Leviathan (1651)

The book opens with

Words are tools the wise reckon with, but fools treat them as money, valuing them by the authority of famous names

Their wordsFor words are wise mens counters, they do but reckon by them: but they are the mony of fooles, that value them by the authority of an Aristotle, a Cicero, or a Thomas, or any other Doctor whatsoever, if but a man.

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Thomas Hobbes did not write this page.

Every claim below was made in this book, quoted word for word and numbered in the order the piece makes them, so you can read it there rather than take our word for it. The book prints chapter headings its extracted text does not preserve, so the claims below are in the book's order but not grouped. The sentence above each quote is our reading of the claim, not their wording. Each quote was checked against a stored copy of the page at build time; where the two differ, the quote is the fact.

Our reading
Words are tools the wise reckon with, but fools treat them as money, valuing them by the authority of famous names

Their wordsFor words are wise mens counters, they do but reckon by them: but they are the mony of fooles, that value them by the authority of an Aristotle, a Cicero, or a Thomas, or any other Doctor whatsoever, if but a man.
Our reading
A general inclination of all humankind is a perpetual, restless desire of power after power that ends only in death

Their wordsSo that in the first place, I put for a generall inclination of all mankind, a perpetuall and restlesse desire of Power after power, that ceaseth onely in Death.
Our reading
Nature made people so equal in body and mind that no one can claim a benefit another cannot also claim

Their wordsNature hath made men so equall, in the faculties of body, and mind; as that though there bee found one man sometimes manifestly stronger in body, or of quicker mind then another; yet when all is reckoned together, the difference between man, and man, is not so considerable, as that one man can thereupon claim to himselfe any benefit, to which another may not pretend, as well as he.
Our reading
Without a common power to keep them in awe, people are in a state of war of everyone against everyone

Their wordsHereby it is manifest, that during the time men live without a common Power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called Warre; and such a warre, as is of every man, against every man.
Our reading
Without security, there is no industry, arts or society, only fear of violent death, and life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short

Their wordsIn such condition, there is no place for Industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain; and consequently no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by Sea; no commodious Building; no Instruments of moving, and removing such things as require much force; no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and which is worst of all, continuall feare, and danger of violent death; And the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short.
Our reading
Where there is no common power there is no law, and where no law, no injustice; in war, force and fraud are the cardinal virtues

Their wordsWhere there is no common Power, there is no Law: where no Law, no Injustice. Force, and Fraud, are in warre the two Cardinall vertues.
Our reading
Covenants without the sword are only words and give no security

Their wordsAnd Covenants, without the Sword, are but Words, and of no strength to secure a man at all.
Our reading
The papacy is nothing but the ghost of the dead Roman Empire, sitting crowned on its grave

Their wordsAnd if a man consider the originall of this great Ecclesiasticall Dominion, he will easily perceive, that the Papacy, is no other, than the Ghost of the deceased Romane Empire, sitting crowned upon the grave thereof: For so did the Papacy start up on a Sudden out of the Ruines of that Heathen Power.

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