The various modes of worship which prevailed in the Roman world were all considered by the people as equally true, by the philosopher as equally false, and by the magistrate as equally useful.

~ Edward Gibbon

Edward Gibbon Corruption Magistrate Organized Religion Roman Empire Rome Useful Worship

I met two or three men who were very kind to me. There was a magistrate who couldn't stand priests, and a priest who didn't have a good word to say for magistrates; and there was a landlord who let furnished rooms by the hour and spoke highly of both priests and magistrates, because both were his best clients.

~ Pitigrilli

Pitigrilli Bigotry Hypocrisy Magistrate Priest