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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)
Book II.
- 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
Book III.
- 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
Book IV.
- INTRODUCTION: Lucretius' mission 1-25
- (A) Existence and nature of the `IDOLS' 26-215
- (B) Sensation and thought 216-822
- (C) Some functions of the body, in posychological terms 823-1057
- (D) The Passion of Love: An Attack 1058-1287
Book V.
- 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
Book VI.
- 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
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- 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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FLIT 150 © J. P. Adams Revised 7/22/1996. |
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