On the Nature of Things (Watson translation) by CARUS, Titus Lucretius
by LibriVox
January 1, 1970 10:00 am
Written in the first century b.C., On the Nature of Things (in Latin, De Rerum Natura) is a poem in six books that aims at explaining the Epicurean philosophy to the Roman audience. Among digressions about the importance of philosophy in men’s life and praises of Epicurus, Lucretius created a solid treatise on the atomic theory, the falseness of religion and many kinds of natural phenomena. With no harm to his philosophical scope, the author composed a didactic poem of epic flavor, of which the imagery and style are highly praised. (Summary by Leni)
Recent Episodes
00 - Preface and Remarks on the life and poem of Lucretius
55 years ago01 - Book I, pt 1 - Invocation and Dedication of the poem. Praise of Epicurus. The theory of the atom.
55 years ago02 - Book I, pt 2 - Time doesn’t have a real existence. Atoms are solid and indivisible. Attack on the theory of Empedocles.
55 years ago03 - Book 1, pt 3 - Attack on the theory of Anaxagoras. The universe is boundless, limitless and has no center. Praise of philosophy.
55 years ago04 - Book 2, pt 1 - Praise of philosophy. Properties of the atoms: weight, combination, swiftness.
55 years ago05 - Book 2, pt 2 - Attack on those who refuse the theories of Epicurus. Properties of the atoms: atoms are constantly in motion, and tend to move downwards. Figure, flavor, surface of atoms. The different kinds of atoms are many, but not infinite.
55 years ago06 - Book 2, pt 3 - Compound bodies contain atoms of different figures. The infinite number of atoms moving through infinite space creates an infinite number of bodies.
55 years ago07 - Book 3, pt 1 - Eulogy of Epicurus. Denial of divine power over the world. The fear of gods and the fear of death torment men and lead them into crimes. Difference between mind and soul. Both mind and soul are corporeal,i.e., composed of atoms like the body.
55 years ago08 - Book 3, pt 2 - The substance of the mind and the soul. The soul and the body can’t be separated without destruction of both. Twenty arguments which prove that the soul perishes with the body, contrary to the Pythagorean theory.
55 years ago09 - Book 3, pt 3 - Death is the end of man, and nothing should be feared after it. All suffering happens only during life. All men die, good or bad, and death should be contemplated with calmness and reason.
55 years ago