anchor: At their best, the popes and cardinals replaced military conquest by moral leadership and persuasion; at their worst, they could show the same hunger for political power and worldly wealth as any caesar or grand duke.
positive: The popes and cardinals replaced military conquest by moral leadership and persuasion at their best; at their worst, they could show the same hunger for political power and worldly wealth as any caesar.
negative: At their best, the popes and cardinals didn't ruin anything, and at their worst, they molested children.