Cum pluvia cadat, religio tamen multos ad templum ducit, ut vota solvant.

Because cum + subjunctive often introduces a subordinate clause giving the circumstances or background of the main action. This is commonly called a circumstantial cum clause.

So cum pluvia cadat means something like while / when / although the rain is falling, depending on context. Latin often uses the subjunctive here where English would simply use an indicative verb.

• cadat = present subjunctive, 3rd person singular
• from cado, cadere = to fall

The present subjunctive suggests an action going on at the same time as the main verb.

It can potentially suggest more than one of those ideas, and that is normal in Latin.

With cum + subjunctive, the exact force depends on context. In this sentence, it could be understood as:

• when the rain is falling
• although the rain is falling
• while the rain is falling

Because tamen appears in the main clause, many learners will feel an although ... nevertheless ... contrast:

• Although it is raining, nevertheless religion leads many people to the temple...

So tamen strongly encourages a concessive sense here.

Tamen means nevertheless, still, or yet. It adds contrast to what came before.

So the pattern is:

• cum ... cadat = even though / while rain is falling
• tamen = nevertheless / still

This gives the sentence a clear contrast: rain might discourage people, yet they still go to the temple.

Because multos is not the subject. It is the direct object.

The subject is religio, which is singular, so the verb is singular:

• religio = subject, singular
• ducit = 3rd person singular present indicative, leads
• multos = direct object, many people

So literally the structure is: religio leads many people.

Multos is accusative plural masculine.

It is accusative because it is the direct object of ducit:

• religio leads whom?
• multos

The masculine plural form suggests many men or more generally many people, depending on context.

Because ad + accusative expresses motion toward a place.

• ad templum = to the temple
• templum is accusative singular after ad

Latin often uses ad when someone moves toward a location. So multos ad templum ducit means leads many to the temple.

Because it is in a clause introduced by ut, and here ut introduces a purpose clause.

So:

• religio multos ad templum ducit
• ut vota solvant

means:

• religion leads many to the temple
• in order that they may fulfill/pay their vows

In Latin, purpose clauses normally use:

• ut
  • subjunctive = so that, in order that
• ne
  • subjunctive = so that ... not

So solvant is subjunctive because the clause expresses purpose, not because it is uncertain.

The subject is understood from context: it is the same people referred to by multos.

So the sense is:

• religio leads many people to the temple
• so that they may fulfill their vows

Even though multos is accusative in the main clause, the implied subject of solvant is those same people, now understood as the subject of the subordinate clause.

Literally, solvere means to loosen, release, pay, or discharge. With vota, it becomes a standard expression meaning:

• to fulfill vows
• to pay vows
• to discharge vows made to a god

So ut vota solvant means they go to the temple in order to carry out promises they have made in a religious context.

This is a very common kind of religious expression in Latin.

Vota is accusative plural neuter.

It is the direct object of solvant:

• solvant = they may fulfill / pay
• what?
• vota = vows

It could also be nominative plural neuter in another context, but here the verb needs an object, so it is accusative.

Latin word order is much freer than English word order because Latin uses case endings to show grammatical function.

In this sentence:

• religio is the subject because of its form and role
• multos is the object because it is accusative
• ad templum shows direction
• ut vota solvant shows purpose

So Latin can arrange words for emphasis and style rather than relying on a fixed subject-verb-object order.

For example, placing tamen early helps emphasize the contrast: nevertheless religion leads many...

Not exactly. Although religio is the source of the English word religion, in Latin it often has a broader or slightly different range of meanings, such as:

• religious feeling
• reverence
• scruple
• sense of sacred obligation
• piety

So in this sentence, religio is probably the force of religious devotion or obligation that draws people to the temple.

All three verbs are in the present system:

• cadat = present subjunctive
• ducit = present indicative
• solvant = present subjunctive

The timing is roughly simultaneous:

• the rain is falling
• religion leads many to the temple
• they go there so that they may fulfill their vows

So the sentence describes a general or vivid present situation rather than a completed past event.