Lucretius
Lucretius
Titus Lucretius Caruswas a Roman poet and philosopher. His only known work is the epic philosophical poem De rerum natura about the tenets and philosophy of Epicureanism, and which is usually translated into English as On the Nature of Things...
NationalityRoman
ProfessionPoet
pain spring needs
... deprived of pain, and also deprived of danger, able to do what it wants, [Nature] does not need us, nor understands our deserts, and it cannot be angry.
change spring flower
Full from the fount of Joy's delicious springs Some bitter o'er the flowers its bubbling venom springs. [Lat., Medio de fonte leporum Surgit amari aliquid, quod in ipsis floribus angat.]
spring world matter
The sum of things there is no power can change, For naught exists outside, to which can flee Out of the world matter of any kind, Nor forth from which a fresh supply can spring, Break in upon the founded world, and change Whole nature of things, and turn their motions about.
summer spring rain
Many animals even now spring out of the soil, Coalescing from the rains and the heat of the sun. Small wonder, then, if more and bigger creatures, Full-formed, arose from the new young earth and sky. The breed, for instance, of the dappled birds Shucked off their eggshells in the springtime, as Crickets in summer will slip their slight cocoons All by themselves, and search for food and life. Earth gave you, then, the first of mortal kinds, For all the fields were soaked with warmth and moisture.
spring air body
When bodies spring apart, because the air Somehow condenses, wander they from truth: For then a void is formed, where none before; And, too, a void is filled which was before.
spring order infinite-time
It was certainly not by design that the particles fell into order, they did not work out what they were going to do, but because many of them by many chances struck one another in the course of infinite time and encountered every possible form and movement, that they found at last the disposition they have, and that is how the universe was created.
food man
What is food to one man is bitter poison to others.
bitter food
What is food to one is to another bitter poison.
stones doe heavy
If God can do anything he can make a stone so heavy that even he can't lift it. Then there is something God cannot do, he cannot lift the stone. Therefore God does not exist.
fortune morrow doubtful
It is doubtful what fortune to-morrow will bring. [Lat., Posteraque in dubio est fortunam quam vehat aetas.]
infinite endless everlasting
All things keep on in everlasting motion, Out of the infinite come the particles, Speeding above, below, in endless dance.
sea watches shore
Tis pleasant to stand on shore and watch others labouring in a stormy sea.
wind air should
Air, I should explain, becomes wind when it is agitated.
return violence injury
Violence and injury enclose in their net all that do such things, and generally return upon him who began.