In the present reprint the translation has been adapted to the second. Readers will share our excitement in the discovery of this accurate and fluent prose rendering. Then throughout seas and mountains and sweeping torrents and the leafy dwellings of birds and verdant plains, striking alluring love into the breasts of all creatures, you cause them greedily to beget their generations after their kind. Lucretius is a really difficult text and you need a translation that will point out his sources and what hes doing with them. This translation by esolen is not as arcane as william ellery leonards, just so you know. Lucretius regarded him as the spiritual savior of mankind. Jun 26, 2011 if you really want to understand the text, id go for the one with the best and fullest notes, rather than focusing on the ease of the translation. This sumptuous account of a secular cosmos argues that the soul is mortal, that pleasure is the object of life, and that humanity has free will, among other ideas. And that, moreover, another air above streams on athwart the top of the sphere and tends in same direction as are rolled along the glittering. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you.
Reissued to accompany stephen greenblatts the swerve. On the nature of things lucretius harvard university press. On the nature of things by lucretius the internet classics archive. It is a formidable task to put 7,500 latin hexameter lines into english verse, but mr. A useful recent translation of lucretius on the nature of. In six books compounded of solid reasoning, brilliant imagination, and noble poetry, he expounds the scientific theories of the greek.
In six books compounded of solid reasoning, brilliant imagination, and noble poetry, he expounds the scientific theories of the greek philosopher epicurus, with the aim of dispelling fear of the gods and fear of death and so enabling man to attain peace of mind and happiness. On the nature of things by lucretius, part of the internet classics archive. The poem, written in some 7,400 dactylic hexameters, is divided into six untitled books, and explores epicurean physics through richly poetic language and metaphors. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. The title of lucretiuss work translates that of the chief work of epicurus, peri physeos on nature. Don fowler 2007 lucretius on creation and evolution.
On the nature of things is a firstcentury bc didactic poem by the roman poet and philosopher lucretius c. Book i 94k book ii 106k book iii 95k book iv 117k book v 9k book vi 122k download. On the nature of things lucretius, martin ferguson smith. Having in the preceding books discoursed of atoms, the generation of. On the nature of things work by lucretius britannica. A useful recent translation of lucretius on the nature of things by cassius amicus published october, 2012 introductory material, lucretius, texts on epicurus until today i was unaware of a 2010 edition of on the nature of things produced by ian johnston and available at the website linked here. Latham, introduction and notes by john godwin, penguin revised edition 1994, isbn 0140446109.
The internet classics archive on the nature of things by. Check our home page for introductory material on epicurus by clicking here. This translation is based primarily upon the latin text of h. Lucretius carus first edition lucretius bauman rare. But of course i admire lucretius and his predecessor, epicurus and his predecessor because he really buckled down and looked out at the world, and inside himself, and showed in his logic the possible fortitude of the human mind. Study science in order to rid yourself of unneccesary fears, especially of the gods and death. In first place, if the mighty sphere of heaven revolveth round, then needs we must aver that on the upper and the under pole presses a certain air, and from without confines them and encloseth at each end. Titus lucretius carus was a roman poet and philosopher over 2050 years ago. Humphries admirable and exciting translation makes it easy to grasp the shape and the magnitude of lucretius conception. Please click here to go to our dedicated site for lucretius.
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 through thee alone are evermore conceived, through thee are risen to visit the great sunbefore thee, goddess, and thy coming on, flee stormy wind and massy cloud away, for thee the daedal earth bears scented flowers, for. Epicureanism was a missionary philospohy, aiming to give man happiness by making him selfsufficient. From epicurean tenets lucretius dramatises and creates images for the follies of superstitious fears, passions, ambitions, attachment to nature, guilty fears of retribution for sins. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. On the nature of things has been divided into the following sections. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. In it, he set out to explicate the universe, embracing and refuting ideas of the great greek philosophers. Mourners, the elderly, nature and memmius raise their voices to debate the issue of mortality. Translated by cyril bailey fellow of balliol college. This elegant new translation at last restores the poetry to one of the greatest and most influential poems in the western tradition. This sumptuous account of a secular cosmos argues that the soul is mortal, that pleasure is the object of life, and. In england, the wealthy diarist john evelyn translated the first book of lucretius poem, and isaac newton declared himself an atomist new yorker. In six books compounded of solid reasoning, brilliant imagination, and noble poetry, he expounds the scientific theories of the greek philosopher epicurus, with the aim of dispelling fear of.
Little is known of his life, although two tantalizing bits of gossip were passed on by st. The poem, written in dactylic hexameter, is divided into six books, and concentrates heavily on epicurean physics. 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. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel.
Of the life of lucretius but little information has reached us. The section in the middle of the first book,5 in which lucretius criticizes rival theories of the. Prepared from the sphere library book, translated martin ferguson smith 1969. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. Book i 94k book ii 106k book iii 95k book iv 117k book v 9k book vi 122k. Book 5 describes the nature and formation of our world, astronomical. Book i book ii book iii book iv book v book vi card. A useful recent translation of lucretius on the nature. Edidit joseph martin bibliotheca scriptorvm graecorvm et romanorvm tevbneriana. Editions containing works of lucretius titus lucretius carus lucretius on atomic motion. Titus lucretius carus was probably born in the early first century b.
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