1671863.jpg) > “I can imagine no greater misfortune for a cultured people than to see in the hands of the rulers not only the civil, but also the religious power” [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Loss of both civil and religious liberty under tyrannical rule is a great tragedy. **In simple terms:** Rulers taking all power is disastrous. Key Takeaway Guard separation of powers and religious freedom. Themes politics religion freedom Mood somber thoughtful Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - government reforms - activism - education - legal advocacy Key Concepts tyranny civil rights Questions to Reflect On - How can societies prevent power concentration? - What role does religion play in politics today? A Different Perspective Historical context may differ from modern governance structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Misfortunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortunes/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Rulers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rulers/) ## Related quotes > [Religious power, which, as I have already said, frequently identifies itself with political power, has always been a protagonist of this bitter struggle, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvatore-quasimodo/religious-power-which-as-i-have-already-said-frequently-identifies/) [Salvatore Quasimodo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvatore-quasimodo/) > [Man must now assume the responsibility for his world. He can no longer shove it off on religious power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-cox/man-must-now-assume-the-responsibility-for-his-world-he-can-no-longer/) [Harvey Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-cox/) > [We do not want an official state church. If ninety-nine percent of the population were Catholics, I would still be opposed to it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-do-not-want-an-official-state-church-if-ninety-nine-percent-of-the/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [There is no greater misfortune in the world than the loss of reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bulgakov/there-is-no-greater-misfortune-in-the-world-than-the-loss-of-reason/) [Mikhail Bulgakov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bulgakov/) > [There is no greater misfortune than greed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/there-is-no-greater-misfortune-than-greed/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Ignorance of all things is an evil neither terrible nor excessive, nor yet the greatest of all; but great cleverness and much learning, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/ignorance-of-all-things-is-an-evil-neither-terrible-nor-excessive-nor/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“Do whatever you want, but don't lose that child," she said. "There's no greater misfortune than dying alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/do-whatever-you-want-but-don-t-lose-that-child-she-said-there-s-no/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [There's no greater misfortune than dying alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/there-s-no-greater-misfortune-than-dying-alone/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/history-i-believe-furnishes-no-example-of-a-priest-ridden-people-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The Holy Ghost carries on the whole Christian system in this earth. Not a Baptism, not a Marriage, not a Sacrament can be administered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-holy-ghost-carries-on-the-whole-christian-system-in-this-earth/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [An enforced uniformity of religion throughout a nation or civil state, confounds the civil and religious, denies the principles of Christianity and civility, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-williams/an-enforced-uniformity-of-religion-throughout-a-nation-or-civil-state/) [Roger Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-williams/) > [We find ourselves under the government of a system of political institutions, conducing more essentially to the ends of civil and religious liberty, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-find-ourselves-under-the-government-of-a-system-of-political/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/history-i-believe-furnishes-no-example-of-a-priest-ridden-people/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [These men were religious when the spirit of religion was buried in forms and ceremonies, and when the priesthood had armed itself with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-a-hitchcock/these-men-were-religious-when-the-spirit-of-religion-was-buried-in/) [Ethan A. Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-a-hitchcock/) > [It is not the legitimate province of the Legislature to determine which religion is true, or what false. Our government is a civil, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-mentor-johnson/it-is-not-the-legitimate-province-of-the-legislature-to-determine/) [Richard Mentor Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-mentor-johnson/) ## More by Catullus > [Away with you, water, destruction of wine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/away-with-you-water-destruction-of-wine/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [I hate and I love, and who can tell me why?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/i-hate-and-i-love-and-who-can-tell-me-why/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [The confounding of all right and wrong, in wild fury, has averted from us the gracious favor of the gods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/the-confounding-of-all-right-and-wrong-in-wild-fury-has-averted-from/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [Ah, what is more blessed than to put cares away, when the mind lays by its burden, and tired with labor of far travel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/ah-what-is-more-blessed-than-to-put-cares-away-when-the-mind-lays-by/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [I hate and love. And why, perhaps you’ll ask. I don’t know: but I feel, and I’m tormented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/i-hate-and-love-and-why-perhaps-you-ll-ask-i-don-t-know-but-i-feel/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [“O furum optime balneariorum Vibenni pater et cineadi fili (nam dextra pater inquinatiore, culo filius est voraciore), cur non exilium malasque in oras itis?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/o-furum-optime-balneariorum-vibenni-pater-et-cineadi-fili-nam-dextra/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [Stop wishing to merit anyone's gratitude or thinking that anyone can become grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/stop-wishing-to-merit-anyone-s-gratitude-or-thinking-that-anyone-can/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [It is difficult to suddenly give up a long love. Difficile est longum subito deponere amorem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/it-is-difficult-to-suddenly-give-up-a-long-love-difficile-est-longum/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [“I hate and I love. Why do I do this, you may ask? I do not know, but I feel it, and I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/i-hate-and-i-love-why-do-i-do-this-you-may-ask-i-do-not-know-but-i/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [“I hate & love. And if you should ask how I can do both, I couldn't say; but I feel it, and it shivers me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/i-hate-love-and-if-you-should-ask-how-i-can-do-both-i-couldn-t-say/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [Oh, this age! How tasteless and ill bred it is!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/oh-this-age-how-tasteless-and-ill-bred-it-is/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [Let us live, my Lesbia, and let us love. Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/let-us-live-my-lesbia-and-let-us-love-vivamus-mea-lesbia-atque-amemus/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [To whom do I give my new elegant little book? Cui dono lepidum novum libellum?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/to-whom-do-i-give-my-new-elegant-little-book-cui-dono-lepidum-novum/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [I hate and I love. Perchance you ask why I do that. I know not, but I feel that I do and I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/i-hate-and-i-love-perchance-you-ask-why-i-do-that-i-know-not-but-i/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [What woman says to fond lover should be written on air or the swift water. \[Lat., Mulier cupido quod dicit amanti, In vento et…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/what-woman-says-to-fond-lover-should-be-written-on-air-or-the-swift/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) [Explore all 55 Catullus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) ## More Greater quotes > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. 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But there are greater risks in not stopping a dictator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/when-you-stop-a-dictator-there-are-always-risks-but-there-are-greater/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. 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I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [I think that as a writer your responsibility is to search for and stir up the things that are in this world. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-think-that-as-a-writer-your-responsibility-is-to-search-for-and/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In the end theologians are jealous of science, for they are aware that it has greater authority than do their own ways of finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/in-the-end-theologians-are-jealous-of-science-for-they-are-aware-that/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [No greater victory can be won by citizens or soldiers than to transform temporary foes into permanent friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/no-greater-victory-can-be-won-by-citizens-or-soldiers-than-to/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [My identity shifted when I got into # recovery . 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