A Study Guide for Titus Lucretius Carus's "De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things)"

By Gale and Cengage

A Study Guide for Titus Lucretius Carus's "De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things)," excerpted from Gale's acclaimed Epics for Students. This concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading; and much more. For any literature project, trust Epics for Students for all of your research needs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cengage Learning - Gale
• Release date: Sep 20, 2016
• ISBN: 9781535821599

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10

On the Nature of Things

Titus Lucretius Carus

C. 58 BCE

Introduction

The epic philosophical work, originally titled De Rerum Natura and translated as On the Nature of Things, by the Roman philosopher and poet Lucretius (94 BCE–55 BCE), is considered a masterpiece of Epicurean philosophy. Epicurus taught that the world could be understood by reason and that religion only arouses unnecessary fear. Lucretius denounced popular beliefs in deities and supernatural creatures. He viewed humans as ignorant creatures who fabricated the powers of the gods, only to live in fear of them. In his work, Lucretius appeals to reason in order to enlighten his readers and persuade them to accept his belief system. Because of its atheistic ideals, On the Nature of Things almost faded into obscurity as Christianity gained followers. During the Renaissance, however, Lucretius's epic was rediscovered, and it continued to be translated and studied into modern times. Indeed, in their 2007 study Lucretius and the History of Science, Monte Johnson and Catherine Wilson show Lucretius to have been an inspiration to scientists from the seventeenth to the twentieth century in terms of atomic theory. Lucretius's description of evolution anticipated Darwin's theory of evolution; his idea of the swerve of atoms accurately foreshadowed Einstein's physics and the discovery of Brownian motion. Moreover, the poem shows remarkable insight into the water cycle in nature and human hearing and sensation.

As a poem, On the Nature of Things is remarkable. First, it is a lyrical presentation of what would otherwise have been a philosophical exposition. Second, it is the earliest known work of Latin hexameter verse, meaning each line of poetry contains six feet, or units of rhythm. The fact that it is such a lengthy example alone secures its distinction as an important work. Although a rumor persists that Cicero edited the epic, historians tend more to support the theory that Cicero's brother Quintus directed its publication.

On the Nature of Things is praised for its depiction of nature as a source of life, death, joy, peace, and terror. It is not a poem strictly about the physical world, however, as Epicureanism also offers guidelines for human conduct and relationships. Lucretius's philosophy of how