LUCRETIUS, DE RERUM NATURA

Book I.

INTRODUCTION: Invocation of Venus, appeal to Memmius, outline 1-145
(A) General Epicurean Principles 146-482
       (1) Nothing comes from nothing.
       (2) Nothing becomes nothing.
       (3) Matter is composed of atoms.
       (4) Empty space exists.
       (5) Everything else is a combination of void and atoms.
(B) First PARTICLES: solid, eternal, indivisible 483-634
(C) Rival theories evaluated 635-920
       (1) HERACLITUS: the unitarians
       (2) EMPEDOCLES: the pluralists
       (3) ANAXAGORAS
       (4) LUCRETIUS, on his own purposes
(D) INFINITY of the Universe (matter + space) 951-1117
       (1) Infinity of universe implies infinity of space.
       (2) Infinity of space
       (3) Infinity of matter
       (4) Rival theory: refutation (1052-1113)

PROEM: The blessings of Philosophy (moral: simple life) 1-61
(A) The motion of the ATOMS 62-332
       (1) continuous movement
       (2) velocity of movement
       (3) anti-theological attack
       (4) motion is downwards (weight, gravity)
       (5) the SWERVE 216-293
(B) The shapes of the ATOMS and their effects 333-729
(C) The ATOMS: without secondary qualities 730-1022
(1) color (730-841)
(2) sensation (865-990)
(D) Infinite number of worlds, formation and destruction 1023-1174

Introduction: 1-93
(1) Praise of EPICURUS 1-30
(2) Fear of DEATH 31-93
(A) Nature of the SOUL: its structure 94-416
       (1) material, and not a `harmony' 94-135
       (2) MIND and SOUL: interaction    136-160
       (3) MIND and SOUL: material    161-176
       (4) MIND and SOUL: structure     177-322
       (5) SOUL and BODY: interrelationship 323-416
(B) MORTALITY of the SOUL 417-829
(1) against survival after death 425-669
(2) against existence before birth 670-783
(C) FEAR OF DEATH: silliness 830-1094
       (1) Death: end of sensation     830-869
       (2) survival an illusion       870-930
       (3) desire to prolong life     931-977
       (4) myths: punishment after death 978-1023
       (5) cause of unhappiness in life 1053-1075
       (6) No reason to cling to life or to fear death 1076-1094

Introduction:
-Praise of Epicurus (religion:divine terror) 1-54
-Syllabus of the Book 55-90
(A) Our real world 91-508
(B) The heavenly bodies and astronomy 509-770
(C) The earth: its history 771-1457

Introduction: 1-95
-Eulogy of Epicurus (ethical and religious emphasis)
-Purposes of Book VI: nature and the gods
(A) Phenomena of the atmosphere 96-534
       (1) Thunder, lightning                 96-422
       (2) Waterspouts                          423-450
       (3) Clouds and Rain 451-534
(B) Phenomena of the earth 555-1137
       (1) Earthquakes
       (2) Constant volume of the sea
       (3) Volcanoes
       (4) The Nile River
       (5) Plague-ridden lakes
       (6) Springs and Fountains
       (7) Magnets
       (8) Pestilences
(C) Epilogue: The Plague at Athens (429-427 B.C.) 1138-1286

Cyril Bailey, Titi Lucreti Cari de rerum natura libri sex (Oxford 1947) 3 volumes.
W. E. Leonard and Smith Lucretius (University of Wisconsin Press 1942)
Richard Minadeo, The Lyre of Science: Form and Meaning in Lucretius' de rerum natura (Detroit: Wayne State University Press 1969).
Henri Bergson, The Philosophy of Poetry, the Genius of Lucretius (translated and edited by Wade Baskin) (NY 1959).
W.A. Merrill, The Metrical Technique of Lucretius and Cicero (Berkeley 1924). The Characteristics of Lucretius' Verse (Berkeley 1924).
C. Beye, "Lucretius and Progress," Classical Journal 58 (1962/3)

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