4 Lucretius: De rerum natura, Book I (Lines 62–141) – The Triumph of Reason
1. Module Introduction: Science, Magic, and Typography
The study of Lucretius’s De rerum natura offers a unique intersection of ancient philosophy and modern scientific appreciation. Albert Einstein, in his foreword to the 1924 Diels edition, observed that the poem works a specific “magic” on those who find themselves spectators to their own age. For those who feel alienated by the intellectual attitudes of their contemporaries, Lucretius provides the vision of an independent man imagining the world through lively senses and speculative curiosity. Einstein was profoundly impressed by Lucretius’s “firm confidence” in the “causal connectedness of everything” and the poet’s conviction that all natural phenomena are based on the “regular motion of immutable atoms.”
However, as a classical philologist must observe, Lucretius was also a master of rhetoric. Einstein noted that Lucretius was likely “guided mostly by the need to persuade his readers of the necessity for the atomistic-mechanical worldview.” This was a delicate task, as he “dare not say this openly” to his much more practically oriented Roman readers, who might have viewed such abstract physics as a distraction from the negotium of the state. Lucretius thus frames his mechanical universe as the only viable path to psychological liberation, using the “magic” of his verse to make the bitter medicine of the atomistic worldview palatable to the Roman mind.
The physical history of the text itself mirrors this quest for clarity and accessibility. The broadcaster and naturalist David Attenborough identifies the 1515 Aldine edition of Lucretius as his “most precious” book. This edition, produced by the pioneering Venice printer Aldus Manutius, revolutionized the transmission of classical thought by utilizing a “wonderfully elegant italic script typeface.” For the modern Open Educational Resource (OER) student, this history is vital: just as Manutius’s typography brought aesthetic grace and portable clarity to the dense Latin hexameters, our digital architecture seeks to make these foundational explorations of human reason and the “slavish fear” of superstition accessible to a new generation of spectators.
DE INVENTORE ET RELIGIONE (62–88)
| Latin (Diels 1923) | English Translation |
| 62 Humana ante oculos foede cum uita iaceret | 62 When human life lay foully before men’s eyes, |
| 63 in terris oppressa graui sub religione, | 63 bowed down on earth by the burden of heavy religion, |
| 64 quae caput a caeli regionibus ostendebat | 64 which stretched out its head from the lofty regions of heaven, |
| 65 horribili super aspectu mortalibus instans, | 65 afflicting mankind from above with a hideous grimace, |
| 66 primum Graius homo mortalis tollere contra | 66 then first a Greek man dared to turn his mortal eyes |
| 67 est oculos ausus primusque obsistere contra; | 67 against it, and was the first to boldly stand opposed; |
| 68 quem neque fama deum nec fulmina nec minitanti | 68 whom neither the tales of gods nor lightning nor the sky |
| 69 murmure compressit caelum, sed eo magis acrem | 69 with its threatening murmur quelled, but only the more |
| 70 inritat animi uirtutem, effringere ut arta | 70 it stirred the sharp courage of his mind, to be the first |
| 71 naturae primus portarum claustra cupiret. | 71 to desire to break the narrow bars of nature’s gates. |
| 72 ergo uiuida uis animi peruicit, et extra | 72 Therefore the lively force of his mind prevailed, and |
| 73 processit longe flammantia moenia mundi | 73 he journeyed far beyond the flaming walls of the world |
| 74 atque omne immensum peragrauit mente animoque | 74 and traversed the whole infinite universe in mind and spirit, |
| 75 unde refert nobis uictor quid possit oriri, | 75 whence he brings back to us as victor what can arise, |
| 76 quid nequeat, finita potestas denique cuique | 76 what cannot, and by what law each thing has its power |
| 77 qua nam sit ratione atque alte terminus haerens. | 77 limited and its deep-set boundary stone fixed. |
| 78 quare religio pedibus subiecta uicissim | 78 Thus, in turn, religion is cast down and trampled |
| 79 opteritur, nos exaequat uictoria caelo. | 79 underfoot, while victory lifts us to the heavens. |
| 80 Illud in his rebus uereor, ne forte rearis | 80 In these matters, I fear this: that you might think |
| 81 inpia te rationis inire elementa uiamque | 81 you are entering upon unholy principles of reason |
| 82 indugredi sceleris, quod contra saepius illa | 82 and treading the path of sin; whereas on the contrary, |
| 83 religio peperit scelerosa atque impia facta. | 83 religion has too often birthed wicked and unholy deeds. |
| 84 Aulide quo pacto Triuiai uirginis aram | 84 As at Aulis, where the chosen leaders of the Greeks, |
| 85 Iphianassai turparunt sanguine foede | 85 the first of men, foully defiled the altar of the |
| 86 ductores Danaum delecti, prima uirorum. | 86 Virgin of the Crossroads with Iphigenia’s blood. |
| 87 cui simul infula uirgineos circum data comptus | 87 As soon as the headband bound around her maiden locks |
| 88 ex utraque pari malarum parte profusast, | 88 fell down in equal lengths from either cheek, |
EXEMPLVM RELIGIONIS (89–111)
| Latin (Diels 1923) | English Translation |
| 89 et mestum simul ante aras adstare parentem | 89 and she felt her grieving father standing by the altar, |
| 90 sensit, et hunc propter ferrum celare ministros, | 90 and near him the priests concealing the blade, |
| 91 aspectuque suo lacrimas effundere ciuis, | 91 and the citizens shedding tears at the sight of her, |
| 92 muta metu terram genibus summissa petebat. | 92 silent with fear, she fell to the earth on her knees. |
| 93 nec miserae prodesse in tali tempore quibat | 93 Nor in such a time could it help the wretched girl |
| 94 quod patrio princeps donarat nomine regem; | 94 that she had first given the king the name of father; |
| 95 nam sublata uirum manibus tremibundaque ad aras | 95 for lifted by the hands of men, trembling she was led |
| 96 deductast, non ut sollemni more sacrorum | 96 to the altar, not so that after the holy ritual’s end |
| 97 perfecto posset claro comitari Hymenaeo, | 97 she might be escorted by the loud Marriage Song, |
| 98 sed casta inceste, nubendi tempore in ipso, | 98 but that, pure yet impure, in the very season of marriage, |
| 99 hostia concideret mactatu maesta parentis, | 99 she might fall, a sorrowful victim to her father’s blow, |
| 100 exitus ut classi felix faustusque daretur. | 100 so that a happy and favored departure be given to the fleet. |
| 101 tantum religio potuit suadere malorum. | 101 So great was the evil religion was able to persuade. |
| 102 Tutemet a nobis iam quouis tempore uatum | 102 You yourself will now at some time seek to desert us, |
| 103 terriloquis uictus dictis desciscere quaeres. | 103 overcome by the terror-speaking words of the seers. |
| 104 quippe etenim quam multa tibi iam fingere possunt | 104 For indeed, how many dreams can they now invent |
| 105 somnia, quae uitae rationes uertere possint | 105 for you, which might overturn the logic of life |
| 106 fortunasque tuas omnis turbare timore. | 106 and disturb all your fortunes with fear. |
| 107 et merito: nam si certam finem esse uiderent | 107 And rightly: for if men saw a certain end to their |
| 108 aerumnarum homines, aliqua ratione ualerent | 108 tribulations, they would be able in some way |
| 109 religionibus atque minis obsistere uatum; | 109 to resist the superstitions and threats of seers; |
| 110 nunc ratio nulla est restandi, nulla facultas, | 110 now there is no logic for standing firm, no power, |
| 111 aeternas quoniam poenas in morte timendum. | 111 since eternal punishments must be feared in death. |
DE ANIMA ET POETIS (112–141)
| Latin (Diels 1923) | English Translation |
| 112 Ignoratur enim quae sit natura animai, | 112 For it is unknown what the nature of the soul is, |
| 113 nata sit, an contra nascentibus insinuetur, | 113 whether it is born, or on the contrary is infused at birth, |
| 114 et simul intereat nobiscum morte dirempta, | 114 and whether it perishes with us, torn away by death, |
| 115 an tenebras Orci uisat uastasque lacunas, | 115 or visits the shadows of Orcus and the vast pools, |
| 116 an pecudes alias diuinitus insinuet se, | 116 or by divine will finds its way into other beasts, |
| 117 Ennius ut noster cecinit, qui primus amoeno | 117 as our Ennius sang, who first from pleasant Helicon |
| 118 detulit ex Helicone perenni fronde coronam, | 118 brought down a crown of everlasting leaf, |
| 119 per gentis Italas hominum quae clara clueret; | 119 to be held famous through the Italian tribes of men; |
| 120 etsi praeterea tarnen esse Acherusia templa | 120 although Ennius nevertheless sets forth in eternal verses |
| 121 Ennius aeternis exponit uersibus edens, | 121 that the Acherusian precincts exist, |
| 122 quo neque permaneant animae neque corpora nostra | 122 where neither our souls nor our bodies remain, |
| 123 sed quaedam simulacra modis pallentia miris; | 123 but certain images, pale in wonderful ways; |
| 124 unde sibi exortam semper florentis Homeri | 124 whence he recalls the phantom of ever-flourishing Homer |
| 125 commemorat speciem lacrimas effundere salsas | 125 rose up to him and began to shed salt tears |
| 126 coepisse et rerum naturam expandere dictis. | 126 and to unfold the nature of things in his words. |
| 127 Qua propter bene cum superis de rebus habenda | 127 Wherefore, a correct account must be made by us |
| 128 nobis est ratio, solis lunaeque meatus | 128 concerning celestial things: by what law the sun |
| 129 qua fiant ratione, et qua ui quaeque gerantur | 129 and moon move, and by what force all things on earth |
| 130 in terris, tum cum primis ratione sagaci | 130 are driven, and then especially with keen reasoning |
| 131 unde anima atque animi constet natura uidendum | 131 we must see whence the soul and the spirit’s nature consist, |
| 132 et quae res nobis uigilantibus obuia mentes; | 132 and what thing meets our minds when we are awake, |
| 133 terrificet morbo adfectis somnoque sepultis, | 133 or terrifies us when afflicted by disease or buried in sleep, |
| 134 cernere uti uideamur eos audireque coram, | 134 so that we seem to see and hear those face to face |
| 135 morte obita quorum tellus amplectitur ossa. | 135 whose bones the earth embraces, after death has met them. |
| 136 Nec me animi fallit Graiorum obscura reperta | 136 Nor does it escape my mind that the dark discoveries |
| 137 difficile inlustrare Latinis uersibus esse, | 137 of the Greeks are difficult to illuminate in Latin verses, |
| 138 multa nouis uerbis praesertim cum sit agendum | 138 especially when one must deal with many new words |
| 139 propter egestatem linguae et rerum nouitatem; | 139 due to the poverty of the tongue and the novelty of the subject; |
| 140 sed tua me uirtus tarnen et sperata uoluptas | 140 but nevertheless your virtue and the hoped-for pleasure |
| 141 suauis amicitiae quemuis efferre laborem | 141 of sweet friendship urge me to bear any labor |
5. Critical Apparatus: Testimonia and Codices
- Lines 62–63: Cited by Nonius (314, 30; 379, 12; 327, 2) regarding the ignominy of life bowed down by the burden of heavy religion.
- Line 64: Referenced by Lactantius (Instit. III 27, 10) regarding the “regions of heaven” (regionibus).
- Lines 66–67: Cited by Nonius (411, 2) under the entry tendere.
- Lines 70–71: Cited by Nonius (506, 36) and Priscian (X 6) regarding the narrow gates of nature (portarum claustra).
- Lines 75–76: Cited by Nonius (381, 29) regarding the limits of power.
- Line 82: Referenced in [Prob.] de ult. syll. and the Eclogae Sangallenses (p. 10).
- Line 83: Cited by Lactantius (Inst. I 21, 14) following the Iphigenia narrative.
- Lines 84–85: Cited by Priscian (VII 3) for the archaic genitive forms Triuiai and Iphianassai.
- Line 92: Cited by the Scholia Veronensia to Virgil’s Aeneid (XII 718).
- Line 101: Famous closing of the sacrifice at Aulis, cited by Lactantius (Inst. I 21, 14).
- Line 102: Referenced by Servius (Aen. IV 606) and Priscian (XII 23).
- Line 107: Cited by Nonius (205, 8) regarding the term finem.
- Line 112: Referenced by Servius (Aen. XI 230).
- Line 119: Referenced in Eclogae Sangallenses (p. 10).
- Line 123: Cited by Macrobius (Sat. VI 1, 49) for the phrasing pallentia miris.
- Lines 134–135: Cited by Macrobius (Sat. I. c. 48).
- Line 141: Alluded to in Catonis disticha (III 6, 2).
The text established by Hermann Diels (1923) relies on the primary Carolingian manuscripts. The O (Oblongus, Leidensis Vossianus Lat. Fol. 30) remains the most authoritative witness, representing the beautiful minuscule script taught in the Alcuinian schools. Q (Quadratus, Leidensis Vossianus 94) represents a separate family, sharing an ancestor with the G (Gottorpienses) fragments.
- Line 66: O and Q both read tollere, which Diels retains in the primary text. Nonius, however, preserves the variant tendere, which many editors prefer for its martial nuance.
- Line 70: Priscian confirms effringere, while Nonius suggests perfringere and O initially provides confringere.
- Line 71: O and Q originally read cuperet, corrected to the archaic cupiret by the O1 hand, supported by Nonius and Priscian.
- Line 84: Orthography varies in the witnesses; Q and G read triuiat, while O provides the correct archaic genitive triuiai.
- Line 104: O, Q, and G all read possum (I am able), but the emendation by Marullus to possunt is accepted to align with the plural somnia (dreams).
- Line 141: While Q and G read quamuis, O and Q preserve quemuis. The variant sufferre appears in the Disticha Catonis, but the major codices O, Q, and G consistently read efferre.
