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On the Nature of Things

Lucretius

Language:
English
Status:
Complete work
Authorship:
Written by the author
Condition of the text:
Clean text
Extent:
~83,800 words · 398 passages
Cite this work
  • APALucretius. (n.d.). On the Nature of Things. SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/lucretius/on-the-nature-of-things
  • MLALucretius. "On the Nature of Things." SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/lucretius/on-the-nature-of-things.
  • ChicagoLucretius. On the Nature of Things. SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/lucretius/on-the-nature-of-things.

What it is about

De rerum natura in a complete English translation.

Context and history

The catalogue holds the Latin original, which is what should be cited: the line numbers there are Lucretius's own. This version is here for the reader.

Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.

And thence through seas and mountains and swift streams, Through leafy homes of birds and greening plains, Kindling the lure of love in every breast, Thou bringest the eternal generations forth, Kind after kind. And since 'tis thou alone Guidest the Cosmos, and without thee naught Is risen to reach the shining shores of light, Nor aught of joyful or of lovely born, Thee do I crave co-partner in that verse Which I presume on Nature to compose For Memmius mine, whom thou hast willed to be Peerless in every grace at every hour--Wherefore indeed, Divine one, give my words Immortal charm. Lull to a timely rest O'er sea and land the savage works of war, For thou alone hast power with public peace To aid mortality; since he who rules The savage works of battle, puissant Mars, How often to

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