Thomas Hobbes's "Leviathan" is a classic work of political philosophy that explores the nature of government and the relationship between the individual and the state. Hobbes argues that in the state of nature, life is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." In order to escape this state, individuals must enter into a social contract with each other, creating a sovereign power that has the authority to enforce laws and protect citizens. Hobbes believed that this sovereign power should be absolute, and he depicts it as a giant composite figure with a sword in one hand and a crozier in the other, symbolizing both secular and religious authority. Hobbes's ideas have been highly influential in the development of political thought, and "Leviathan" remains one of the most important works in the history of political philosophy.