On the nature of things has been divided into the following sections. With intense moral fervour lucretius demonstrates to humanity that in death there is nothing to fear since the soul is mortal, and the world and everything in it is governed not by the gods, but by the. He keeps up that all issue is made out of undetectable, inseparable particles called molecules. The nature of things combines a scientific and philosophical treatise with some of the greatest poetry ever written.
The title of lucretius s work translates that of the chief work of epicurus, peri physeos on nature. Book i summary lucretius begins his poem with a prayer to venus, the roman goddess of love, whose reproductive powers allow everything in nature to flourish. He wants to share it, in coffee sized audio tracks meant to be listened to. On the nature of the universe by lucretius nook book. In order to summarize on the nature of things, i will offer a brief summary of each of the books. Prepared from the sphere library book, translated martin ferguson smith 1969. Nothing else can be said to exist mon 28 jan 20 05. Lucretius demonstrates to humanity that in death there is nothing to fear, as the soul is mortal and the world and everything in it is governed by the. 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. 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. So, if you know a little latin, but youre not really great at it, this compact volume with the latin on the left. Epicurus taught that the world could be understood by reason and that religion only arouses unnecessary fear. On the nature of the universe by lucretius, paperback.
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 in. Lucretius begins his poem with a prayer to venus, the roman goddess of love, whose reproductive powers. On the nature of things is a philosophical work by the roman author titus lucretius carus whom we call lucretius. 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. Preface no one can set about tnnslating lucretius into english without finding his head full of the great work of h. The infinite worlds and their formation and destruction. So far as one can tell, his rewriting of books was complete, but that of. On the nature of things work by lucretius britannica.
Scholars have noted the seeming inconsistency in lucretius invoking venus at the beginning of. Book i 94k book ii 106k book iii 95k book iv 117k book v 9k book vi 122k download. Centuries before the second law of thermodynamics, he predicted that one day the walls of the sky will be stormed on every side, and will collapse into a crumbling ruin. Books i and ii establish the main principles of the atomic universe, refute the rival.
Book iv deals mainly with the psychology of sensation and thought, and also with certain biological functions. Lucretius only extant work, written in dactylic hexameter, addressed to gaius memmius who became praetor in 58 bc and failed to be converted. Lucretius begins by defending science against superstition. Titus lucretius carus, on the nature of things online library of. Itmight indeed be thought that with so fine a model in existence it is unnecessary and unprofitable to undertake the task again. Very little is known of the poets life, though a sense of his character and personality emerges vividly from his poem. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
This is an interesting work to read, useful for promoting understanding of classical epicureanism notes mostly extracted from the text. Its easier to avoid the snares of love than to escape once you are in that net whose cords and knots are strong. Lucretius poem on the nature of the universe combines a scientific and philosophical treatise with some of the greatest poetry ever written. Aug 19, 2017 lucretius s on the nature of things is not easy latin. On the nature of things books iii book i lucretius invokes. The visible universe is made up of invisible component particles axioms of lucretius atomic theory of the universe nature resolves everything into its component atoms and never reduces anything to nothing there is vacuity in things material objects are of two kinds. Throughout the first three books of on the nature of the universe lucretius walks a thin line between philosophy, science and poetry. On the nature of things summary and study guide supersummary. Aeneid ancient animals argument aristotle believe blow body book born cause cicero clouds cold colour comes dark death deep democritus diodorus siculus diogenes laertius diogenes of oenoanda disease. The poem, written in some 7,400 dactylic hexameters, is divided into six untitled books, and explores epicurean physics through poetic. I am amazed that someone who lived more than 2000 years ago could possess such a deep and complete understanding of our universe. Lucretius wishes to make the epicurean philosophy he is teaching more palatable, to coat it with the sweet honey of the muses. Lucretiuss on the nature of things is not easy latin.
Lucretius denounced popular beliefs in deities and supernatural creatures. The loss of much of epicuruss own output means that lucretius has become. It explores the world from an epistemological perspectivepossibly the earliest form of scientific inquiry that attempts to divorce itself from. The primary reason for book i is to build up lucretius essential laws administering the universe, whereupon his consequent contentions will be based. The most significant realities about particles are 1 that they cant be made from nothing originates from nothing, and 2. Jan 28, 20 in lucretiuss universe, there are atoms and there is void completely empty space. The poem explores lucretius belief about the gods, humanity, the senses, the world, and the universe, all through the philosophical framework of epicurus.
As well as being a pioneering figure in the history of philosophical poetry, lucretius has come to be our primary source of information on epicurean physics, the official topic of his poem. 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. On the nature of things a conversation with margaret graver, professor of classics, dartmouth college. On the nature of things is sweeping in scope and detail, but in the end it is essentially a presentation of the epicurean method for answering the most common and troubling questions about the nature of life and of the universe. Lucretius was one of the first persons to discover that everything in this universe, ranging from planets and stars to mountains, decay. Book i book ii book iii book iv book v book vi card. Knowledge of the nature of things in john lockes essay concerning human understanding. Click below to download the full study guide for on the nature of things. This work provides a detailed description of epicurean philosophy.
Full text of lucretius on the nature of the universe 1951 see other formats. 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. If livy is easy and horace is hard, then lucretius is much closer to horace in difficulty. He asks her to bring charm to his words that will help them to endure.
Book i deals with the ultimate constitution of the universe, which consists of infinite atoms moving in infinite space introduction. 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. On the nature of things is a firstcentury bc didactic poem by the roman poet and philosopher lucretius c. Proem mother of rome, delight of gods and men, dear venus that beneath the gliding stars makest to teem the manyvoyaged main and fruitful lands for all of living things. The atoms are infinite in number and the void is infinite in extent, as is the universe. Though this is a work of science and philosophy, it is also a poem. 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 book 1 analysis freebooksummary. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of essay concerning human understanding and what it means.
He consistently reminds his readers that he is exploring nature, whose causes, in lack of knowledge or reason, had been previously designated to divine entities throughout many ages if they could not be explained. Lucretius also tells us in this prayer that he is writing this work for. These set the stage for his explanation of the diversity of bodies. On the nature of the universe by lucretius flashcards. It explores the world from an epistemological perspectivepossibly the earliest form of scientific inquiry that attempts to divorce itself from religious or other metaphysical beliefs. The epicurean poet, lucretius, writes a lengthy poem which explains the nature of the universe, its origins, causes, and its essence. In lucretiuss universe, there are atoms and there is void completely empty space.
The poem is divided into six books or sections and. The only contemporary whom lucretius named was one memmius, to whom he. Full text of lucretius on the nature of the universe 1951. Nov 30, 2014 inspired by stephen greenblatts the swerve, tom youngjohn picked up a translation of lucretius the nature of things. The infinity of the universe now learn of what remains. Fourthly, that there is nothing in the universe but body and space, and that all. The internet classics archive on the nature of things by. In the first place, the study of lucretius has made considerable advances. On the nature of the universe by lucretius all religions are equally sublime to the ignorant, useful to the politician, and ridiculous to the philosopher. No one has been able to conceive of time as anything other than. Lucretius begins by defending science against superstition in the first four hundred lines. Inspired by stephen greenblatts the swerve, tom youngjohn picked up a translation of lucretius the nature of things. Mar 26, 2016 the epicurean poet, lucretius, writes a lengthy poem which explains the nature of the universe, its origins, causes, and its essence. 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 do they intervene in human affairs.