In other words, poetry is capable of doing now what religion used to do.

也就是说，今天的诗歌具有从前的宗教的作用。

耶鲁公开课 - 文学理论导论课程节选

So, for absolute rulers, the link to religion you can read about, but there's always the sense that he or she is doing God's will by exploiting ordinary peasants, ordinary people and conquering other territories.

所以对于绝对统治者,你会在书本上读到他们与宗教之间的联系,但是存在这样一种观点,即绝对统治者是代天授命,所以他们有理由剥削民众并且扩张领土

耶鲁公开课 - 欧洲文明课程节选