What did Thomas Hobbes mean when he said this?

Question: What did Thomas Hobbes mean when he said this!?

I've posted the extract which I dont understand from his work the Leviathan at this link:

http://clearblogs!.com/uniwork/154269/Hob!.!.!.

Thank you Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Again, men have no pleasure (but on the contrary a great deal of grief) in keeping company where there is no power able to overawe them all!. For every man looketh that his companion should value him at the same rate he sets upon himself, and upon all signs of contempt or undervaluing naturally endeavours, as far as he dares (which amongst them that have no common power to keep them in quiet is far enough to make them destroy each other), to extort a greater value from his contemners, by damage; and from others, by the example!.

He's saying that where there is no powerful authority to keep people under control, individuals experience more pain then pleasure as members of a social group!. This happens, he says, because each individual respects himself highly and demands that others respect him just as highly!. When he detects signs of disrespect, he inflicts as much punishment as he can on those he feels have disrespected him!. He does this to damage the one who has offended him, and to instill fear in others so that they will respect him in the future!. Where there is no strong authority to keep these individual impulses in check, people will destroy each other!.Www@QuestionHome@Com