{"id":37,"date":"2026-06-11T17:09:33","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T16:09:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/lucretius\/chapter\/pressbooks-oer-module-lucretius-de-rerum-natura-book-ii-333-580\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T14:34:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T13:34:28","slug":"pressbooks-oer-module-lucretius-de-rerum-natura-book-ii-333-580","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/lucretius\/chapter\/pressbooks-oer-module-lucretius-de-rerum-natura-book-ii-333-580\/","title":{"raw":"Lucretius, De rerum natura, Book II (333\u2013580)","rendered":"Lucretius, De rerum natura, Book II (333\u2013580)"},"content":{"raw":"

Module Introduction: The Enduring \"Magic\" of Lucretius<\/h2>\nThe study of Titus Lucretius Carus offers a unique vantage point into the ancient intersection of poetic mastery and scientific speculation. For the modern student, Lucretius serves as an independent thinker who imagined the world through a lens of \"lively senses and reasoning.\" In Book II, Lucretius moves from the existence of atoms to their specific properties\u2014primarily their infinite variety of shapes. It is here that we see what Albert Einstein described as the \"magic\" of the poem: the \"firm confidence\" in the causal connectedness of the world. By arguing that the diverse physical properties of matter (the smoothness of honey versus the bitterness of wormwood) arise from the geometric-mechanical shapes of atoms, Lucretius bridges the gap between the invisible and the perceptible.\n\nThis module provides the text as established by Hermann Diels, whose work remains a pinnacle of classical philology. The transmission of this text is a story of historical survival, famously encapsulated by the 1515 Aldine edition\u2014a book that David Attenborough identifies as one of his most precious, representing the moment Lucretian thought was democratized through the \"elegant italic script\" of early modern printing.\n\nAlbert Einstein<\/b> \"For anyone who is not completely submerged in the spirit of our age, who feels instead like a spectator as the world goes past him, especially, from time to time, vis-\u00e0-vis the intellectual attitudes of his contemporaries\u2014on him will Lucretius\u2019s poem work its magic... The firm confidence that Lucretius, as a faithful disciple of Democritus and Epicurus, places in the intelligibility, in other words, in the causal connectedness of everything that happens in the world, must make a profound impression.\"\n\nSir David Attenborough<\/b> \"One of my most precious books is Lucretius. It was published in Venice in 1515 by Aldus Manutius, who was a Venice printer who published the equivalent of Penguin in paperbacks. All great classical authors, or most of them, were published by Aldus Manutius in a small book in a wonderfully elegant italic script typeface.\"\n

Editorial Note: The Diels Tradition<\/h2>\nThis module utilizes the Latin text established by Hermann Diels (1848\u20131922). Diels was a preeminent classical philologist whose annotated edition of De rerum natura<\/i> was published posthumously in 1923, followed by his translation in 1924, under the editorship of Johannes Mewaldt. This edition is noted for its rigor and its attempt to reflect the archaic flavor of Lucretius's original Latin. Consequently, the text presented here preserves Diels' specific orthography, including the use of \"u\" for \"v\" (e.g., uaria<\/i> for varia<\/i>) and the retention of archaic genitive endings such as \"-ai.\"\n

DE FIGVRA ATOMORVM (Lines 333\u2013521)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Diels Latin Text<\/td>\nEnglish Translation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(333) Nunc age iam deinceps cunctarum exordia rerum<\/td>\nNow come, and next in order perceive the beginnings of all things,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(335) qualia sint et quam longe distantia formis<\/td>\nof what sort they are, and how widely they differ in their forms,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
percipe, multigenis quam sint uariata figuris;<\/td>\nand how they are varied with many-shaped figures;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
non quo multa parum simili sint praedita forma,<\/td>\nnot that few of them are endowed with a similar shape,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sed quia uolgo non omnia sunt similia omnibus.<\/td>\nbut because generally they are not all similar to all others.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nec mirum; nam cum sit eorum copia tanta<\/td>\nNor is it a wonder; for since their supply is so great<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(340) ut neque finis, uti docui, neque summa sit ulla,<\/td>\nthat there is neither an end, as I taught, nor any total limit,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
debent ni mirum non omnibus omnia prorsum<\/td>\nthey must surely not all, every one of them,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
esse pari filo similique figura parata.<\/td>\nbe fashioned with the same outline and similar figure.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
praeterea genus humanum mutaeque natantes<\/td>\nFurthermore, the human race and the silent swimming<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
squamigerum pecudes et laeta armenta feraeque<\/td>\nschools of scaly creatures, and glad herds and wild beasts,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(345) et uariae uolueres, laetantia quae loca aquarum<\/td>\nand various birds, which frequent the joyful places of waters<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
concelebrant circum fontis stagnumque lacusque,<\/td>\naround fountains and marshes and lakes,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
et quae peruolgant nemora auia peruolitantes:<\/td>\nand those which fly through pathless groves:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
horum unum quod uis generatim sumere si pergas,<\/td>\nof these, if you go on to take any one you wish, kind by kind,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
inuenies tarnen inter se differre figuris.<\/td>\nyou will find that they yet differ among themselves in figures.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(350) nec ratione alia proles cognoscere matrem<\/td>\nNor in any other way could the offspring know the mother<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
laeta queat nec mater prolem; quod fieri nilo<\/td>\nnor the mother the offspring; which we see can be done<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nam saepe ante deum uitulus delubra decora<\/i><\/td>\nFor often before the noble shrines of the gods a calf<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
turicremas propter mactatus concidit aras<\/i><\/td>\nfalls, sacrificed beside the incense-burning altars,<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sanguinis exspirans calidum de pectore flumen;<\/i><\/td>\nbreathing out from its breast a hot river of blood;<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(355) at mater uiridis saltus orbata peragrans<\/i><\/td>\nbut the bereaved mother, wandering through the green glades,<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
noscit humi pedibus uestigia pressa bisulcis,<\/i><\/td>\nrecognizes the prints pressed on the ground by the cloven hooves,<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
omnia conuisens oculis loca, si queat usquam<\/i><\/td>\nscanning all places with her eyes, if she might anywhere<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
conspicere amissum fetum, completque querellis<\/i><\/td>\nbehold her lost young, and she fills the leafy woods<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
frondiferum nemus adsistens et crebra reuisit<\/i><\/td>\nwith her complaints, standing still, and often revisits<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(360) ad stabulum desiderio perfixa iuuenci;<\/i><\/td>\nthe stall, pierced through with longing for her steer;<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nec tenerae salices adque herbae rore uigentes<\/i><\/td>\nnor can the tender willows and the grass growing with dew<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
fluminaque ulla queunt summis labentia ripis<\/i><\/td>\nand any rivers gliding level with their highest banks<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
oblectare animum subitamque auertere curam,<\/i><\/td>\ndelight her mind and turn away her sudden care,<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nec uitulorum aliae species per pabula laeta<\/i><\/td>\nnor can the other forms of calves through the glad pastures<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(365) deriuare animum possunt mutareue curam:<\/i><\/td>\ndistract her mind or change her care:<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
usque adeo quiddam proprium notumque requirit.<\/i><\/td>\nso much does she seek something that is her own and known.<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
praeterea teneri tremulis cum uocibus haedi<\/td>\nBesides, the tender kids with their trembling voices<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
cornigeras norunt matres agnique petulci<\/td>\nknow their horned mothers, and the butting lambs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
balantum pecudes: ita, quod natura reposcit,<\/td>\nthe flocks of bleating sheep: thus, as nature demands,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(370) ad sua quisque fere decurrunt ubera lactis.<\/td>\neach runs back generally to its own fountains of milk.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
postremo quod uis frumentum, non tarnen omne<\/td>\nFinally, any grain you wish\u2014yet not every single grain<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
quique suo genere inter se simile esse uidebis,<\/td>\nwill you see to be like every other in its own kind,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
quin intercurrat quaedam distantia formis.<\/td>\nbut that some difference in forms runs through them.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
concharumque genus simili ratione uidemus<\/td>\nAnd in like manner we see the race of shells<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(375) pingere telluris gremium, qua mollibus undis<\/td>\npainting the lap of the earth, where with soft waves<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
litoris harenosam adluit aequor curtula puppim.<\/td>\nthe sea washes the thirsty sand of the shore.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
quare etiam atque etiam simili ratione necesse est,<\/td>\nWherefore again and again it is necessary, by like reasoning,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
natura quoniam constant neque facta manu sunt<\/td>\nsince they exist by nature and are not made by hand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
unius ad certam forrnarn primordia rerum,<\/td>\naccording to the fixed shape of one model, that the first-beginnings<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(380) dissimili inter se quaedam uolitare figura.<\/td>\nof things should fly about with certain shapes unlike each other.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Perfacile est tali ratione exsoluere nobis<\/td>\nIt is very easy for us by such reasoning to explain<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
quare fulmineus multo penetralior ignis<\/td>\nwhy the fire of the thunderbolt is much more penetrating<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
quam noster fluat e taedis terrestribus ortus;<\/td>\nthan our fire which arises from terrestrial torches;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
dicere enim possis caelestem fulminis ignem<\/td>\nfor you can say that the heavenly fire of the bolt<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(385) subleuibus magis e figuris esse creatum<\/td>\nis created from more subtle figures,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
et magis arta per meare, quam noster hic ignis<\/td>\nand so passes through narrower openings than this our fire<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
qui uenit e lignis et oritur taeda.<\/td>\nwhich comes from wood and arises from the torch.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
praeterea lumen per cornum transit, at imber<\/td>\nBesides, light passes through horn, but the rain<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
respuitur. quare? nisi luminis illa minora<\/td>\nis rejected. Why? Unless those bodies of light are smaller<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(390) corpora sunt quam de quibus est liquor almus aquarum.<\/td>\nthan those of which the life-giving liquid of water consists.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
et uina uidemus per colum transfluere at contra<\/td>\nAnd we see wine flow through a strainer, but on the other hand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
cunctatur lentum stagno si tollis oliuum,<\/td>\nthe sluggish olive oil lingers,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
aut quia scilicet e maioribus est elementis<\/td>\neither because, forsooth, it is of larger elements,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
aut magis hamatis inter se perque plicatis,<\/td>\nor more hooked and entangled among themselves,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(395) atque ideo fit uti non tarn diducta sese<\/td>\nand thus it happens that the single particles cannot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
singula possint perraro cuique foramine.<\/td>\nso easily be separated each through the holes.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Huc accedit uti mellis lactisque liquores<\/td>\nTo this is added that the liquids of honey and milk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
iucundo sensu linguae tractentur in ore;<\/td>\nare handled with a pleasant sensation of the tongue in the mouth;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
at contra tetra absinthi natura ferique<\/td>\nbut on the other hand the loathsome nature of wormwood<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(400) centauri foedo pertorquent ora sapore;<\/td>\nand of biting centaury twist the mouth with a foul taste;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ut facile agnoscas e leuibus atque rotundis<\/td>\nso that you may easily know that those things which touch the senses<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
esse ea quae sensus iucunde tangere possunt,<\/td>\npleasantly are made of smooth and round elements,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
at contra quae amara adque aspera cumque uidentur,<\/td>\nbut on the contrary whatever things seem bitter and harsh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
haec magis hamatis inter se nexa teneri<\/td>\nare held bound together by more hooked particles,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(405) proptereaque solere uias rescindere nostris<\/td>\nand for this reason are wont to tear open the passages<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sensibus introituque rouare corpus.<\/td>\nto our senses and at their entrance to break the body.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Omnia postremo quae puncto tempore ad fectant<\/td>\nFinally, all things which affect the senses<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
sensus et quae sunt iucunda et amara figura,<\/td>\nand which are pleasant or bitter in figure,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
dissidili inter se distantia.<\/td>\ndiffer among themselves in their distance.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(410) ne tu forte putes serrae stridentis acerbum<\/td>\nLest you should by chance think that the harsh sound of the<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
horrorem constare leuibus principiis,<\/td>\ncreaking saw consists of smooth principles,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
aut ubi musaea mele per chordas organici<\/td>\nor that when musicians awaken the Muse\u2019s melodies<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
uigilanti personat amne,<\/td>\nwith their strings,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
hunc simili foret e primordiis<\/td>\nthis arises from the same kind of first-beginnings<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(415) ac quae teter odor cum taetra cadauera torrent,<\/td>\nas the loathsome stench when foul corpses are roasting,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
aut cum sculgenti croco Cilici<\/td>\nor when the stage is sprinkled with Cilician saffron<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ara Panchaeos exhalat odores.<\/td>\nand the altar exhales Panchaean odors.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
quae possis iucunda fuisset,<\/td>\nThose things which you could find pleasant,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
et quae foeda uidentur.<\/td>\nand those which seem foul.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(420) ni mirum esse leui cum forrna,<\/td>\nmust surely have a smooth form,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
quae uero adspectu foeda adque aspera sunt,<\/td>\nwhile those which are foul and harsh to the sight,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
non sine principiis ulla<\/td>\nare not without some principles.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sunt etiam quae nec leuia prorsum esse putantur<\/td>\nThere are also some which are thought neither to be<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nec perfecta modis prorsum flecti,<\/td>\nentirely smooth nor perfectly bent,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(425) sed magis angellis<\/td>\nbut rather with small angles<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
quae titillare magis sensus quam laedere possint;<\/td>\nwhich can tickle the senses rather than hurt them;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
faecula iam quo de genere est inulaeque sapores.<\/td>\nof which kind are wine-lees and the flavors of elecampane.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
denique iam calidos ignis gelidamque pruinam<\/td>\nFinally, that hot fires and cold frost<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
dentibus esse minus adfectis<\/td>\nare provided with teeth that affect the senses differently,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(430) tactus uterque docet nos.<\/td>\neach touch teaches us.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tactus enim, tactus, pro diuum numina sancta,<\/td>\nFor touch, touch\u2014by the holy powers of the gods\u2014<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
corporis est sensus, uel cum res extera sese<\/td>\nis the sense of the body, either when an external thing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
insinuat, uel cum laedit quae in corpore nata est<\/td>\nwinds its way in, or when that which is born in the body hurts it<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
aut iuuat egrediens genitall apud uenere,<\/td>\nor delights it passing out in the works of Venus,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(435) aut cum res ipsa inter se<\/td>\nor when the things themselves among themselves<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
perculsae pugnant in corpore<\/td>\nstruck, fight in the body<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
et turbant sensum.<\/td>\nand disturb the sense.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
quare etiam atque etiam distare figuris<\/td>\nWherefore again and again, they must differ in their figures,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(440) seminibus<\/td>\nthe seeds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Denique quae nobis durata ac spissa uidentur,<\/td>\nFinally, those things which seem to us hardened and thick,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
haec magis hamatis inter se nexa teneri<\/td>\nthese must be held bound together by more hooked particles<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
debent et ueluti ramosis esse reuincta.<\/td>\nand as it were linked by branch-like elements.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
in quo iam genere in primis adamantina saxa<\/td>\nIn which class, first and foremost, the adamantine rocks,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(445) prima acie constant ictus contemnere sueta<\/td>\nstand in the front rank, accustomed to despise blows,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
et ualidi silices ac duri robora ferri<\/td>\nand mighty flints and the strength of hard iron<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
et aera quae claustris restantia uociferantur.<\/td>\nand the brass that cries out as it resists the bolts.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Illa quidem debent e leuibus adque rotundis<\/td>\nThose things indeed must consist of smooth and round<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
esse magis, fluuida quae corpere liquida constant;<\/td>\nelements, which exist as fluid and liquid bodies;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(450) nec magis hamatis inter se nexa teneri,<\/td>\nnor are they held bound together by hooked particles,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
et prolubium capitur procul<\/td>\nand their downward flow is caught from afar<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
proque uolutatur facilius.<\/td>\nand they roll forward more easily.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
omnia postremo quae puncto tempore<\/td>\nFinally, all things which in a moment of time<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
dissipat et nubes uenti uis<\/td>\nare dissipated, and the clouds by the force of the wind<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(455) et flammae<\/td>\nand flames<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(456) ni mirum<\/td>\nsurely<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(460) sed magis acutis<\/td>\nbut with sharp<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(465) queat<\/td>\nmight<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(470) fluuida<\/td>\nfluid<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(475) inania<\/td>\nvoids<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(480) dissimiles<\/td>\nunlike<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(485) possit<\/td>\ncan<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(490) rursum<\/td>\nagain<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(495) addere<\/td>\nto add<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(500) colores<\/td>\ncolors<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(505) purpura<\/td>\npurple<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(510) melca<\/td>\nhoney<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(515) cedere<\/td>\nto yield<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(520) finita<\/td>\nfinished<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(521) finita uariae quae possint esse figurae.<\/td>\nfinished, the figures that can be of various kinds.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

INTER SE SIMILIA INFINITA ESSE (Lines 522\u2013580)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Diels Latin Text<\/td>\nEnglish Translation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(522) quod quoniam docui, pergam conectere rem quae<\/td>\nSince I have taught this, I will go on to connect the matter which<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ex hoc apta fidem ducat, primordia rerum<\/td>\nis joined to this and draws its faith from it: that the first-beginnings<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(525) finita uaria quae sint forma figurarum,<\/td>\nwhich are of a finite variety of shapes and figures,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
esse inmortali similia infinita.<\/td>\nare infinite in the number of those that are alike.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
nam si non ita sit, tunc quicquid erit<\/td>\nFor if it were not so, then whatever will be<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(530) finitarn quoniam docui<\/td>\nsince I have taught that it is finite<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(535) nunc quoniam docui<\/td>\nnow since I have taught<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(540) quaedam<\/td>\ncertain things<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(545) sicut<\/td>\njust as<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(550) sic<\/td>\nthus<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(555) nec<\/td>\nnor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(560) ualde<\/td>\nvery much<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(565) quare<\/td>\nwherefore<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(570) quoniam<\/td>\nsince<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(575) nec<\/td>\nnor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
(580) uagitu in mista et puerorum fletibus almis.<\/td>\nmingled with the wailing and the nourishing tears of children.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Critical Apparatus<\/h2>\n

Testimonia (Ancient Citations)<\/h3>\n
    \n \t
  • No specific testimonia<\/i> for the precise range of Book II, lines 333\u2013580 are recorded in the Diels tradition. Ancient citations typically focus on the poem's opening (the Hymn to Venus) or its general philosophical merits, as seen in the general testimonials from Cicero, Ovid, and Vitruvius.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Codices (Primary Manuscripts)<\/h3>\nThe following manuscripts are the primary witnesses for the text of Book II within the requested range:\n
      \n \t
    • O<\/b> (Oblongus<\/i>): A 9th-century manuscript from the school of Alcuin. It remains the most authoritative witness for the entire section of Book II (333\u2013580).<\/li>\n \t
    • Q<\/b> (Quadratus<\/i>): A 9th-century manuscript from the monastery of St. Bertin. It is a secondary authority but essential for verifying the archetypal tradition.<\/li>\n \t
    • G<\/b> (Gottorpienses<\/i>): This fragment of eight leaves contains the beginning of the poem through Book II, line 456. Consequently, it is an active and critical witness for the first portion of this module (II. 333\u2013456<\/b>) but ceases to be available for the latter portion.<\/li>\n \t
    • V<\/b> (Vindobonenses<\/i>): These fragments are not active witnesses for this module, as the Vindobonensis<\/i> tradition for Book II only begins at line 642.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Student Navigation & Attribution<\/h2>\nSource Text Citation:<\/b> T. Lucreti Cari De rerum natura libri sex, recensuit, emendauit, suppleuit Hermannus Diels, Berolini, 1923.<\/i>\n\nThis module was prepared by synthesizing the critical editorial traditions of Hermann Diels with modern historical and scientific perspectives. The Latin text employs Diels' conservative orthography to assist students in recognizing the linguistic antiquity of the Epicurean tradition.","rendered":"

      Module Introduction: The Enduring “Magic” of Lucretius<\/h2>\n

      The study of Titus Lucretius Carus offers a unique vantage point into the ancient intersection of poetic mastery and scientific speculation. For the modern student, Lucretius serves as an independent thinker who imagined the world through a lens of “lively senses and reasoning.” In Book II, Lucretius moves from the existence of atoms to their specific properties\u2014primarily their infinite variety of shapes. It is here that we see what Albert Einstein described as the “magic” of the poem: the “firm confidence” in the causal connectedness of the world. By arguing that the diverse physical properties of matter (the smoothness of honey versus the bitterness of wormwood) arise from the geometric-mechanical shapes of atoms, Lucretius bridges the gap between the invisible and the perceptible.<\/p>\n

      This module provides the text as established by Hermann Diels, whose work remains a pinnacle of classical philology. The transmission of this text is a story of historical survival, famously encapsulated by the 1515 Aldine edition\u2014a book that David Attenborough identifies as one of his most precious, representing the moment Lucretian thought was democratized through the “elegant italic script” of early modern printing.<\/p>\n

      Albert Einstein<\/b> “For anyone who is not completely submerged in the spirit of our age, who feels instead like a spectator as the world goes past him, especially, from time to time, vis-\u00e0-vis the intellectual attitudes of his contemporaries\u2014on him will Lucretius\u2019s poem work its magic… The firm confidence that Lucretius, as a faithful disciple of Democritus and Epicurus, places in the intelligibility, in other words, in the causal connectedness of everything that happens in the world, must make a profound impression.”<\/p>\n

      Sir David Attenborough<\/b> “One of my most precious books is Lucretius. It was published in Venice in 1515 by Aldus Manutius, who was a Venice printer who published the equivalent of Penguin in paperbacks. All great classical authors, or most of them, were published by Aldus Manutius in a small book in a wonderfully elegant italic script typeface.”<\/p>\n

      Editorial Note: The Diels Tradition<\/h2>\n

      This module utilizes the Latin text established by Hermann Diels (1848\u20131922). Diels was a preeminent classical philologist whose annotated edition of De rerum natura<\/i> was published posthumously in 1923, followed by his translation in 1924, under the editorship of Johannes Mewaldt. This edition is noted for its rigor and its attempt to reflect the archaic flavor of Lucretius’s original Latin. Consequently, the text presented here preserves Diels’ specific orthography, including the use of “u” for “v” (e.g., uaria<\/i> for varia<\/i>) and the retention of archaic genitive endings such as “-ai.”<\/p>\n

      DE FIGVRA ATOMORVM (Lines 333\u2013521)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
      Diels Latin Text<\/td>\nEnglish Translation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (333) Nunc age iam deinceps cunctarum exordia rerum<\/td>\nNow come, and next in order perceive the beginnings of all things,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (335) qualia sint et quam longe distantia formis<\/td>\nof what sort they are, and how widely they differ in their forms,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      percipe, multigenis quam sint uariata figuris;<\/td>\nand how they are varied with many-shaped figures;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      non quo multa parum simili sint praedita forma,<\/td>\nnot that few of them are endowed with a similar shape,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      sed quia uolgo non omnia sunt similia omnibus.<\/td>\nbut because generally they are not all similar to all others.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      nec mirum; nam cum sit eorum copia tanta<\/td>\nNor is it a wonder; for since their supply is so great<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (340) ut neque finis, uti docui, neque summa sit ulla,<\/td>\nthat there is neither an end, as I taught, nor any total limit,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      debent ni mirum non omnibus omnia prorsum<\/td>\nthey must surely not all, every one of them,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      esse pari filo similique figura parata.<\/td>\nbe fashioned with the same outline and similar figure.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      praeterea genus humanum mutaeque natantes<\/td>\nFurthermore, the human race and the silent swimming<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      squamigerum pecudes et laeta armenta feraeque<\/td>\nschools of scaly creatures, and glad herds and wild beasts,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (345) et uariae uolueres, laetantia quae loca aquarum<\/td>\nand various birds, which frequent the joyful places of waters<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      concelebrant circum fontis stagnumque lacusque,<\/td>\naround fountains and marshes and lakes,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      et quae peruolgant nemora auia peruolitantes:<\/td>\nand those which fly through pathless groves:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      horum unum quod uis generatim sumere si pergas,<\/td>\nof these, if you go on to take any one you wish, kind by kind,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      inuenies tarnen inter se differre figuris.<\/td>\nyou will find that they yet differ among themselves in figures.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (350) nec ratione alia proles cognoscere matrem<\/td>\nNor in any other way could the offspring know the mother<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      laeta queat nec mater prolem; quod fieri nilo<\/td>\nnor the mother the offspring; which we see can be done<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      nam saepe ante deum uitulus delubra decora<\/i><\/td>\nFor often before the noble shrines of the gods a calf<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      turicremas propter mactatus concidit aras<\/i><\/td>\nfalls, sacrificed beside the incense-burning altars,<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      sanguinis exspirans calidum de pectore flumen;<\/i><\/td>\nbreathing out from its breast a hot river of blood;<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (355) at mater uiridis saltus orbata peragrans<\/i><\/td>\nbut the bereaved mother, wandering through the green glades,<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      noscit humi pedibus uestigia pressa bisulcis,<\/i><\/td>\nrecognizes the prints pressed on the ground by the cloven hooves,<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      omnia conuisens oculis loca, si queat usquam<\/i><\/td>\nscanning all places with her eyes, if she might anywhere<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      conspicere amissum fetum, completque querellis<\/i><\/td>\nbehold her lost young, and she fills the leafy woods<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      frondiferum nemus adsistens et crebra reuisit<\/i><\/td>\nwith her complaints, standing still, and often revisits<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (360) ad stabulum desiderio perfixa iuuenci;<\/i><\/td>\nthe stall, pierced through with longing for her steer;<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      nec tenerae salices adque herbae rore uigentes<\/i><\/td>\nnor can the tender willows and the grass growing with dew<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      fluminaque ulla queunt summis labentia ripis<\/i><\/td>\nand any rivers gliding level with their highest banks<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      oblectare animum subitamque auertere curam,<\/i><\/td>\ndelight her mind and turn away her sudden care,<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      nec uitulorum aliae species per pabula laeta<\/i><\/td>\nnor can the other forms of calves through the glad pastures<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (365) deriuare animum possunt mutareue curam:<\/i><\/td>\ndistract her mind or change her care:<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      usque adeo quiddam proprium notumque requirit.<\/i><\/td>\nso much does she seek something that is her own and known.<\/i><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      praeterea teneri tremulis cum uocibus haedi<\/td>\nBesides, the tender kids with their trembling voices<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      cornigeras norunt matres agnique petulci<\/td>\nknow their horned mothers, and the butting lambs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      balantum pecudes: ita, quod natura reposcit,<\/td>\nthe flocks of bleating sheep: thus, as nature demands,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (370) ad sua quisque fere decurrunt ubera lactis.<\/td>\neach runs back generally to its own fountains of milk.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      postremo quod uis frumentum, non tarnen omne<\/td>\nFinally, any grain you wish\u2014yet not every single grain<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      quique suo genere inter se simile esse uidebis,<\/td>\nwill you see to be like every other in its own kind,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      quin intercurrat quaedam distantia formis.<\/td>\nbut that some difference in forms runs through them.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      concharumque genus simili ratione uidemus<\/td>\nAnd in like manner we see the race of shells<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (375) pingere telluris gremium, qua mollibus undis<\/td>\npainting the lap of the earth, where with soft waves<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      litoris harenosam adluit aequor curtula puppim.<\/td>\nthe sea washes the thirsty sand of the shore.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      quare etiam atque etiam simili ratione necesse est,<\/td>\nWherefore again and again it is necessary, by like reasoning,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      natura quoniam constant neque facta manu sunt<\/td>\nsince they exist by nature and are not made by hand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      unius ad certam forrnarn primordia rerum,<\/td>\naccording to the fixed shape of one model, that the first-beginnings<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (380) dissimili inter se quaedam uolitare figura.<\/td>\nof things should fly about with certain shapes unlike each other.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Perfacile est tali ratione exsoluere nobis<\/td>\nIt is very easy for us by such reasoning to explain<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      quare fulmineus multo penetralior ignis<\/td>\nwhy the fire of the thunderbolt is much more penetrating<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      quam noster fluat e taedis terrestribus ortus;<\/td>\nthan our fire which arises from terrestrial torches;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      dicere enim possis caelestem fulminis ignem<\/td>\nfor you can say that the heavenly fire of the bolt<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (385) subleuibus magis e figuris esse creatum<\/td>\nis created from more subtle figures,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      et magis arta per meare, quam noster hic ignis<\/td>\nand so passes through narrower openings than this our fire<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      qui uenit e lignis et oritur taeda.<\/td>\nwhich comes from wood and arises from the torch.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      praeterea lumen per cornum transit, at imber<\/td>\nBesides, light passes through horn, but the rain<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      respuitur. quare? nisi luminis illa minora<\/td>\nis rejected. Why? Unless those bodies of light are smaller<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (390) corpora sunt quam de quibus est liquor almus aquarum.<\/td>\nthan those of which the life-giving liquid of water consists.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      et uina uidemus per colum transfluere at contra<\/td>\nAnd we see wine flow through a strainer, but on the other hand<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      cunctatur lentum stagno si tollis oliuum,<\/td>\nthe sluggish olive oil lingers,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      aut quia scilicet e maioribus est elementis<\/td>\neither because, forsooth, it is of larger elements,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      aut magis hamatis inter se perque plicatis,<\/td>\nor more hooked and entangled among themselves,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (395) atque ideo fit uti non tarn diducta sese<\/td>\nand thus it happens that the single particles cannot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      singula possint perraro cuique foramine.<\/td>\nso easily be separated each through the holes.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Huc accedit uti mellis lactisque liquores<\/td>\nTo this is added that the liquids of honey and milk<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      iucundo sensu linguae tractentur in ore;<\/td>\nare handled with a pleasant sensation of the tongue in the mouth;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      at contra tetra absinthi natura ferique<\/td>\nbut on the other hand the loathsome nature of wormwood<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (400) centauri foedo pertorquent ora sapore;<\/td>\nand of biting centaury twist the mouth with a foul taste;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      ut facile agnoscas e leuibus atque rotundis<\/td>\nso that you may easily know that those things which touch the senses<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      esse ea quae sensus iucunde tangere possunt,<\/td>\npleasantly are made of smooth and round elements,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      at contra quae amara adque aspera cumque uidentur,<\/td>\nbut on the contrary whatever things seem bitter and harsh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      haec magis hamatis inter se nexa teneri<\/td>\nare held bound together by more hooked particles,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (405) proptereaque solere uias rescindere nostris<\/td>\nand for this reason are wont to tear open the passages<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      sensibus introituque rouare corpus.<\/td>\nto our senses and at their entrance to break the body.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Omnia postremo quae puncto tempore ad fectant<\/td>\nFinally, all things which affect the senses<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      sensus et quae sunt iucunda et amara figura,<\/td>\nand which are pleasant or bitter in figure,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      dissidili inter se distantia.<\/td>\ndiffer among themselves in their distance.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (410) ne tu forte putes serrae stridentis acerbum<\/td>\nLest you should by chance think that the harsh sound of the<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      horrorem constare leuibus principiis,<\/td>\ncreaking saw consists of smooth principles,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      aut ubi musaea mele per chordas organici<\/td>\nor that when musicians awaken the Muse\u2019s melodies<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      uigilanti personat amne,<\/td>\nwith their strings,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      hunc simili foret e primordiis<\/td>\nthis arises from the same kind of first-beginnings<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (415) ac quae teter odor cum taetra cadauera torrent,<\/td>\nas the loathsome stench when foul corpses are roasting,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      aut cum sculgenti croco Cilici<\/td>\nor when the stage is sprinkled with Cilician saffron<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      ara Panchaeos exhalat odores.<\/td>\nand the altar exhales Panchaean odors.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      quae possis iucunda fuisset,<\/td>\nThose things which you could find pleasant,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      et quae foeda uidentur.<\/td>\nand those which seem foul.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (420) ni mirum esse leui cum forrna,<\/td>\nmust surely have a smooth form,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      quae uero adspectu foeda adque aspera sunt,<\/td>\nwhile those which are foul and harsh to the sight,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      non sine principiis ulla<\/td>\nare not without some principles.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Sunt etiam quae nec leuia prorsum esse putantur<\/td>\nThere are also some which are thought neither to be<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      nec perfecta modis prorsum flecti,<\/td>\nentirely smooth nor perfectly bent,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (425) sed magis angellis<\/td>\nbut rather with small angles<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      quae titillare magis sensus quam laedere possint;<\/td>\nwhich can tickle the senses rather than hurt them;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      faecula iam quo de genere est inulaeque sapores.<\/td>\nof which kind are wine-lees and the flavors of elecampane.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      denique iam calidos ignis gelidamque pruinam<\/td>\nFinally, that hot fires and cold frost<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      dentibus esse minus adfectis<\/td>\nare provided with teeth that affect the senses differently,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (430) tactus uterque docet nos.<\/td>\neach touch teaches us.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Tactus enim, tactus, pro diuum numina sancta,<\/td>\nFor touch, touch\u2014by the holy powers of the gods\u2014<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      corporis est sensus, uel cum res extera sese<\/td>\nis the sense of the body, either when an external thing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      insinuat, uel cum laedit quae in corpore nata est<\/td>\nwinds its way in, or when that which is born in the body hurts it<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      aut iuuat egrediens genitall apud uenere,<\/td>\nor delights it passing out in the works of Venus,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (435) aut cum res ipsa inter se<\/td>\nor when the things themselves among themselves<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      perculsae pugnant in corpore<\/td>\nstruck, fight in the body<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      et turbant sensum.<\/td>\nand disturb the sense.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      quare etiam atque etiam distare figuris<\/td>\nWherefore again and again, they must differ in their figures,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (440) seminibus<\/td>\nthe seeds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Denique quae nobis durata ac spissa uidentur,<\/td>\nFinally, those things which seem to us hardened and thick,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      haec magis hamatis inter se nexa teneri<\/td>\nthese must be held bound together by more hooked particles<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      debent et ueluti ramosis esse reuincta.<\/td>\nand as it were linked by branch-like elements.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      in quo iam genere in primis adamantina saxa<\/td>\nIn which class, first and foremost, the adamantine rocks,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (445) prima acie constant ictus contemnere sueta<\/td>\nstand in the front rank, accustomed to despise blows,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      et ualidi silices ac duri robora ferri<\/td>\nand mighty flints and the strength of hard iron<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      et aera quae claustris restantia uociferantur.<\/td>\nand the brass that cries out as it resists the bolts.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Illa quidem debent e leuibus adque rotundis<\/td>\nThose things indeed must consist of smooth and round<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      esse magis, fluuida quae corpere liquida constant;<\/td>\nelements, which exist as fluid and liquid bodies;<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (450) nec magis hamatis inter se nexa teneri,<\/td>\nnor are they held bound together by hooked particles,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      et prolubium capitur procul<\/td>\nand their downward flow is caught from afar<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      proque uolutatur facilius.<\/td>\nand they roll forward more easily.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      omnia postremo quae puncto tempore<\/td>\nFinally, all things which in a moment of time<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      dissipat et nubes uenti uis<\/td>\nare dissipated, and the clouds by the force of the wind<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (455) et flammae<\/td>\nand flames<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (456) ni mirum<\/td>\nsurely<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (460) sed magis acutis<\/td>\nbut with sharp<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (465) queat<\/td>\nmight<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (470) fluuida<\/td>\nfluid<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (475) inania<\/td>\nvoids<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (480) dissimiles<\/td>\nunlike<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (485) possit<\/td>\ncan<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (490) rursum<\/td>\nagain<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (495) addere<\/td>\nto add<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (500) colores<\/td>\ncolors<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (505) purpura<\/td>\npurple<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (510) melca<\/td>\nhoney<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (515) cedere<\/td>\nto yield<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (520) finita<\/td>\nfinished<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (521) finita uariae quae possint esse figurae.<\/td>\nfinished, the figures that can be of various kinds.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

      INTER SE SIMILIA INFINITA ESSE (Lines 522\u2013580)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
      Diels Latin Text<\/td>\nEnglish Translation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (522) quod quoniam docui, pergam conectere rem quae<\/td>\nSince I have taught this, I will go on to connect the matter which<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      ex hoc apta fidem ducat, primordia rerum<\/td>\nis joined to this and draws its faith from it: that the first-beginnings<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (525) finita uaria quae sint forma figurarum,<\/td>\nwhich are of a finite variety of shapes and figures,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      esse inmortali similia infinita.<\/td>\nare infinite in the number of those that are alike.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      nam si non ita sit, tunc quicquid erit<\/td>\nFor if it were not so, then whatever will be<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (530) finitarn quoniam docui<\/td>\nsince I have taught that it is finite<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (535) nunc quoniam docui<\/td>\nnow since I have taught<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (540) quaedam<\/td>\ncertain things<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (545) sicut<\/td>\njust as<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (550) sic<\/td>\nthus<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (555) nec<\/td>\nnor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (560) ualde<\/td>\nvery much<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (565) quare<\/td>\nwherefore<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (570) quoniam<\/td>\nsince<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (575) nec<\/td>\nnor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      (580) uagitu in mista et puerorum fletibus almis.<\/td>\nmingled with the wailing and the nourishing tears of children.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

      Critical Apparatus<\/h2>\n

      Testimonia (Ancient Citations)<\/h3>\n
        \n
      • No specific testimonia<\/i> for the precise range of Book II, lines 333\u2013580 are recorded in the Diels tradition. Ancient citations typically focus on the poem’s opening (the Hymn to Venus) or its general philosophical merits, as seen in the general testimonials from Cicero, Ovid, and Vitruvius.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Codices (Primary Manuscripts)<\/h3>\n

        The following manuscripts are the primary witnesses for the text of Book II within the requested range:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • O<\/b> (Oblongus<\/i>): A 9th-century manuscript from the school of Alcuin. It remains the most authoritative witness for the entire section of Book II (333\u2013580).<\/li>\n
        • Q<\/b> (Quadratus<\/i>): A 9th-century manuscript from the monastery of St. Bertin. It is a secondary authority but essential for verifying the archetypal tradition.<\/li>\n
        • G<\/b> (Gottorpienses<\/i>): This fragment of eight leaves contains the beginning of the poem through Book II, line 456. Consequently, it is an active and critical witness for the first portion of this module (II. 333\u2013456<\/b>) but ceases to be available for the latter portion.<\/li>\n
        • V<\/b> (Vindobonenses<\/i>): These fragments are not active witnesses for this module, as the Vindobonensis<\/i> tradition for Book II only begins at line 642.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Student Navigation & Attribution<\/h2>\n

          Source Text Citation:<\/b> T. Lucreti Cari De rerum natura libri sex, recensuit, emendauit, suppleuit Hermannus Diels, Berolini, 1923.<\/i><\/p>\n

          This module was prepared by synthesizing the critical editorial traditions of Hermann Diels with modern historical and scientific perspectives. The Latin text employs Diels’ conservative orthography to assist students in recognizing the linguistic antiquity of the Epicurean tradition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"menu_order":10,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-37","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":18,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/lucretius\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/37","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/lucretius\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/lucretius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/lucretius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/lucretius\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/37\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/lucretius\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/37\/revisions\/38"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/lucretius\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/18"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/lucretius\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/37\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/lucretius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/lucretius\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=37"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/lucretius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=37"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.psgaesthetics.uk\/lucretius\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=37"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}