I'm reading a manga and having problems with a sentence. For context, one
character just recommended going after the leader of the monsters so as to
prevent more damage to their town from happening. The main character's
response is:

> 成程。上を失えば化け物と言えど、烏合の集という訳か！

I'm actually having problems with the entirety of this sentence, but
especially 上を失えば. The only thing I've guessed after looking various things up
may be that it means "losing again"? I know と言えど means something like "having
said that", but probably because I'm confused about the beginning of the
sentence I'm having problems parsing.

Since it's in the same sentence I'll quickly also ask about 烏合の集. I can't find
any info (I'm guessing this is a saying), and Google autocorrects this to
烏合の衆. Can someone confirm that they mean the same thing? Thanks very much.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-18T00:42:41.763
30495
2016-01-18T01:42:17.253
11274
question
meaning
Meaning of 上を失えば & question about 烏合の集
「[上]{うえ}」, in this context, means the "boss", "leader", etc.

「上を[失]{うしな}えば」 means "if they/you lost their/your boss/leader". Not sure where
you get "losing again", really.

「と言えど」 is a conditional/hypothetical expression.

And yes, 「[烏合]{うごう}の[集]{しゅう}」 and 「烏合の衆」 mean the same thing. It literally
means "(just) a flock of crows", and figuratively means a "disorderly crowd
(without a commander)".

Thus the sentence means:

> "Ah, I see. Even if they were monsters, they would be just as good as a
> disorderly crowd if they lost their leader!"
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-18T01:42:17.253
30498
2016-01-18T01:42:17.253
30495
answer