Ciao a tutti
The literal meaning of un diavolo scaccia l'altro is "one devil drives out another," but I'm not clear on what this conveys in Italian. Is this anything like "Set a thief to catch a thief," i.e. to use a thief against other thieves because like recognizes like? Or might it be more like the observation that programs of political reform are of limited value because, 'driving the rascals out only results in a new set of rascals'? Grazie in anticipo.
The literal meaning of un diavolo scaccia l'altro is "one devil drives out another," but I'm not clear on what this conveys in Italian. Is this anything like "Set a thief to catch a thief," i.e. to use a thief against other thieves because like recognizes like? Or might it be more like the observation that programs of political reform are of limited value because, 'driving the rascals out only results in a new set of rascals'? Grazie in anticipo.