巨人、海怪與恐懼之邦：霍布斯《利維坦》的標題頁面

Abstract

本文討論霍布斯《利維坦》（Leviathan）一書標題頁的卷頭插畫（frontispiece）。本文試圖以《利維坦》的論證內容、「利維坦」的聖經象徵意義、以及「巨人」這個形象比喻出現在《利維坦》與《論公民》（De Cive）的狀況，呼應解釋《利維坦》的標題頁圖像配置；並從這些象徵與圖像意義，討論《利維坦》與其前身《論公民》的差異。本文將指出，列奧•史特勞斯氏（Leo Strauss）對《利維坦》的洞徹解釋，在今日仍有說服力。霍布斯以平等作出發點，使恐懼成為眾人的黏合劑，創造出現代式的價值真空國家。霍布斯以「利維坦」這種令人不太舒服的聖經巨獸作為隱喻的題名，和史特勞斯這種看法呼應。霍布斯在圖面上的配置，也顯出霍布斯的思想從《論公民》演變到《利維坦》，的確有更加俗世化的痕跡。

This is a small inquiry about Leviathan’s title page. The essay will argue, the picture shown on the frontispiece of the book written by Thomas Hobbes has extensive linkages to its content. To achieve this, the essay will discuss Leviathan’s argument’s, Leviathan’s Biblical meanings and the metaphor of Giant in Leviathan’s arguments. Hobbes chose a Biblical metaphor to represent his thought on commonwealth in Leviathan, and he took a giant’s figure to articulate this Leviathan’s image, both can fit in the theses he displayed in Leviathan. This essay will also show, Leo Strauss’s interpretation of Leviathan still holds great insight to Leviathan’s ideas.