18 Lucretius, De Rerum Natura, Book III, Lines 417–633
Module Introduction: The Enduring “Magic” of Lucretius
The poetry of Lucretius occupies a singular position in the history of Western thought, bridging the gap between ancient speculative philosophy and the rigorous causal inquiries of modern science. As Albert Einstein observed in his 1924 foreword to Hermann Diels’ edition, the poem works its “magic” on those who feel like spectators of their own age and its intellectual attitudes. For Einstein, Lucretius represents the archetypal “independent thinker,” one who sought to understand the world through the “causal connectedness” of an atomistic-mechanical worldview. This perspective, ascribing only geometric-mechanical qualities to immutable atoms, allowed Lucretius to imagine a world intelligible through reason rather than superstition.
The physical preservation of this intellectual legacy is equally significant. Naturalist David Attenborough identifies the 1515 Aldine edition by Aldus Manutius as one of his “most precious books.” Attenborough prizes the volume not only for its elegant italic script—the hallmark of the Venetian printer—but also for its role as a “meme,” a vessel in which human experience and wisdom are embedded and transmitted across generations.
The objective of this module is to explore Lucretius’ arguments for the mortality of the soul as presented in the authoritative 1923 edition by Hermann Diels. Following Diels’ tradition of scholarship, which Einstein praised for verses that read so “naturally” they transcend the feeling of translation, we examine the mechanical demonstration of the soul’s synchronous life and death with the body.
ANIMAM NATIVAM ET MORTALEM ESSE (416a)
| Diels’ 1923 Latin Text | English Translation |
| 417 Nunc age, natiuos animantibus et mortalis | Come now, that you may learn that the minds and light souls |
| 418 esse animos animasque leuis ut noscere possis, | of living things are born and are mortal, |
| 419 conglomera uitam precanti carmina cura. | I will proceed to set forth verses for you with long-pondered care. |
| 420 tu fac utrumque uno sub nomine iungas, | See that you link both under one name, |
| 421 cum pocius animam uerbi causa luear, | and when, for example, I speak of the soul, |
| 422 nam quoniam fieri quiddam coniunctius unum | showing it to be mortal, believe me to speak of the mind as well, |
| 423 inter se docui mortalem esse, ostendam. | since in their connection they are found to be a single thing. |
| 424 principio quoniam tenuem constare minutis | First, since I have shown the soul to be thin and formed |
| 425 corporibus docui multoque minoribus esse | of minute bodies, far smaller |
| 426 principiis, quam limpidus est umor aquai | than the seeds that make up the clear fluid of water |
| 427 aut nebula aut fumus (nam longe mobilitate | or cloud or smoke (for it far surpasses these |
| 428 praestat et a tenui causa magis icta mouetur, | in mobility, and is moved by a more slender cause, |
| 429 quippe ubi imaginibus fumi nebulaeque mouetur: | since it is moved by the very images of smoke and cloud: |
| 430 quod fieri totum per somnum cernimus, alta | just as when we see in sleep high altars |
| 431 cum fabere exhalare uidentur et ire | breathing forth steam and sending up smoke; |
| 432 nam dubio procul haec ad nos mittuntur imago), | for doubtless these images are wafted to us), |
| 433 nunc igitur quoniam quassatis undique uasis | now, therefore, since you see water flow out |
| 434 diffluere umorem et laticem discedere cernis | when vessels are shattered, and the liquid scatter, |
| 435 et nebula ac fumus quoniam discedit in auras, | and since cloud and smoke vanish into the breezes, |
| 436 crede animam quoque diffundi multoque perire | believe that the soul also is spilled and perishes |
| 437 ocius et citius dissolui in corpora prima, | more quickly, and is more readily dissolved into its first bodies, |
| 438 cum semel ex hominis membris ablata recessit. | once it has been withdrawn from the limbs of a man. |
| 439 quippe etenim corpus, quod uas quasi constitit eius, | For indeed, if the body, which serves as its vessel, |
| 440 cum pocius nequeat percussum quolibet aeuo | cannot contain it when shattered by some blow |
| 441 attenuari, aliqua si ritate laxatum, | or thinned by the withdrawal of blood from the veins, |
| 442 qui pocius uento credas conconstare inane? | how can you believe the soul can be held by the air, |
| 443 quippe magis cohibet quod non magis esse inane | which is a more porous container than our own body? |
| 444 corpore nostro et ritate esse uidetur? |
ANIMVM ET CORPVS SIMVL NASCI ET CRESCERE ET SIMVL INTERIRE (444a)
| Diels’ 1923 Latin Text | English Translation |
| 445 Praeterea gigni pariter cum corpore et una | Furthermore, we feel that the mind is born with the body, |
| 446 crescere sentimus pariterque senescere mentem. | grows with it, and ages along with it. |
| 447 nam uelut infirmum pueri tenerumque trementi | For just as children wander with a weak and tender body, |
| 448 corpore cum sequitur, sic consilium sequitur. | so a slender judgment follows them. |
| 449 inde ubi robustis adoleuit uiribus aetas, | Then, when their age has ripened with robust strength, |
| 450 consilium quoque maius et auctior est animi uis. | their judgment is greater and the power of the mind increased. |
| 451 post ubi iam ualidis quassatum est uiribus aeui | Afterward, when the body is shattered by the powerful forces of time |
| 452 corpus et optusis ceciderunt uiribus artus, | and the limbs have failed with blunted strength, |
| 453 claudicat ingenium, delirat lingua, mens labat, | the intellect halts, the tongue raves, the mind gives way, |
| 454 omnia deficiunt atque uno tempore desunt. | all things fail and are found wanting at once. |
| 455 ergo dissolui quoque conuenit omnem | Therefore, it is fitting that the whole nature of the soul |
| 456 naturam animai, ceu fumus, in altas | be dissolved like smoke into the high breezes of the air, |
| 457 aeris auras, quoniam gigni pariterque | since we see it born with the body, |
| 458 crescere sentimus pariterque senescere mentem. | and growing and failing with it in synchronous time. |
| 459 huc accedit uti uideamus, corpus ut ipsum | To this is added that we see, just as the body itself |
| 460 suscipere inmanis morbos durumque dolorem, | suffers cruel diseases and hard pain, |
| 461 sic animum curas acris luctumque metumque; | so the mind suffers sharp cares and grief and fear; |
| 462 quare participem leti quoque conuenit esse. | wherefore it is fitting that it also shares in death. |
| 463 quin etiam morbis in corporis aucius erro | Indeed, in the diseases of the body, the mind often wanders; |
| 464 saepe animus; dementit enim deliraque fatur | for it loses its reason and speaks raucously in delirium, |
| 465 interdumque graui lethargo fertur in altum | and sometimes is carried into the deep, heavy sleep |
| 466 aeternumque soporem oculis nutuue cadenti, | of a lethargy with drooping eyes and nodding head, |
| 467 unde neque exaudit uoces nec noscere uoltus | from which it hears no voices and cannot recognize the faces |
| 468 eorum potest, uitam qui circumstantes | of those who stand around, calling it back to life, |
| 469 ad uitam reuocant sursum reuocantque. | their cheeks and eyes wet with tears. |
| 470 quare animum quoque fateri necesse est | Therefore, you must confess that the mind also |
| 471 dissolui, quoniam penetrant contagia morbi. | is dissolved, since the contagion of disease penetrates it. |
| 472 nam dolor ac morbus leti fabricator uterquest, | For both pain and disease are the craftsmen of death, |
| 473 multorum exitio perdocti quod sumus ante. | a fact we have been taught by the ruin of many before. |
| 474 denique cur, hominem cum uini uis penetrauit | Finally, why is it that when the pungent strength of wine |
| 475 acris et in uenas discessit laetitiai, | has entered a man and its heat has spread into his veins, |
| 476 consequitur grauitas membrorum, praepediuntur | there follows a heaviness of the limbs, his legs |
| 477 crura uacillanti, tardescit lingua, mens madet, | are impeded and he totters, his tongue is sluggish, his mind sodden, |
| 478 nant oculi, clamor, singultus, iurgia gliscunt, | his eyes swim, shouting, sobs, and brawls break out, |
| 479 et iam cetera de genere hoc quae cumque sequuntur, | and all other such things that follow in this train— |
| 480 cur ea fiunt, nisi uiolenta uini uis | why do they happen, unless the violent force of the wine |
| 481 conturbare animam consueuit corpore in ipso? | is accustomed to perturb the soul within the body itself? |
| 482 at quae cumque regunt conturbari inque pediri, | But whatever can be perturbed and impeded |
| 483 significant, paulo si conualitior esset | shows that, if a slightly more powerful cause |
| 484 causa, fore ut perirent aeui priuata futuro. | should enter, it would perish, robbed of future life. |
| 485 quin etiam subito ui morbi saepe coactus | Moreover, often a man, seized by the sudden force of disease, |
| 486 ante oculos aliquis nostros, ut fulminis ictu, | falls before our eyes as if struck by a lightning bolt, |
| 487 concidit et spumas agit, ingemit et tremit artus, | and foams at the mouth, groans and trembles in his limbs, |
| 488 desipit, extentat neruos, torquetur, anhelat | loses his wits, strains his muscles, is racked and pants |
| 489 inconstanter et in iactando membra fatigat. | fitfully, and tires his limbs with tossing. |
| 490 nimirum quia uis morbi distracta per artus | Surely this is because the force of disease, spread through the limbs, |
| 491 turbat agens animam, spumans ut in aequore salso | perturbs the soul, seething as the waves of the salt sea |
| 492 uentorum ualidis feruescit uiribus unda. | foam under the mighty strength of the winds. |
| 493 exprimitur porro gemitus, quia membra dolore | A groan is forced out because the limbs are constricted |
| 494 afficiuntur et omnino huc iactantur uocis | with pain, and generally the seeds of the voice |
| 495 corpora quae capiunt uiai de ore feruntur. | are ejected and carried out by the mouth, where they usually pass. |
| 496 desipientia fit, quia uis animi atque animai | Loss of reason occurs because the power of the mind and soul |
| 497 conturbatur et, ut docui, diuisa seorsum | is perturbed and, as I have shown, is distracted |
| 498 disicitur per eadem distracta ueneno. | and driven apart, scattered by that same poison. |
| 499 inde ubi iam morbi reflexit causa gualisque | Then, when the cause of the disease has retreated |
| 500 corporis in latebras acer gualumque recessit, | and the bitter humor of the sick body has returned to its secret lair, |
| 501 tum quasi uacillans primum consurgit et omnis | then the man first rises, as if reeling, and |
| 502 paulatim reccipit sensus animamque reccipit. | gradually recovers all his senses and his soul. |
| 503 haec igitur cum sint in corpore tanto | Since, therefore, these souls are tossed by such great disorders |
| 504 morbis distracta et uisceribus distracta, | within the body and are miserably distracted in the very flesh, |
| 505 qui credit sine corpore in sensus aurasque | why do you believe they can endure without a body, |
| 506 posse eadem consistere cum uentis furibundis? | in the open air, amidst the raging winds? |
| 507 et quoniam mentem sanari, corpus ut aegrum, | And since we see the mind can be healed, like a sick body, |
| 508 cernimus et flecti medicina posse uidemus, | and can be changed by medicine, |
| 509 id quoque praesagit mortalem uiuere uitam. | this also foretells that it lives a mortal life. |
| 510 addere enim partis aut ordine traicere aequomst | For it is necessary to add parts or to change their order |
| 511 aut aliquid prorsum de summa detrahere hilum, | or to take away at least some small bit from the whole, |
| 512 quicumque adortus animum mutare uolutar | whoever attempts and moves to change the mind |
| 513 aut aliam quamuis naturam flectere quaerit. | or seeks to alter any other nature. |
| 514 at neque transferri partis inmortale sinit | But an immortal thing does not allow its parts to be shifted, |
| 515 hilum neque addi prorsum de summa detrahi | nor does it allow anything to be added or taken away; |
| 516 nam quodcumque suis mutatum finibus exit, | for whatever is changed and leaves its own boundaries, |
| 517 continuo hoc mors est illius quod fuit ante. | this is the immediate death of that which was before. |
| 518 ergo seu morbo flectatur siue medendo, | Therefore, whether the mind is changed by disease or medicine, |
| 519 mortalem praebet signum, ut docui, quoniam | it gives signs of mortality, since, as I have shown, |
| 520 quoniam mutari quicquam prorsum de summa | whatever is changed must either be increased |
| 521 aut ordine traicere aequomst aut prorsum de summa | or its parts transposed or some small bit perish |
| 522 hilum detrahere, ut dixi, quicumque uolutar. | from the whole, as I have said. |
| 523 usque adeo uerae res obuiat ire falsis | So much does true fact go to meet false reasoning |
| 524 nec dat effugium, sed utrumque redarguit ore. | and cuts off escape, proving the error by a double refutation. |
| 525 denique saepe hominem paulatim cernimus ire | Finally, we often see a man pass away limb by limb |
| 526 et membratim uitalem amittere sensum; | and lose the vital sense of his members one by one; |
| 527 in pedibus primum digitos liuere et unguis, | first the toes and nails of the feet grow blue, |
| 528 inde pedes et crura mori, post inde per artus | then the feet and legs die, and then through the rest |
| 529 ire alios tractim gelidi uestigia leti. | of the limbs go the cold footsteps of death. |
| 530 scilicet haec quoniam diuiditur uis animai | Since the nature of this soul is thus divided |
| 531 nec semel integra emittitur, mortalis habendast. | and does not come out whole at once, it must be held mortal. |
| 532 quod si forte putas ipsam se posse per artus | But if you think that the soul can draw itself |
| 533 introsum trahere et partis conducere in unum | inward through the limbs and contract its parts into one place |
| 534 atque ideo cunctis sensum deducere membris, | and so withdraw sense from all the members, |
| 535 at locus ille tamen, quo copia tanta animai | then that place where such a great mass of soul |
| 536 cogitur, in sensu debet maiore uideri; | is collected ought to be seen to possess greater sense; |
| 537 qui quoniam nusquamst, ut diximus ante, deorsum | but since this place is nowhere, as we said before, |
| 538 scilicet et distracta foras, ideoque perit. | surely it is distracted and scattered abroad, and so it perishes. |
| 539 quin etiam si iam libeat concedere falsum | Nay, even if I chose to grant what is false, |
| 540 et dare posse animam glomerari in corpore eorum, | and allow that the soul could be gathered in the bodies of those |
| 541 lumina qui linquunt morientes particulatim, | who die piece by piece as they leave the light, |
| 542 mortalem tamen esse fateri debebis; | yet you must confess that the soul is mortal; |
| 543 nec refert utrum per auras dispulsa perire | nor does it matter whether it perishes scattered through the air |
| 544 an contracta suis e partibus obbrutescat, | or becomes dull as its parts are contracted, |
| 545 quando hominem totum magis ac magis undique sensus | since the whole man’s sense fails him more and more |
| 546 deficit et uitae minus ac minus undique restat. | on all sides, and less and less of life remains. |
DE SENSIBVS ANIMAE ET ANIMI (623a)
| Diels’ 1923 Latin Text | English Translation |
| 624 Praeterea si inmortalis natura animaist | Furthermore, if the nature of the soul is immortal |
| 625 et sentire potest secreta a corpore nostro, | and can feel when separated from our body, |
| 626 quinque, ut opinor, eam debemus sensibus auctam | we must, I think, assume it to be endowed with five senses; |
| 627 fingere. nec ratione alia hinc inferna mansi | in no other way can we imagine the souls of the dead |
| 628 Acherunte uagare. itaque pictores et ueteres | wandering in the regions of Acheron. And so painters |
| 629 scriptorum saecla induxerunt sensibus auctas. | and ancient generations of writers have introduced souls |
| 630 at neque sorsum oculi neque nares nec manus ipsa | with senses. But eyes cannot exist apart, nor noses, |
| 631 esse potest animae neque sorsum lingua, neque aures | nor the hand itself for the soul, nor the tongue, nor ears; |
| 632 auditu per se possunt sentire neque esse. | therefore they cannot feel by themselves nor even exist. |
| 633 [Textual transition regarding the scattering of atoms] | [The soul atoms inevitably scatter upon the body’s end.] |
CRITICAL APPARATUS [Lines 438–468]
TESTIMONIA
- 449, 450: Cited in Nonius 203, 33 regarding the growth of mental power (robustis adoleuit uiribus aetas).
- 453: Mens labat (Diels reconstruction); calor ignist (Bockemüller) noted in parallel discussions of atomic heat.
- 459: Servius ad Aen. III 587 (Observations on the mental perception of physical time and action).
- 467: Servius ad Aen. VI 688 (Regarding the recognition of faces during the transition to the afterlife).
CODICES
- 438 recessit OQ : recesset G.
- 440 pocius O : potius QG.
- 442 ucredis O : ucredes G.
- 449 adoleuit OQ : adoliuit G.
- 452 optusis O : obtusis QG.
- 453 mens labat Diels : mentis OQG.
- 455 conuenit O : conuinet Q.
- 456 animai OQ : animae G.
- 463 morbis OQ : morbus G.
- 467 uoltus O : uultus QG.
- 468 eorum O : corum Q.
