Socrates—And the real source of his kingship is power.
Phædo—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.
Phædo—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.
Phædo—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.
Phædo—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.
Phædo—That is true.