exterminate them from the earth or make them to serve him?

PHAEDO--Yes, that is true.

SOCRATES--And we cannot say that the earth was made for beasts which
themselves are made to serve the purpose of man, for as plants are
consumed by beasts, so beasts are consumed by man who acquires for his
own use and enjoyment whatever power is generated by the organs of all
other living things.

PHAEDO--That is true, and I can now see that the earth was not made by
the gods for themselves, or for plants or beasts.

SOCRATES--Therefore, it appears to me that it must have been made for
man.

PHAEDO--That is true, and I now agree that the earth was made for man.

SOCRATES--Then, since we have found a common starting point, we may go
on with our conversation. We have proved that the earth was made for
man, because man, by powers inherent in himself, can overcome all other
living things on the earth and subject them to his uses.

PHAEDO--Yes, we have proved that.

SOCRATES--And the real source of his kingship is power.

PHAEDO--That must be true.

SOCRATES--And force is power applied to some object, so that power and
force may be spoken of as the same thing.

PHAEDO--Certainly.

SOCRATES--And where power lies, there and there only is sovereignty, and
where power ends sovereignty finds its limit. So that, for example, if
the lion could subdue man and the other animals, the earth would be for
the use of the lion.

PHAEDO--That is plain.

SOCRATES--And if a company of men should find an island and go and live
upon it and be strong enough to subdue the wild animals and keep out
other men, that island would be for their use.

PHAEDO--That follows, because sovereignty goes with power exercised in
force.

SOCRATES--And so if one man should find a vacant space and take
possession, it would be his.

PHAEDO--That is true.

SOCRATES--And what belongs to man, man may dispose of as he will.

PHAEDO--All men agree to that.

SOCRATES--And, therefore, since Hippocrates has found a vacant space
on the earth and taken possession thereof, and no man disputes his
possession, it is his and he may sell it.

PHAEDO--That is certainly true, and I do not doubt that Hipparchus will
now pay down his talent of silver and take over the vale in the Olympian
forest.

SOCRATES--And if instead of finding an island the company of men had
found an entire continent it would be theirs if they were strong enough
to keep it.

PHAEDO--Surely t