Mussolini’s Latin

Abstract

This article explores the role and functions of Latin in the political rhetoric of Benito Mussolini. Through an analysis of his published writings and speeches, it investigates how Mussolini’s understanding, perceptions, and uses of Latin evolved over time, from his early days as a Socialist leader to his years as head of Italian Fascism. Despite his limited knowledge of the language, Mussolini accorded Latin special symbolic significance and actively sought to cultivate an image of himself as proficient in it. The article demonstrates how Mussolini's initial association of Latin with the Roman Catholic Church and bourgeois culture gave way to a recognition of its political potential in the context of the Fascist cult of Rome. It is shown how Mussolini employed Latin words and phrases for various purposes throughout his political career. Particular emphasis is placed on the ways in which he used Latin to communicate Fascist ideas and to construct his public persona as the ‘Roman-style’ leader of Fascism.