It does a great job of capturing the poetry of lucretius with its format. The poem was lost during the middle ages, rediscovered in 1417, and first printed in 1473. 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. 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. Lucretius was a proponent of the epicurean school of thought which originated in athens a couple centuries earlier. This elegant new translation at last restores the poetry to one of the greatest and most influential poems in the western tradition. In the present reprint the translation has been adapted. In six books compounded of solid reasoning, brilliant imagination, and noble poetry, he expounds the scientific theories of the greek. On the nature of things watson translation by carus. Its earliest published translation into any language french did not occur until 1650.
Stanford libraries official online search tool for books, media, journals, databases, government documents and more. Humphries easy, varied lines are thoroughly readable. It is a formidable task to put 7,500 latin hexameter lines into english verse, but mr. 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. Prepared from the sphere library book, translated martin ferguson smith 1969. The translator of lucretius faces a number of editorial choices because the poem. Top american libraries canadian libraries universal library community texts project gutenberg biodiversity heritage library childrens library. I care about clarity and ease of reading more than accuracy or aesthetics. The poem, written in some 7,400 dactylic hexameters, is divided into six untitled books, and explores epicurean physics. On the nature of things lucretius harvard university press. 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.
Why whereby we may mark off things true and false1 besides, choose fire. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Whether a book is in the public domain may vary country to country. Drydens motives in translating lucretius appear to be twofold. Editions containing works of lucretius titus lucretius carus lucretius on atomic motion.
Home collectionstexts perseus catalog research grants open source about help. Book i 94k book ii 106k book iii 95k book iv 117k book v 9k book vi 122k download. 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. On the nature of things by lucretius, part of the internet classics archive. The way things are by lucretius goodreads share book.
In six books compounded of solid reasoning, brilliant imagination, and noble poetry. A useful recent translation of lucretius on the nature. The poem is divided into six books or sections and. Lucretius, on the nature of things loeb classical library. 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. This book represents the primary source of modern knowledge on epicurean thought, and it played an important role in the development of atomism. The internet classics archive on the nature of things by. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. On the nature of things has been divided into the following sections.
I didnt finish reading it but this book is the best translation for lucretiuss work. Readers will share our excitement in the discovery of this accurate and fluent prose rendering. Humphries admirable and exciting translation makes it easy to grasp the shape and the magnitude of lucretius conception. My main goal is to understand epicurean philosophy, though of course it would be nice if it sounded good too. His greatest success is in persuading the reader to see the poem as a whole, as a single, strange work of art, in which the. Please click here to go to our dedicated site for lucretius. Don fowler 2007 lucretius on creation and evolution. Lucretius was the first writer known to introduce roman readers to epicurean philosophy.
Hide browse bar your current position in the text is marked in blue. Among digressions about the importance of philosophy in mens life and praises of epicurus, 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. 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.
For this edition, professor smith provides a revised translation, new introduction, headnotes and bibliography. The poem explores lucretius belief about the gods, humanity, the senses, the world, and the universe, all through the philosophical framework of epicurus. On the nature of things by lucretius the internet classics archive. 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.