All religions are equally sublime to the ignorant, useful to the politician, and ridiculous to the philosopher. The title of lucretiuss work translates that of the. Lucretiuss on the nature of things is not easy latin. Prepared from the sphere library book, translated martin ferguson smith 1969. Jerome, a prominent roman clergyman writing four centuries after his death, wrote that a love potion had driven him insane and that lucretius had eventually committed suicide. Epicurus taught that the world could be understood by reason and that religion only arouses unnecessary fear. Lucretius poem on the nature of the universe combines a scientific and philosophical treatise with some of the greatest poetry ever written. In six books compounded of solid reasoning, brilliant imagination, and. And we ourselves indeed to make this book, and still to seek the nature of the world. On the nature of things a conversation with margaret graver, professor of classics, dartmouth college. It is sweet, when winds trouble the waters on the great sea, to behold from land the distress of others, not because it is a pleasure that any should be afflicted, but because it is sweet to see from. The poem is divided into six books or sections and. Jerome, a prominent roman clergyman writing four centuries after his death, wrote that a love potion.
Ovid invites his readers to compare his account of a plague with the accounts created by his predecessors, writers such as thucydides, lucretius, and virgil. Epicurus taught that the world could be understood by reason and that. I was in the midst of reading yet another book that referenced lucretius on the nature of things and thought i should stop and read lucretius words for myself. On the nature of things book iii great books of the. Lucretius denounced popular beliefs in deities and supernatural creatures. Dionysius mus when in the fourth century bc the greek citystates become part of the empire of alexander the great and his successors, the greek ideal of autonomy and self. Lucretius only extant work, written in dactylic hexameter, addressed to gaius memmius who became praetor in 58 bc and failed to be converted. Aug 19, 2017 lucretius s on the nature of things is not easy latin. Lucretius, on the nature of things loeb classical library. It closes, rather unexpectedly, with a clarification of plague. So, if you know a little latin, but youre not really great at it, this compact volume with the latin on the lefthand page and the english on the right, is the book for you. In book 4 he sets out to prove once again that the universe is composed only of physical bits of matter called atoms and that gods did not create the cosmos nor. This 45page guide for on the nature of things by lucretius includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 6 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis.
On the nature of things book 6 summary freebooksummary. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Lucretius on the nature of things matter and void, part i. Epicureanism was a missionary philospohy, aiming to give man happiness by making him selfsufficient. This study guide consists of approximately 68 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of on the nature of things. For, it is amazing to learn that the secular, nonreligious intellectual opinions of people from around 500 bc were actually quite accurate and concurrent. On the nature of things by lucretius, part of the internet classics archive. They allowed death to take them away from living before death ever actually came. The poem is the fullest extant statement of the physical theory of the greek philosopher epicurus.
In book iii, lucretius outlines the rules governing the mind and spirit, and their relation to the body. On the nature of the universe book 4 throughout the first three books of on the nature of the universe lucretius walks a thin line between philosophy, science and poetry. Lucretius begins by invoking the name of venus as a creative force, appealing to memmius to whom the. Lucretius regarded him as the spiritual savior of mankind.
Lucretius begins by invoking the name of venus as a creative force, appealing to memmius to whom the work is addressed, and then praising his master epicurus. On the nature of things summary and study guide supersummary. In six books compounded of solid reasoning, brilliant imagination, and noble poetry, he expounds the scientific theories of the greek. The title of lucretius s work translates that of the chief work of epicurus, peri physeos on nature. It is also for people who believe in myths, they, perhaps more than anyone should read lucretius too. Lucretius begins by invoking epicurus, the philosopher who originated this school of philosophy. Rather than being gratified and fulfilled, people squandered their time on earth. On the nature of things is a firstcentury bc didactic poem by the roman poet and philosopher lucretius c.
This 45page guide for on the nature of things by lucretius includes. Brief summary of physics and philosophy the epicurean poet, lucretius, writes a lengthy poem which explains the nature of the universe, its. The internet classics archive on the nature of things by. Starting with meteorology, lucretius tends to roar, which strikes dread into the. This is a must have book for any humanist, freethinker, scientifically oriented person. Rather than being gratified and fulfilled, people squandered their time on earth complaining about their old age and impending death.
Books iii and iv deal with the mind, the spirit, and the senses. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of. So, if you know a little latin, but youre not really. Lucretius, on the nature of things, book 3 english text. Book 3, 866869 lucretius also saw that this fundamental fear of death prevented people from living their lives now. Lucretius begins by invoking epicurus, the philosopher who originated this. It is sweet, when winds trouble the waters on the great sea, to behold from land the distress of others, not because it is a pleasure that any should be afflicted, but because it is sweet to see from what evils you are yourself exempt. Lucretius sets the stage for the following arguments by reminding us that epicureans believe that fear of death is. Lucretiuss scientific poem on the nature of things c. Introduction to lucretius on the nature of things cyril baley o f the three great latin poets lucretius seems to make the most peculiar appeal to our own age. Scholars have noted the seeming inconsistency in lucretius invoking venus at the beginning of a work that disclaims the gods involvement with human life.
It also alludes to his ethical and logical doctrines. The remainder of the book is devoted to a full account of epicurean cosmology and sociology, with the poet explaining the stages of life on earth and the origin and. This is an interesting work to read, useful for promoting understanding of classical epicureanism notes mostly extracted from the text. Lucretius poem on the nature of things combines a scientific and philosophical treatise with some of the greatest poetry ever written. I am amazed that someone who lived more than 2000 years ago could possess such a deep and complete understanding of our universe. These set the stage for his explanation of the diversity of bodies. Lucretius begins this book with another tribute to the genius of epicurus, whose heroic intellectual achievements, it is argued, exceed even the twelve labors of hercules.
He begins again by praising epicurus for revealing the truth about the nature of things and discusses some key aspects of epicurean ethical doctrine. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of essay concerning human understanding and what it means. The section in the middle of the first book,5 in which lucretius criticizes rival theories of the world, shows us how epicurus applied his principle. Study science in order to rid yourself of unneccesary fears, especially of the gods and death. In the first place, the study of lucretius has made considerable advances. Book iii in the third book, he describes the nature of the mind and the soul, commencing with a eulogy on epicurus, who taught that the world. Brief summary of physics and philosophy the epicurean poet, lucretius, writes a lengthy poem which explains the nature of the universe, its origins, causes, and its essence. Itmight indeed be thought that with so fine a model in existence it is unnecessary and unprofitable to undertake the task again. Lucretius himself tripped up these editors, by principio. Titus lucretius carus died mid to late 50s bce was an epicurean poet of the late roman republican era.
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