3 LUCRETIUS On the Nature of Things ster Ae Sie ‘Walter Englert ecpeecunen peeamen eed College Albert Keith Whitakn, Seies Bator Focus Pmosoriaca Lane R Pours Counaser Nawauzor, MA 01950,ode 5 peed OUTLINEOFTHEPOEM Averian places (738-639) Puzzling charactor of some fountains (840-905) ‘Magnets (805-1099) Pestilences (10901137) Plague of Athens (11381286) ON THE NATURE OF THINGS BOOKI Mother ofthe desoendants of Aeneas pleasure of humans ad gods, ifegiving Venus, itis you who beneath the gliding signs tithe fee your coming fr You carth heater fendsupheroweetowersforyouthe expanses cf thesea sie, Sch heaven now pec shne wath ee igh Ferarsconssthe ight ofe spring day erevened, fncthelfedingingreeze he west wid seceded Blows, Uebirsofthesireethe fist te announce you snd your anal © goes, overpowereinthlreartsby your force, ‘Ew san nd oct pees ah dpe {nd nim sco uhing reams So ake Sag, tach allows you eager wherever you proce toed em. “Then through he sos and monn and fast chching ves, {trough the leat hronged bome fbi andthe eran las, ‘Jour iting owectove it the hearts ofl, Sedma them engl crate tht ofepingexchacording tind. Soe you alone ule fhenatareof tinge fuel wth you noting emerge in he unt shores flight noting glad or lovely comesintbeng, Temexgey svngtr yout temyallynwingthee eres 1 The “descendants of Aenea” are the Romans, According to legend, ‘Acne was Tj ero who, afer thefalof Toy to he Grek eda {gouporTojrs toa and founded acy. His descendants evenly {unde the cy of Rome. The roy of AaneaJoumey to lly and scons thee ars tld in Vig ell weiten ey to arty year ar Tres pers. 0(ON THE NATURE OF THINGS evocation Fem 25 that Lam tryingto set out about the nature of things {or ourillsirouseon of the Menumi,* whom you, foddess, on every ‘oceasion have wished tobe presminent, adorned with every blessing. ‘Allthe more endow there words with evedasting charm, goddess. ‘Meanie, make tso that hesavage daims of war fare puto sleep an ie quiet throughout every sea and land Foryoualong have the power tobring aid to mortals ‘with ranqull peace, since Mars, strong in arm, rales {the savage aime of war and he often lets hime sink intoyoulap completly overcomeby theunceasing wound oflove, 1385 Ando gazing upwards, bending backhis smooth neck, | ‘he gapes tou, joddess and feeds his hungry eyes withlove. ‘pot ae les here, is reatebangs on your lips Goddess, with yourblewed body law down round him taste reclins and pour forth sweet words fom your mouth, Delorous one, seeking gentle pesce for theRomans. orneither can perfarmay tsk witha tranguilmind ‘wien our county i in rouble, nor can the shining offspring ofthe Menai, {ailtonttend tothe safety ofthe state at such times. Foritmust be thatthe entre nature ofthe gods 45: spends everasing ine enjoying perfect peace, ‘arcemoved and lng separated from our concerns. Fortroefromall ander re from dangers, powerfulin ts own resources, having noneed ofus, isnot won over by the good things we do nor touched by anger? For theres tumopenearsand.asharp mind ‘et fee om caresto the true system of philosophy, {othatyou donot despise and abandon my gifts 0 you, tout with constant eagerness, before they are understood. Forlam bepinaing to et nt for You the deepest workings Of the heavens and Uhe gods, sna to reveal the fst beginnings of 30 “0 50 55 things ‘out of which nature crates ll things, end increases and maintains ‘hem, and info which nature dissolves them again once they have perished. ‘These wear aontslomed,ineting forth our account, toca, “matter” andthe generating bodies of things” andto name them + The poem is adaeard oa Roman named Meme, probably Gains ‘Mens he putzon ofthe Roman poet Cats. a9 =2646651. «The fat beginnings = primar one ofthe Latin tems Luce ses | for setome?” Laci peer aes the Greek term toma atoms") | ‘the poem. 1 Pree of Bears BOOKONE, Tape seeds of thingy’ and tose the term “st bes for then, nee things est rom thee ist beings? ecient man he, polluted wasyng Jeu lor our yes crushed bythe eight eign, satin ott hend on spay rom thereon ofheaven, seh torae fom above wits horsble looking ace estcucek an’ who Bist dared toe Mi oral jes, t and who fine fouphtbackagnnstit She eters about the ods nor thunderbolt nor thesky Neth enteng ronblosld hn bak bat provoked ikemore the eteesharpes ofhismind so thathe dese 2 esto hater thelmprzonng bos of the gates of ature aoe lt the vital ore ofhs mind was victories, ‘A fo caveled far beyond the ling walls ofthe world sd hed hough the menus nversein mind nde sealing tack tom ere the nave of whatcan coe to ‘se, snateannot in short, by what proces each thing Faas powerlimited ands deep-set boundary stone, [Kad so the tables are tuned, Religion les crushed ‘heath our fet an is wetory rises sto thesky. Panafieid of one thing inall this that you might think that yt are starting onthe fis steps ofan. unholy system of thought nd are walking the path ofrin On the contrary, ithas happened oo ‘ten that this tolled religion has prodace criminal and unholy actions. “Thus was the cae at Avis when te chosen leaders ofthe Greeks, the iat arnong men fully defiled thealtar tthe vingin oddessofthecrossoads? withthe blood of phianasa* ‘Be oon asthe sacrificial headband was wreathed about her virgin inde witht streamers lowing dav equally fom bothher cheeks, Ast noted, Luce dows not ranatert Bpicura’ Grete fx ‘2k Gemes erly “enble to be ct) to Latin tinted wee 2 Santer ar derent Latin esto gett the ies. « Hpicurus (41-271 BO), the founder of Epicureanism and the Phloopbicl bere of acres poem. "gin goes ofthe cosoads” = Dian Artemis in Gros ‘ tphtanass isthe name Homa wed for Iphigenia the daughter of Remonnen and Gytemactn, Artemis ost nd the ‘Gc to sufi IphigeiaBefoe the Greeks cou allt Toy atthe oping ofthe Tojan Whe The etary of er sacrifice was retold in iy 595 c Geeel tapi ieuding Bape’ ign Alls, nd Assy Agee o ” 8 8s90 with his attendants beside him concealing heron blade, and the ctizens pouring forth tears at the sight of her, speechless with ear she sank in her knees and fellto the ground "Nor wasita help tothe wretched gis at sucha moment {hat she had been the ist child tocall he king "fether”™ 98 She waslited up by men’s hands endled te bling ‘othealtar notso that she might be gested by the loud singing ‘bu hat the chaste girl might be slaughtered unchastely at the very] pat mariage, arieving victin by teste stoke other father. | ‘Althssothats happy an apis departure might be grated thetee Sach gente could religion makeseem advisable. ren youtedayateometine or ole wilt overcame by thefeasfal words of ser andr todeset es yn any arth drat owe 105 inventfor you whichean overturn the guiding principles of your fe stroll your frtinesint comple coon ea ‘And deservedly, Fort pople sav that hres eed lit {oppressive care, withsemereacon hy would besrongenocgh | toiight bck agatnat veligous bland the hens ofscrse 110 Asitis heels mean of esting no power, sine death mast ring wth the fear feral punishment Fer people do notknow what the aatre of tesoul i Initbom or does it works way now as etre Peng born? Doesit perish when wed, om apart by death, 1 cor desi goto see the shader of Orcs net desolate pts? rows itwork ts way by vind intooter reste ‘Sournaius™ prodaimed? He was he st to bring down {crown of everlasting flnge om lovely Mount elton {ohecone famous throughout thetialan bes of people 120 Andyetmoreover Enis sts forth Inhiseverastng vrs that thee relly ae regions of Acheron, ‘where nether or souls nor ourbodes main Tuteertain nds of thade palin wondrous way. Herel how fom that region shade of Homes forever | } 100 2 “The shades of Orci = the underworld " anus (235-169 BC) was ne of the genet erly Roman post. For Eins se nvoduaton pk "Mi Heico, lost in Bacon Gras, was the home ofthe Ms ~ uoning ros befor in nd began to hed sy Hehe iooakeepetal civ andexply te ning Wing comes fom nothing BOOKONE 5 Sse cntiawords tenure ngs {0 fre mar totony Give sore nfs Ties explaining in what way the wanderings ofthe sn reno ocfandby wat power hing happmoneath, {Nee where the soul and the nate ofthe mind come from, pd hat ts that moots our minds and terifes us when Meare awake snd sufering from disease, and when weare busied fn mariage hymn when thesolemn weddingritewaafinished, soltat redeem ther ad see faceoface people ‘Shoneveslready met death and whose bones he cath embraces, Nerdowsitespe my thought thatiti ditScstto throne the checure discoveries ofthe Green atin verses, ‘eal since we aman ure nev wordsformany tings ‘ease the poverty ofour language tnd the newness ofthe sac rater Butclitis your exllene andthe pleasure ofthe swectfrendehip 140 ‘Thopeto have with ou that ungeeme to undergo hardship mover gest anda Keepy watchin the gle of height {slit ind theright words and poem with whch att Tlght beabletoholda aright opto your mind Ubatalow youto se deeply inte obscare mater ‘Thseforethis fxr ond vines ofthe mind ms be sated Spurotytheraysofthe sun and the clr safe fied tty healer an ier tre” {is st principle wl takes tring point for 5 flows nothing ever comestobe rom nothing through dvineintervention.® 150 Teron tat ero donitealiorains " ‘ecmse they ace many things happen on earth and Sremmrofvncanehyoeannay toundertand, and they imagine they ake place tough vine power Fr which reson when ev Bt tng con Se ented om 135 105 nothing. 155 then we will more corectly perceive what weare after ‘he source from which each thing created, andthe way «ach thing happens without divine intervention. ‘Forif things came to be from nothing, every kind of thing * Lues=39198 ° This is tho fst major law of Epicurean physics: Nothing camcometoe ‘ut of nothing” CL Eps Leer fo Heaata $8 Cis, nothing ime ino eng out of what doer nt exit) ret worn 150, “through divine intervention,” appen tobe his own son.6_ONTHE NATURE OF THINGS hing comes rs 165 170 ws 190) ws 200 Shing dcryed i thing BOOKONE eit this nate dissolves each thing back ‘eS paces and doesnot destroy things into nothing plo ying vere mortal in alitsparts, each thing Fat parah by beng enatched suddenly from beforeoureyes, os Peed would exist fora fore that was ableto arrange Fore tion ofthe parts ofeach thing and dissolves stractare Sits since each thing is compossd out of eternal seed, pet force is present that hamaore apart the thing witha blow ~ SBpenetates within through empty spaces and dissovesit, Scie docs notallow the destruction of anything tobe seen. pat ne anihltes whateveritremoves through the aging Process, ‘eb ingall the matey, from whare would Ves restore {holivingrace each according to kind, orfrom where {oesenth the sweetariicer nourish and increase them Rez restored, providing them with food eachaccording to Kind? ‘Rion where would internal springs and external, forofrivers Eipyly theses? From where would the sky feed the stars? Forinfnie time gone by and the passing days ushtto Rave consumed everyung that hs amortalstructre, ‘Burifin this duration nd me gone by there have been {Dings from which tls sum of things srestored and exists, {hegre without aay doubt endowed with an iramortal ature ‘Tharfore everything cannot be changed back into nothing, “+ This the second aor Iw of pcarean physic: Nothing can be Tas Si onotng or eveyting would ceaetobe. Epicure eT etonto 99 hod what eppears ad persed what cet ga wo lve peste, ner wha they wee sated io ‘docs not eit". 20 as 20 230 z0 (ON THE NATURE OF THINGS 102 ss “eat ti, when the wind whips the water on the grat se, om theland upon the great struggis of another, m0 her way hereand thereand wander seekinga road through life, 10 - iragglng wt hee wit, tating with heir highbirth, ertingthemelves right and day with oustanding effort tosoet the lovel ofthe greatest wealthandtohaverastry over things. (Ovweetched minds ofmen,obind hears! Tnwhat darkness of fe ad in what great dangers 15 {islitiespan oftimeis pent! Don yousee {hatnature cies out for nothing except that somehow [rine separated and absent rom the body nd that she enoy inthe ‘mind laeantfecling, and ber from careand fear? |Teerefore wesee that there s need fr very litle 2» ‘er our bodily nature, just enough o ake away pain sndalsoto spread out many delighisbefore ws; hor doesnatre iselfever askfor anything ore pleasing, ifthereareno golden statues of youth nthe halls, holding fre-eseing torches in thei ight hands, 2s ‘oilluminationcan be supplied for banquets at nightie? {thehouse docs not gleam with silver and shine with gold, sand ifthe gilded and paneled roof timbers do not resound withthe ae “hates” =the pperale, Liner 1094110 at B41 ate. * Lines 24.26 echo Homer, Ody VIL 1000{00 tht. NATURE OF THINGS ‘when nevertheless people ein groups onthe sft grass 30 beside a steam of water beneath the Branches ofa tal ree andatlitle expense delightful tnd to thelr bodies, ‘specilly when the weather smiles and he seasons ofthe year "sprinkle the greon-growing gross with flower, [Nor do hotfeversleave th body more quickly, 38 ityoulie on embroidered cloth and bashing purple sheets, thin {youhaetoecgpente der commen ca since neither wealth nor high bist nr the glory of ring | oourbody any good all soitremains, Boorse that they cannot be thought tobenefitour mind tal either 40 Unlessby chance when youste your legions seething about ‘onthe Campus Martius as they rouse pretendimagesfwes, | well upported by reinforcements and a force ofcavaly, eckedoutin arms and allequallypiited? then these things chase fea and 45 religious superstitions from the mind, and fears of death the leave Your heart unoccupied and fee from care ‘But ifwesce that these things arerdiculous end frivolous, nd in rath tho fears ofan and the cares that fllovs thems ‘either fear tha clash ofarms nor flerce weapons, E 50 and boldly walk among kings and those who have power over thing, and donot stand inaweaf the gleam of gold zor the shining belllance fa perple-olored garment, 3 ‘why do you doube that alof this power belongs treason, especialy since allie struggles in the darkness? 155 Forjustlike dldren who tremble and fear everything inthe dark night, so weare afraid in he ight sometimes of things that ought to be no more feared than {he things that children tremble at and imagine wil happen. ‘Therefore this fear and darkness of themind muste shattered 60 apartnot by theraysof the sun and the clear shafts 7 bf the day bat by the extemal appearance and inner law ofnature | Now comet will explain with what motion the bodies ‘of matter generate diferent things, and destroy what has been’ generated, andy what force they are compelled todo this, and what * Thephrase eros camp erally “hroughout the ure ofthe pln” probly refers to te Camp Near (Belo Mase) lange fd byte Ther Rverin Rome hath Ramana sed freee and lay rate, There are teu dculas with both ines 24nd 43. * 25561238755, 635-4; 253.61 = 1146-48, "pedo they remain there, So the sum of things istenewed BOOKTWO, oct of voyaging through the vast void has been assigned tothe. 65 ra enberto give Yourselfover tomy words. Yereunly mater does notcofere‘o ef dose packed, wre svench ting decreaseand observe all "Jowing aay, oto speak, withthe engthof time, ine age aking them away from oursight aa vertholess he sumo hingsis weentoremainsae, Pate whatever bodies ales om one thing aes what thy depart and incense that to which hey avecome, 7 goers formerto deteriorate but thelafer onthe contrary 0 ‘ourish, os Sere an motal crestares vey mutual exchange. ‘Eoktroces increase others ae diminished, “Sena chort ime the generation of ving creatures change « efike runners pass on the torch of ie. Ssemereesi i a este ete a sa emmeretn oem Sane iets amr ere Sea eg etn oat sence area iececntonel tpr ytaee, cabraictes reper eect SafeMart ateranree tiger etaea sorcerer Eatertipehoces arama? Silene a aa shy ey areca ranean Caen macunyr isi cent Ee eet a can ecient Seema eet Siero acess Slag weep Eanes ieee anon Se ET Sia sees open ae Ee eon 90 95 00 105“ (ON THE NATURE OF THINGS Atoms constant mon I metas ine conta BOOKTWO 35, ‘And many, moreover wander through the great wold, ‘hich have been cast back from the uilons which make thing, 0" eould they ever beincorporated and unite their motions 00, Of this process, as Iecll a model and image slbways exists and is present before our eyes For gaze closely whenever the rays of the sun enter |g pour forth and clothe everything with sight, |» Rave isplain and obvious to everybody. | fleet heat and glad light which thesun emits 150 fds nottravel through empty void. Its forced to go ‘Mee alowly whileit bats aside, 0 to speak, the waves ofa. - Nordothe particles of heat trveleneby one, ‘Mirather entangled and crowded tgetheramang themselves, 115 snd pourtheirlight through the dark place of houses ‘Fuselore atthe same ie they arerestained by one another 18 ‘You wil see many minute bodies mixed in many ways « Fodare hindered from the oust, otha the are forced totavel more ‘rough empty spacein the very ightofthe ny, slowly. ae ab finan unending erage, givngrise bates and ght struging inquacrons nd never king et, 120 duvenonby tht frequent meetigs and paring. Soyeean conjure rom ts hv he ft bgenings of ngs aealay tossed about inthe ret vid, Statins for as small hinge to provide model of greatthing and the races fa concept? 125 tiseven mreimparant hat yout your atetion thee Dig thatare one crs dstrbanesintherays ofthe becane ch distance indicate tat hare are also motions omar luring bbw Mddenand unseen Frou wilseemanyofthem thee stack by invisible blows, 130 change drei and beaten backagatn be tumed 3 ow this way. now tat, everywhere inal diets 4 Gtcoane waning tthe ce om te epg, | Forfintthe fmt bodies things are moved by themselves, ext those bodies, hichare composed of smal expounds 185 andareso tospeaknearesttothestrengthot the fit beginnings, trestacty thine lows and moved and they teroves intheirturatr up bodies that ae sigh bigger Somoton aise frm the frst beginnings and gradually reaches {holeve af our senses so thatthe thingy are moved 140 sls which weareableto seem the ight thes, Yeby what blows they do his tsnot en apparent. ‘Now'vhat speed has ben given tthe bodes of ater outcanleam ina fe words rom tis Memmi Fst when dawn sprinkles the earth with new ight 145 and many Linda ob fying rough emote groves Aioough the sof ai fl ee places with owing voices, how sudden the sun sing at this time, is accstomed So primary bodies which tin her soll singles, he ty vel though hemp wld tnd oling diy ten “lth emctvsfoming aunty from er owns, “Eecaled along nhastein fone Section wih 160 they began to move oughtofoureto surpass in peed $oTeccanied slog nach ore uty than height ofthe un, ~ cover many times the extent of space inthe sane ‘Ene which the flashing ight ofthe oun spreads across the ay! jr to pursue the fist bepnings of things one by one, 365 toveein what way each isbome along. ‘tin oppositon otis, certain people? ignorant bout matter, ‘aleve tat without the power ofthe gods nares unable, [ways 0 sulabeto the ness of human beings, {change he season ofthe year an to pred rope 17 ‘Tht other things too, which divine pleasure the gue of fe, ersudes mortals o approach henelfeadig them End tough the ass of Vers persuading them to propagate their seule the hamanrace doesnot go etnc. When they imagine thatthe taemanged everthing forthesskeothunantbngsinevery 178 ‘pest they are scene have allen fr from re reasoning Fereven though Iwere ignorant sbow what stds fing oe, ‘sneverthelessI would daeto prove fm the Very Ways efthesksy and ertabih Formany other things thathenatureofthewordhas io way ben crested forus 180 ‘bythe gods so grestre the fal with which ats endowed. These willmake cea to youlser? Memmi * There ncunan thet af in 64 * Although Enceis doesnt name them, hs group could incude the ‘eae, Pept nt St + si9524 * th the word “concep” (oi), Lucretius hae refers othe Epa Socrineo gen eee peeneepn” in rrp) ferareon Se dacne fo nicason Fo(ON THE NATURE OF THINGS [Now I will explain that which remains concerning motion. ‘Now isthe pace think, in these matters to prove to youths to that nothing corporal sable bby ts own fore to be bore upwards and move upwards Don’ et bois offre deceive you inthis respect Forupwards lames riseand grovelarges, and grove shining xops and tes, although all hig 1190 with weight in so far ain them les, areborne downwards. | ‘Nor hen fires leap up on the roofs of houses : nd with quick lames have taste of beams and rafters, Should we think that hey act on their own, shot up without force. {tis the same when blood, seat from our body shoots out Taping on high and spatter its red drops around | "And don’t youals se wih what great fore sid water | ‘Spi out beams and raters? For the deeper many of us have pushed | then straight own acd pressed with ges foroeand effort, ‘Sithe more eagerly does itthrove them up and send them back, Sothat they leap up and come more than halfway out ‘Noryet do we dovb din, thatall these, in 9 ‘Sin them lies are bore doveroard through the empty oid. Inthesame way, therefor, lames alsomustbesble {scand squeezed upwards through thebreezes ofthe ait lthough {Bair weight insofar asin hemes, fight to lead them downwards | ‘Don’tyou see at night inthe sky that shooting stars, flying on igh, trailong stretches of lames [nwhatever direction nature provides a passage? ‘Don’ tyou perceive that stars and constellations fll to csth? ‘Thesun to, fm thetop of the sky distrust eat {all directions and saws the fields with ight thus too i the heat ofthe sun turned to earth, ‘Rnelyou peroive that bolts of lightning Sy rosswise through thin, Senow here and now there sre bursts out ofthe clouds | tnd speeds about. The ery fore alls commonly t earth Ths matter thereis this Cc, thatTwantyou to understand, that when the est bodes removing straight downvrard through the old ‘by dels own weight at ies completely undetermined ‘hd inundetermined places hey serve itefrom their course, 229 but only so much as you could calla change of motion 185, ws 200 0 25 * Leia her intoduces Epica ontoversial doctrine ofthe anon “fguie” of atoms, Thi passage (216205) s the most detalles acount fine awerve we have: No mention ofits been fund is he wos plcurus that have suzvived, but passages in other authors Dovmnnd maton of toni WE ye of me BOOKTWO > paces ules they were accustomed to swerving all would all _Fesonwards ke drops of rain through the deep vod, devel cision xr nor would ablow be produced a pepininge Tusnanaedecrerarecetetanyting ante neat betes that heavier bods, Bay ec cadulong more uy sight rough eid, es ponligiter nen tom aboveand so pode 2 Pereichareabletvoplygeereting motions, eee ny rom moreso Neo eying rough wae anineabetntl le Fate hel lin proportion ‘other weit, aa uy of water aed ochre ie oe ideo delarenh hinge 2y0iRdiaore quel when hey st oerncby heavier things EEL the othe and tern any ideo st 257 pee empy vid hold op yng. ‘Spas an nature rogues fasten toe way " Therfoeall must bome o trough the peaceful void Thovedatequalsates though not ofequal weights ‘Faas henvies bodies wil never be able ofallon lighter ‘BeS dom above nor on thei own to case collisions which produce {heveslous motions through which nature accomplishes things. (Wherefore again and again it is necessary that bodies ‘rere alite but nomore han a muimtm,* lestwe seem. ‘Dbelnventingcblique motion, andthe tuefactsrefuest ‘or we so that this is lear and manifest, hat weights, ino far asin them les,eannot travel obliquely, ‘nen they fallfrom above, a faras you can perceive Butthat i does not makelisalfewerve stall {fom the straight direction ofits pat, who s there who can perceive? ‘Andnext every motion always linked, ree of ges fe Faey G67, Engler 967, Long and Seley C96, Annas 292), Parton 0999). ‘With the tem sium" Laces rfrs othe peuean doctrine that both space and Sane were not infintelydiisibie and tht there tere minal sof space snd Hine beyond which space and tine Gull nat be farther vided Thar when Laces ays that atoms ‘rere tno more than» simu” he means ha hey serve 20 ‘Dorethanone “nisin” Le, the smallest posoble nif pace. For tno on te Epicurean doc ofthe minim te Long and Seley sen ioe 230 250 2260 265 20 25 285 (ON THE NATURE OF THINGS and a new one always arises from an old onein sure sucession, Shdifby delining the primary bodies donot ake ‘Torta beginning of motion foburst thelaws of fae, Q Sothat cause doesnot follow cause from iniity, 7 from here doe there sree for ving creatures throughout the from her, Tey 8th froe wil torn from ae, ‘by which we go wherever pleasureleads eachof us, and likewiee dedine our motions at no fixed time for xed region of space, but where the ind itself caries us?{4 _ ONTHENATURE OP THINGS 500 10 5 $80 Ther dstn ishing tou or dns concen ws a al, Frsmuch athe tatu ofthe ind i bees shown foe ox “ One or morelins have een et ater line $23, The lines loot probably stated that none of he condone of marta petaln othe sou. © Ae = he mind * Lauer pnt dan fl onc okt th ae ‘ceelaton of Epicure famous saying, "Death x mothing fo ws” Se Epis Letter f Mec 14-27 and Principal Doctrine msn Tah ei BOOK THREE ‘pnd just ain te gone by we elt no distress Atpe Carthaginians rashing from ll sides to attack? fee Sl things were shalored by the tremendous tumult of war, ‘eTerng and rocking beneath the lofy region of thesky, 935 bofrere in doubt aso which of the two mst fall “ate overall peoples on both and and sea, 1S foo, when we willno longer ext when there vill bea destruction ‘Sf ehe body and soul from which we have ben joined together, Srey nothing at all wil beable to happen tows, 0 “tho will not exe then, noe move our senses, even ifthe eth be mised ith the sea, and the sea with the by ~ ind even if the nate ofthe mind and power ofthe soul - Save fewing afer they have boon dragged aut of our body, Malas nothing tows, who conse ofthe conjunction and connection B45 ‘tbody and soul ined tightly together as one. ‘loc if possng de shoul eallet our matter her death and restore it again asit is now situated {hd fora socond dime the ght of life be given tos, ‘vould ital matter at allo us even if this happened, 0 [When once the memory of ourselves hasbeen broken apart. > Bind.even now lt maker no dierence tous about who we were ‘afore nar does pain from those former selves affect us nov. For when you look back at the whole past extent if boundless time, and then at how various are ca ‘he motions of matter you could easily come to believe this, thet these se seeds oat of which we sre now made fave ben acranged before inthe same orders they arenow. (86S) ‘Nor nevertheless an we recover ths with our remembering mind, (858) ‘Donte break in existence has bean interposed and far and wide (659) 800 ll dhe motions have wandered offallover rom the senses. (60) Forifby chence someones going odo badly and sufer (661 Inthe ture, dhe person who could do poorly mst exis at that (82) tine too. Since death precades thie, and prevents 65) {Decaienec of hin for whom theee roubles could beascenbled, (68) 865 te nay know that theres nothing forts to fearin death, horean'a person who does not east become miserable nor at all {oes matter whether he now val have been born at anytime, ‘when immortal death takes away mortal fe. © teehee describes Hall nvsin of aly during he Second ‘Punic War @19-202 BC). He ie apparel adapting a famous passage fom the Roman ep poet Ess La, to either the Romans or Carthaginians.86_ ONTHENATURE OF THINGS 870 And so when you seea person getting angry that ater death allhappen hat ether he wilrotonce his ody is buried ‘or that he willbe fiishid by flames or the jaws offercebecet, ‘youmay know he doesnot ing tre and that there exits Beneath th ‘surface Some invisible goad inhis mind however mach he himself denies {975 that he believes that he wil possess any sor of sett in Gea Forhedoesrot think gent what he profesesnoritspremiss”™ | or does heroot himself up and iow himselfout fli, ‘bathe makes somthing of himself survive without realising For hen esch person wile stl alive imagines what will eppen {880 whenbirds and wid beasts tear his body apart in deat, ‘he himwelf takes pity on himsel for he doesnot separate himeel | fromit=™ | nor does he sufficiently remove himself from the cas-ou corpse and ‘he imagines that itis him and he infect it with his own folings ash stands by. ‘Thisis why he gots angry that hehas been made morta {885 and he doesnt ce that in real death there willbe no other self ‘who willbesliveand able to grieve for inaelf now beret of sel, ‘se who tending cn weep for hel ying hare as es angled Forifindesthitsa dsr tobe shredded bythe ws and teeth sf wildanialsTdonetemdentand why tinct pa 890 tobeplacd on the ire and bepi tober overt le, tobe place inhoney anbesflocted ano grow ig ‘gil resting on te amooth aura ofkocold So tobe Gatned rom above, ground downy theweghto the earth “Now now never gun wil your yl heme or wondera 895 wfereceve you na wil yor ower cen ‘oetosnaichlisesand touch your heart with lent swestnes, No wilyoubesbe to provi protection or your Bouin sa aadthesecoertoyou Misenbly forminableyaus one “one awl day take sway emany pris aa” 900 On thistopcthey donot sd tis: "Nor ocs deine for these things then sy longer weigh upon uthey kets deny inmind and flowed out in wor, ‘hey woul fe themselves rm pret metal anguseed eae ‘ies you jstasyou re now ales in death, sogon wl 505 befor remains oftine fined female oor, Butweneny have weptncooolhy frye tanec © fat he profess hat he wil ot have seston ater death “| premises” =that the sol pres wilh te oa ate vin of decd yt Nate © be, om hi corpee BOOKTHREE - 67 son the horrifying pyre and no day will memory tet eee ev Seenrgenaemmietirnen Leaner Sea Roaemeeeraert ti cae Ee epee me 910 aes srjea anton ree Fed ae eer Sericuntinamedienatoer rane aoe ee ‘hen both his mind and body equally est in sleep, o0 i te ns 935, 940 Fpicuas had tke ageeraly din view of ui, being thatthe {sue Epicurean shoul almost lays be ate to find more pea ‘fe han palin He id allow rade ae an option, haweve in ete