Leviathan

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The original has very extensive margin notes, which are used to show where he introduces the definitions of words and concepts, to give in short the subject that a paragraph or section is dealing with, and to give references to his quotations, largely but not exclusively biblical. To some degree, these margin notes seem to have been intended to serve in place of an index, the original having none. They are all in ita…

Details

• AuthorThomas Hobbes
• SourceProject Gutenberg #3207
• Length212,049 words · 14h 08m of reading
• Chapters337
• DictionaryIncluded
• CopyrightPublic domain in the United States
• Source checked2026-08-21

Contents

337 chapters

Recovered from the original source text, so you can open the book at any of them.

1. 01Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury
2. 025. OF REASON AND SCIENCE
3. 037. OF THE ENDS OR RESOLUTIONS OF DISCOURSE
4. 0412. OF RELIGION
5. 05OF COMMON-WEALTH
6. 0618. OF THE RIGHTS OF SOVERAIGNES BY INSTITUTION
7. 0728. OF PUNISHMENTS, AND REWARDS
8. 0832. OF THE PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN POLITIQUES
9. 0937. OF MIRACLES, AND THEIR USE
10. 1039. OF THE SIGNIFICATION IN SCRIPTURE OF THE WORD CHURCH
11. 1142. OF POWER ECCLESIASTICALL
12. 12OF THE KINGDOME OF DARKNESSE
13. 13THE INTRODUCTION
14. 14CHAPTER I. OF SENSE
15. 15CHAPTER II. OF IMAGINATION
16. 16Memory
17. 17Dreams
18. 18Apparitions Or Visions
19. 19Understanding
20. 20CHAPTER III. OF THE CONSEQUENCE OR TRAYNE OF IMAGINATIONS
21. 21Trayne Of Thoughts Unguided
22. 22Trayne Of Thoughts Regulated
23. 23Remembrance
24. 24Prudence
25. 25Signes
26. 26Conjecture Of The Time Past
27. 27Originall Of Speech
28. 28The Use Of Speech
29. 29Abuses Of Speech
30. 30Names Proper & Common Universall
31. 31Subject To Names
32. 32Use Of Names Positive
33. 33Negative Names With Their Uses
34. 34Words Insignificant
35. 35Understanding
36. 36Inconstant Names
37. 37Reason What It Is
38. 38Reason Defined
39. 39Right Reason Where
40. 40The Use Of Reason
41. 41Of Error And Absurdity
42. 42Causes Of Absurditie
43. 43Science
44. 44Prudence & Sapience, With Their Difference
45. 45Signes Of Science
46. 46CHAPTER VI. OF THE INTERIOUR BEGINNINGS OF VOLUNTARY MOTIONS
47. 47Motion Vitall And Animal
48. 48Endeavour; Appetite; Desire; Hunger; Thirst; Aversion
49. 49Contempt
50. 50Good Evill
51. 51Delight Displeasure
52. 52Pleasure Offence
53. 53Liberality-- Magnanimity in the use of Riches, LIBERALITY
54. 54The Will
55. 55Formes Of Speech, In Passion
56. 56Good And Evill Apparent
57. 57Felicity
58. 58Praise Magnification
59. 59CHAPTER VII. OF THE ENDS OR RESOLUTIONS OF DISCOURSE
60. 60Judgement, or Sentence Final; Doubt
61. 61Science Opinion Conscience
62. 62Beliefe Faith
63. 63Intellectuall Vertue Defined
64. 64Wit, Naturall, Or Acquired
65. 65Good Wit, Or Fancy; Good Judgement; Discretion
66. 66Prudence
67. 67Craft
68. 68Acquired Wit
69. 69Giddinesse Madnesse
70. 70Rage
71. 71Melancholy
72. 72Insignificant Speech
73. 73CHAPTER IX. OF THE SEVERALL SUBJECTS OF KNOWLEDGE
74. 74PHILOSOPHIA PRIMA
75. 75METEOROLOGY
76. 76SCIOGRAPHY
77. 77ASTROLOGY
78. 78MUSIQUE
79. 79Power
80. 80Worth
81. 81Dignity
82. 82To Honour and Dishonour
83. 83Titles of Honour
84. 84Worthinesse Fitnesse
85. 85What Is Here Meant By Manners
86. 86A Restlesse Desire Of Power, In All Men
87. 87Love Of Contention From Competition
88. 88Civil Obedience From Love Of Ease
89. 89From Feare Of Death Or Wounds
90. 90And From Love Of Arts
91. 91Love Of Vertue, From Love Of Praise
92. 92Hate, From Difficulty Of Requiting Great Benefits
93. 93And From Conscience Of Deserving To Be Hated
94. 94Promptnesse To Hurt, From Fear
95. 95And From Distrust Of Their Own Wit
96. 96Vain Undertaking From Vain-glory
97. 97Ambition, From Opinion Of Sufficiency
98. 98Irresolution, From Too Great Valuing Of Small Matters
99. 99And From The Ignorance Of Naturall Causes
100. 100And From Want Of Understanding
101. 101Credulity From Ignorance Of Nature
102. 102Curiosity To Know, From Care Of Future Time
103. 103Naturall Religion, From The Same
104. 104Religion, In Man Onely
105. 105First, From His Desire Of Knowing Causes
106. 106From The Consideration Of The Beginning Of Things
107. 107From His Observation Of The Sequell Of Things
108. 108And Suppose Them Incorporeall
109. 109But Honour Them As They Honour Men
110. 110And Attribute To Them All Extraordinary Events
111. 111Foure Things, Naturall Seeds Of Religion
112. 112Made Different By Culture
113. 113The Absurd Opinion Of Gentilisme
114. 114The Causes Of Change In Religion
115. 115Injoyning Beleefe Of Impossibilities
116. 116Doing Contrary To The Religion They Establish
117. 117Want Of The Testimony Of Miracles
118. 118CHAPTER XIII. OF THE NATURALL CONDITION OF MANKIND, AS CONCERNING THEIR FELICITY, AND MISERY
119. 119From Equality Proceeds Diffidence
120. 120From Diffidence Warre
121. 121The Incommodities Of Such A War
122. 122In Such A Warre, Nothing Is Unjust
123. 123The Passions That Incline Men To Peace
124. 124Right Of Nature What
125. 125Liberty What
126. 126A Law Of Nature What
127. 127Naturally Every Man Has Right To Everything
128. 128The Fundamental Law Of Nature
129. 129The Second Law Of Nature
130. 130What it is to lay down a Right
131. 131Not All Rights Are Alienable
132. 132Contract What
133. 133Covenant What
134. 134Free-gift
135. 135Signes Of Contract Expresse
136. 136Signes Of Contract By Inference
137. 137Merit What
138. 138Covenants Of Mutuall Trust, When Invalid
139. 139No Covenant With Beasts
140. 140Nor With God Without Speciall Revelation
141. 141No Covenant, But Of Possible And Future
142. 142Covenants How Made Voyd
143. 143Covenants Extorted By Feare Are Valide
144. 144No Man Obliged To Accuse Himselfe
145. 145No Oath, But By God
146. 146An Oath Addes Nothing To The Obligation
147. 147The Third Law Of Nature, Justice
148. 148Justice And Injustice What
149. 149Justice Not Contrary To Reason
150. 150Justice Of Men, And Justice Of Actions What
151. 151Justice Of Manners, And Justice Of Actions
152. 152Justice Commutative, And Distributive
153. 153The Fourth Law Of Nature, Gratitude
154. 154The Fifth, Mutuall accommodation, or Compleasance
155. 155The Sixth, Facility To Pardon
156. 156The Eighth, Against Contumely
157. 157The Ninth, Against Pride
158. 158The Tenth Against Arrogance
159. 159The Eleventh Equity
160. 160The Twelfth, Equall Use Of Things Common
161. 161The Thirteenth, Of Lot
162. 162The Fourteenth, Of Primogeniture, And First Seising
163. 163The Fifteenth, Of Mediators
164. 164The Sixteenth, Of Submission To Arbitrement
165. 165The Seventeenth, No Man Is His Own Judge
166. 166The Nineteenth, Of Witnesse
167. 167And Yet Easie
168. 168A Person What
169. 169Person Naturall, And Artificiall
170. 170The Word Person, Whence
171. 171Actor, Author; Authority
172. 172Covenants By Authority, Bind The Author
173. 173But Not The Actor
174. 174The Authority Is To Be Shewne
175. 175Things Personated, Inanimate
176. 176Irrational
177. 177False Gods
178. 178The True God
179. 179A Multitude Of Men, How One Person
180. 180Every One Is Author
181. 181Representatives, When The Number Is Even, Unprofitable
182. 182Negative Voyce
183. 183The End Of Common-wealth, Particular Security
184. 184And That Continually
185. 185The Generation Of A Common-wealth
186. 186The Definition Of A Common-wealth
187. 187Soveraigne, And Subject, What
188. 188The Act Of Instituting A Common-wealth, What
189. 189The Consequences To Such Institution, Are
190. 190These Rights Are Indivisible
191. 191The Different Formes Of Common-wealths But Three
192. 192Subordinate Representatives Dangerous
193. 193Comparison Of Monarchy, With Soveraign Assemblyes
194. 194Of The Right Of Succession
195. 195Or, By Presumption Of Naturall Affection
196. 196CHAPTER XX. OF DOMINION PATERNALL AND DESPOTICALL
197. 197Wherein Different From A Common-wealth By Institution
198. 198The Rights Of Soveraignty The Same In Both
199. 199Despoticall Dominion, How Attained
200. 200Difference Between A Family And A Kingdom
201. 201The Right Of Monarchy From Scripture
202. 202Liberty What
203. 203What It Is To Be Free
204. 204Feare And Liberty Consistent
205. 205Liberty And Necessity Consistent
206. 206Artificiall Bonds, Or Covenants
207. 207Liberty Of Subjects Consisteth In Liberty From Covenants
208. 208Liberty Of The Subject How To Be Measured
209. 209Nor To Warfare, Unless They Voluntarily Undertake It
210. 210In Case Of Captivity
211. 211In Case Of Banishment
212. 212The Divers Sorts Of Systemes Of People
213. 213And The Lawes
214. 214Protestation Against The Decrees Of Bodies Politique
215. 215Bodies Politique For Ordering Of Trade
216. 216A Regular Private Body, Lawfull, As A Family
217. 217Private Bodies Regular, But Unlawfull
218. 218Systemes Irregular, Such As Are Private Leagues
219. 219Secret Cabals
220. 220Feuds Of Private Families
221. 221Factions For Government
222. 222CHAPTER XXIII. OF THE PUBLIQUE MINISTERS OF SOVERAIGN POWER
223. 223Publique Minister Who
224. 224Ministers For The Generall Administration
225. 225For Speciall Administration, As For Oeconomy
226. 226For Instruction Of The People
227. 227For Judicature
228. 228For Execution
229. 229Of Sea And Land
230. 230And The Right Of Distribution Of Them
231. 231The Publique Is Not To Be Dieted
232. 232Mony The Bloud Of A Common-wealth
233. 233The Children Of A Common-wealth Colonies
234. 234Counsell What
235. 235Differences Between Command And Counsell
236. 236Exhortation And Dehortation What
237. 237Differences Of Fit And Unfit Counsellours
238. 238Civill Law what
239. 239The Soveraign Is Legislator
240. 240And Not Subject To Civill Law
241. 241Difference Between Verifying And Authorising
242. 242The Law Verifyed By The Subordinate Judge
243. 243By Letters Patent, And Publique Seale
244. 244All Lawes Need Interpretation
245. 245The Abilities Required In A Judge
246. 246Divisions Of Law
247. 247Another Division Of Law
248. 248Another Division Of Lawes
249. 249A Fundamentall Law What
250. 250Difference Between Law And Right
251. 251And Between A Law And A Charter
252. 252Sinne What
253. 253A Crime What
254. 254Ignorance Of The Civill Law Excuseth Sometimes
255. 255Ignorance Of The Soveraign Excuseth Not
256. 256Ignorance Of The Penalty Excuseth Not
257. 257And False Inferences From True Principles, By Teachers
258. 258Presumption Of Riches
259. 259And Friends
260. 260Wisedome
261. 261Hatred, Lust, Ambition, Covetousnesse, Causes Of Crime
262. 262Crimes Not Equall
263. 263Totall Excuses
264. 264Excuses Against The Author
265. 265Presumption Of Power, Aggravateth
266. 266Evill Teachers, Extenuate
267. 267Examples Of Impunity, Extenuate
268. 268Praemeditation, Aggravateth
269. 269Tacite Approbation Of The Soveraign, Extenuates
270. 270Comparison Of Crimes From Their Effects
271. 271Laesae Majestas
272. 272Bribery And False Testimony
273. 273Depeculation
274. 274Counterfeiting Authority
275. 275Crimes Against Private Men Compared
276. 276Publique Crimes What
277. 277The Definition Of Punishment
278. 278Right To Punish Whence Derived
279. 279Private Injuries, And Revenges No Punishments
280. 280Nor Denyall Of Preferment
281. 281Nor Pain Inflicted Without Publique Hearing
282. 282Nor Pain Inflicted By Usurped Power
283. 283Naturall Evill Consequences, No Punishments
284. 284The Representative Of The Common-wealth Unpunishable
285. 285Punishments Corporall
286. 286Capitall
287. 287Ignominy
288. 288Imprisonment
289. 289Exile
290. 290Reward, Is Either Salary, Or Grace
291. 291Benefits Bestowed For Fear, Are Not Rewards
292. 292Salaries Certain And Casuall
293. 293CHAPTER XXIX. OF THOSE THINGS THAT WEAKEN, OR TEND TO THE DISSOLUTION OF A COMMON-WEALTH
294. 294Want Of Absolute Power
295. 295Private Judgement Of Good and Evill
296. 296Erroneous Conscience
297. 297Pretence Of Inspiration
298. 298Subjecting The Soveraign Power To Civill Lawes
299. 299Attributing Of Absolute Propriety To The Subjects
300. 300Dividing Of The Soveraign Power
301. 301Imitation Of Neighbour Nations
302. 302Imitation Of The Greeks, And Romans
303. 303Mixt Government
304. 304Want Of Mony
305. 305Monopolies And Abuses Of Publicans
306. 306Popular Men
307. 307Excessive Greatnesse Of A Town, Multitude Of Corporations
308. 308Liberty Of Disputing Against Soveraign Power
309. 309Dissolution Of The Common-wealth
310. 310The Procuration Of The Good Of The People
311. 311By Instruction & Lawes
312. 312Objection From The Incapacity Of The Vulgar
313. 313Nor Adhere (Against The Soveraign) To Popular Men
314. 314Nor To Dispute The Soveraign Power
315. 315And To Honour Their Parents
316. 316The Use Of Universities
317. 317Equall Taxes
318. 318Publique Charity
319. 319Prevention Of Idlenesse
320. 320Good Lawes What
321. 321Such As Are Necessary
322. 322Such As Are Perspicuous
323. 323Punishments
324. 324Rewards
325. 325Counsellours
326. 326Commanders
327. 327The Scope Of The Following Chapters
328. 328Who Are Subjects In The Kingdome Of God
329. 329A Threefold Word Of God, Reason, Revelation, Prophecy
330. 330Sinne Not The Cause Of All Affliction
331. 331Divine Lawes
332. 332Honour And Worship What
333. 333Severall Signes Of Honour
334. 334Worship Naturall And Arbitrary
335. 335Worship Commanded And Free
336. 336Worship Publique And Private
337. 337The End Of Worship

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