Origins of "the weak are meat, and the strong do eat"

Solution 1:

Actually, this line of dialogue is quoted from somewhere else. It is the English translation of the following Japanese four-character idiom:

弱肉強食

jaku niku kyō shoku

English translation:

The weak are meat; the strong do eat.

Meaning:

Survival of the fittest.

Edit:

This is in response to OP's request for more information regarding the origin of this Japanese four-character idiom.

It is based on a similar Chinese expression, which has the same meaning:

弱肉强食

The source is Han Yu, a precursor of Neo-Confucianism, essayist, and poet from the Tang dynasty who was born in 768.

(Wiktionary)

(Goo Dictionary)

(Hatena Dictionary)

Solution 2:

Greek historian Thucydides said something similar: "The strong do what they do can and the weak suffer what they must."

Solution 3:

(Interestingly enough the Greeks had a y/u as the üpsilon letter..) Thycylides did have some idea. Aristoles too and Plato (the rigid old man had his ideas.. but he was too steady-state: forms don't change or evolve, etc.) IT is a Confucian proverb. *The idea of biological "fascism" or dog-eat-dog isn't new. It was obviously a more pessimistic idea. Natural selection exists but survival of the fittest, obviously not-so-much. Pragmatic and conservative thinkers, throughout history, often saw "realism" and nature as predator-eat-prey but not in terms of diversity, adaptability.. etc. If people haven't noticed the Wachowskis tend to be a bit dark and pessimistic often showing violence and revenge/aggression as a way to stop problems, whereas their bad guys tend to be nothing but predatory thinking and hate.