On the Nature of Things (Watson translation)
Chapter 1 of 19 00 - Preface and Remarks on the life and poem of Lucretius
0:00
47:52
- Running time
- 10 h 55 min
- Language
- English
- Readers
- Anna Simon, Corpang, Disego, Leni, Mark Harrington and 3 others
- Translated by
- John Selby Watson
Chapters
About this recording
Written in the first century b.C., On the Nature of Things (in Latin, De Rerum Natura) is a poem in six books that aims at explaining the Epicurean philosophy to the Roman audience. Among digressions about the importance of philosophy in men's life and praises of Epicurus, Lucretius created a solid treatise on the atomic theory, the falseness of religion and many kinds of natural phenomena. With no harm to his philosophical scope, the author composed a didactic poem of epic flavor, of which the imagery and style are highly praised. (Summary by Leni)