The stronger prey upon the weaker, and keep them in perpetual terror and anxiety.

The weaker too, in their turn, often prey upon the stronger, and vex and molest them without relaxation.

Consider that innumerable race of insects, which either are bred on the body of each animal, or, flying about, infix their stings in him.

These insects have others still less than themselves, which torment them.

And thus on each hand, before and behind, above and below, every animal is surrounded with enemies, which incessantly seek his misery and destruction.
Man alone, said DEMEA, seems to be, in part, an exception to this rule.
For by combination in society, he can easily master lions, tigers, and bears, whose greater strength and agility naturally enable them to prey upon him.
On the contrary, it is here chiefly, cried PHILO, that the uniform and equal maxims of Nature are most apparent.