Meaning of leviathan (what is it, concept and definition)

What is Leviathan:

Leviathan is a mythological creature that is found referenced in the Holy Bible, especially in the Old Testament. It is, generally speaking, a sea creature representing chaos and evil before the creation of the world. This creature would have been created by God.

Many interpretations attribute a long aspect to him like of sea serpent. Others associate it with whales or sperm whales. In any case, in any of these interpretations its relation to the chaos prior to creation is underlined.

Originally from the Hebrew culture, Leviathan appears mentioned several times in the texts of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Among them, the book of Job and the book of Psalms.

Due to the fact that he is associated with evil, it is not surprising that Leviathan is one of the leading figures of worship in the satanic faith, in which he is considered one of the four princes of hell.

William Blake: Behemoth and Leviathan. Century XVIII.

Also, some parallels of this creature can be found in certain texts of Classical Antiquity, such as the Odyssey in which Scylla is mentioned, a Greek nymph who was transformed into a sea monster.

At the time of the voyages of naval exploration, legends grew about extraordinary phenomena experienced by sailors at sea. In that context, the Leviathan legend took vigor again, but instead of referring specifically to the biblical character, the name was used as a generic term to call all the sea monsters described by travelers.

These monsters, most often imagined as whales, swam rapidly around the ships to create a whirlpool, preparing to devour entire ships.

Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes

Leviathan or The Matter, Form and Power of an Ecclesiastical and Civil Republic is the name of a book by Thomas Hobbes published in the year 1651, in which the philosopher reflects on the power of the State, with a view to justifying absolutist governments.. For Hobbes, the word Leviathan becomes the image of state power.

This is expressed by Hobbes in the text, when he indicates that what is called a republic or the State is, metaphorically, a great Leviathan, a non-human being or, specifically, an "artificial" man destined for the protection of the natural man. Hobbes claims to take this image from the biblical text itself (Book of Job, chapter 41).

However, this Leviathan, as conceived, is not an eternal or divine being, but is subject to getting sick and / or perishing like all mortals, which is why Hobbes dedicates himself in his book to explaining the problems that the State Great Leviathan, you must face, and what laws you must obey to ensure your survival.

See also:

• Old Testament Mythology.