'Therefore this terror and darkness of the mind Not by the sun's rays, nor the bright shafts of day, Must be dispersed, as is most necessary, But by the face of nature and her laws.' Lucretius' poem On the Nature of the Universe combines a scientific and philosophical treatise with some of the greatest poetry ever written. 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 mechanical laws of nature. By believing this, men can live in peace of mind and happiness. Lucretius bases his argument on the atomic theory expounded by the Greek philosopher Epicurus. His poem explores sensation, sex, cosmology, meteorology, and geology through acute observation of the beauties of the natural world and with moving sympathy for man's place in it.Sir Ronald Melville's accessible and accurate verse translation is complemented by an introduction and notes situating Lucretius' scientific theories within the thought of 1st century BCE Rome and discussing the Epicurean philosophy that was his inspiration and why the issues Lucretius' poem raisies about the scientific and poetical views of the world continue to be important.
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This book will naturally appeal to ancient historians, or those interested in the history of philosophy, but even for the lay reader, Lucretius' first century BC work holds untold surprises. In essence, it is a philosophical work on the school of thought known as Epicureanism, exploring the precepts and questions asked by Epicureans. Surprisingly for a work such as this, it is written entirely in verse, and yet somehow this doesn't cause the work to lose its integrity, but even adds to its appeal.
At times it can be heavy going for the reader, and it's not a book to be avidly read in one chunk. But the lay reader who sticks with it will be surprised, and even delighted, by the insights and theories espoused by this Roman philosopher from more than 2000 years ago.
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