From epicurean tenets lucretius dramatises and creates images for the follies of superstitious fears, passions, ambitions, attachment to nature, guilty. It is a formidable task to put 7,500 latin hexameter lines into english verse, but mr. Lucretius on human history this world is the product of nature, things colliding into. On the nature of things by lucretius, part of the internet classics archive. Lucretius was the first writer known to introduce roman readers to epicurean philosophy. As an epic, it begins with an invocation to the muse, in this case, venus. Search for library items search for lists search for. Comprehensive commentary by cyril bailey, oxford university press 1947. Google this is a digital copy of a book that was preserved for generations on. The poem, written in some 7,400 dactylic hexameters, is divided into six untitled books. Mother of aeneas and his race, darling of men and venus, aid me in my work gods, nurturing venus, a who beneath the smoothmoving heavenly signs fill with yourself the sea fullladen with ships, the earth that bears the crops, since through you every kind of living thing is conceived and rising up looks on the light of the sun. Prepared from the sphere library book, translated martin ferguson smith 1969. Once more, if nature should of a sudden send a voice abroad, and her own self inveigh against us so. The introduction itself is for the most part unchanged updates appear in three notes but the section.
In book 3 he expounds the nature and composition of mind and spirit, proves. The version read here is an english verse translation written by william. Don fowler 2007 lucretius on creation and evolution. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Latham, introduction and notes by john godwin, penguin revised edition 1994, isbn 0140446109. For a more detailed description of the contents of each book, please consult the. Leonard and smith lucretius university of wisconsin press 1942 richard minadeo, the lyre of science. Namely, lucretius explores the principles of atomism.
Book i book ii book iii book iv book v book vi card. For this edition, professor smith provides a revised translation, new introduction, headnotes and. This translation is based primarily upon the latin text of h. This book represents the primary source of modern knowledge on epicurean thought, and it played an important role in the development of atomism. After discussing the ways in which the lucretian persona presents himself as a teacher and interacts with his student memmius, the chapter focuses on the relationship of poetry and philosophy. My main goal is to understand epicurean philosophy, though of course it would be nice if it sounded good too. Lucretius on human history this world is the product of. On the nature of things by lucretius the internet classics archive.
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. 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 book is the 449th greatest fiction book of all time as determined by. Lucretius denounced popular beliefs in deities and supernatural creatures. In the present reprint the translation has been adapted. A word cloud of the leonard translation of lucretius the nature of things. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want.
Cambridge greek and latin classics book 3 paperback. Check our home page for introductory material on epicurus by clicking here. In it, he set out to explicate the universe, embracing and refuting ideas of the great greek philosophers. The title of lucretiuss work translates that of the chief work of epicurus, peri physeos on nature. On the nature of the universe is a didactic epic poem. Reissued to accompany stephen greenblatts the swerve. The poem takes the form of a detailed exposition of epicurean physical theory an extreme materialism designed to remove and discredit popular fears of the gods, death and an afterlife. I care about clarity and ease of reading more than accuracy or aesthetics.
O you who first amid so great a darkness were able to address to epicurus raise aloft a light so clear, illumining the blessings of life, you i follow, o glory of the grecian race, a and now on the marks you have left i plant my own footsteps firm, not so much desiring to be your rival, as for love, because i yearn to copy you. On the nature of things work by lucretius britannica. Martin ferguson smiths work on lucretius is both well known and highly regarded. Lucretius, on the nature of things loeb classical library. Humphries admirable and exciting translation makes it easy to grasp the shape and the magnitude of lucretius conception. Its earliest published translation into any language french did not occur until 1650.
Lucretius is a really difficult text and you need a translation that will point out his sources and what hes doing with them. Or who is so potent in speech as to devise praises fit for his merits, who by his own intellect winning and gaining such treasures, has left them to us. Readers will share our excitement in the discovery of this accurate and fluent prose rendering. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you make. The poem, written in some 7,400 dactylic hexameters, is divided into six untitled books, and explores epicurean physics through poetic language and metaphors. Mourners, the elderly, nature and memmius raise their voices to debate the issue of mortality. Top american libraries canadian libraries universal library community texts project gutenberg biodiversity heritage library childrens library. 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. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
On the nature of things, 1951 prose translation by r. Prolegomena, text and critical apparatus, translation. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction. This detailed literature summary also contains bibliography on on the nature of things by lucretius. Please click here to go to our dedicated site for lucretius. Who is able with mighty mind to build a song worthy the divine discoveries of epicurus of the majesty of nature and these discoveries. On the nature of things is a firstcentury bc didactic poem by the roman poet and philosopher lucretius c.
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