Quotes by Thomas Hobbes

“Whatsoever therefore is consequent to a time of war, where every man is enemy to every man, the same consequent to the time wherein men live without other security than what their own strength and their own invention shall furnish them withal. In such condition there is no place for industry... no knowledge of the face of the earth; no account of time; no arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.””

“The source of every crime, is some defect of the understanding; or some error in reasoning; or some sudden force of the passions. Defect in the understanding is ignorance; in reasoning, erroneous opinion.””

“So that in the nature of man,we find three principal causes of quarrel:First, Competition;Secondly, Dissidence;Thirdly, Glory.The first, maketh men invade for Gain;the second, for Safety;and the third, for Reputation.The first use Violence, to make themselves Masters of other men's persons, wives, children and cattle;the second, to defend them;the third, for trifles, as a word, a smile, a different opinion, and any other sign of undervalue, either direct in their Persons, or by reflexion in their Kindred, their Friends, their Nation, their Profession, or their Name.””

“Covenants, without the sword, are but words and of no strength to secure a man at all.””

“Homo homini lupus””

“Force and fraud are in war the two cardinal virtues.””

“No arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.””

“Words are the counters of wise men, and the money of fools. ””

“The first and fundamental law of Nature, which is, to seek peace and follow it.””

“For it can never be that war shall preserve life, and peace destroy it.””

“For to accuse requires less eloquence, such is man's nature, than to excuse; and condemnation, than absolution, more resembles justice.””

“A great leap in the dark””