Kenneys comments are themselves not without wit, and i enjoyed learning about lucretius philosophy through this book. In first place, if the mighty sphere of heaven revolveth round, then needs we must aver that on the upper and the under pole presses a certain air, and from without confines them and encloseth at each end. Lucretius on the nature of things online library of liberty. Carey, adjunct professor of latin and roman law at george mason university. Back to text 42 this is a reference to the persian emperor xerxes, who invaded greece by land in 480 bc.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The internet classics archive on the nature of things by. For if thy life aforetime and behind to thee was grateful, and not all thy good was heaped as in sieve to flow away and perish unavailingly, why not, even like a. What is the best translation of lucretius on the nature of things. Lucretius latin is interesting, sometimes sublime, and always challenging. But the three members of il volo rise to the challenge on. Epicuruss power of reason gives utterance to the nature of things. Mother of aeneas and his race, darling of men and venus, aid me in my work gods, nurturing venus, a who beneath the smoothmoving heavenly signs fill with yourself the sea fullladen with ships, the earth that bears the crops, since through you every kind of living thing is conceived and rising up looks on the light of the sun. The lucretii were one of the most ancient gentes, and the wife of numa pompilius, the second king of rome, was named lucretia. Emma woolerton wrote her phd on lucretius at cambridge, where she. In this brief introduction an attempt will be made to give an outline of the general tendencies of latin literature.
Lucretius, on the nature of things, book 3 english text. Proem mother of rome, delight of gods and men, dear venus that beneath the gliding stars makest to teem the manyvoyaged main and fruitful lands for all of living things. And we ourselves indeed to make this book, and still to seek the nature of the world and set it down, when once discovered, here in these my countrys leaves. Many comments have been posted about on the nature of things. As further evidence in this essay suggests, the general tenor of the comment made here fits. In six books compounded of solid reasoning, brilliant imagination, and noble poetry, he expounds the scientific theories of the greek philosopher epicurus, with the aim of dispelling fear of. His performance in the bacchanale was tremendous, with no loss of tone, he rolled on the ground knotted in his chains and then rose up to tear down the. I render nervis here as genitalia to pick up the more decorous or perhaps more clinical tenor. Book 3 also includes another play upon the title of the poem. His expedition involved building a bridge across the hellespont so that his enormous army could. The section in the middle of the first book,5 in which lucretius criticizes rival.
Its entries compare different translations, and there appears to be an entry for lucretius. What is the best translation of lucretius on the nature. Lucretius was probably born in the first decade of the i century b. With that said, we must still note that a latin edition of drn was never printed in. Latinum lucretius book two page 1 commentary in latin. In book three lucretius denies the soul, claiming there is only a body. Leonard and smith lucretius university of wisconsin press 1942 richard minadeo, the lyre of science. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system. Kenneys excellent commentary helped explain lucretius epicurean beliefs, satirical elements, and oddities of the authors style. His hearers minds are filled with images of blissful divinity, without a traceand this peaceful state is lucretiuss target throughout the bookof the fear of acheron, the place of punishment in the afterlife. Lucretius on the nature of things by bouvard issuu.
This book draws on the latest research into the text and interpretation of lucretius. Librivox recording of on the nature of things, by titus lucretius carus c. Drydens translation of lucretius by mary gallagher y ryden s translation of lucretius is considered by many schol. On the nature of things by lucretius, part of the internet classics archive. Of the three great latin poets lucretius seems to make the most peculiar appeal to our. On the nature of things watson translation internet archive. Top american libraries canadian libraries universal library community texts project gutenberg biodiversity heritage library childrens library. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you. If youve studied or taught latin in the last decade or so, youve probably used or at least encountered the latin library, administered by william l. In six books compounded of solid reasoning, brilliant imagination, and noble poetry, he expounds the scientific theories of the greek philosopher epicurus, with the aim of dispelling fear of the gods and fear of death and so enabling man to attain peace of mind and happiness. They perform operatic pop music that is a mixture of classical and pop, featuring songs such as the prayer and panis angelicus from the former genre, and leonard cohens hallelujah from the latter. The syntax is far more difficult than ovid or vergil, but lucretius was still experimenting with hexameters, a type of poetry taken over by the romans from the greek. Neverthless, we dont know how much our lucretius witnessed of this. I dont have an answer and its been ages since i read lucretius, but i can recommend the encyclopedia of literary translation into english as a possible source for an answer.
It takes more than a little budella to take on the repertoire of the three tenors especially for singers who are in their early twenties. The name lucretius is a boys name of latin origin meaning wealth lucretius is the name of the roman philosopher who invented epicureanism. Lucretius, on the nature of things loeb classical library. Lucretius offers his readers a complete guide to happiness and a total tour of the universe. It features an introduction to lucretiuss life and work by william ellery leonard, an introduction to and commentary on the poem by stanley barney smith, the complete. And we ourselves indeed to make this book, and still to seek the nature of the world.
A classic poetic translation is given by william ellery leonard. This work is licensed under a creative commons attributionsharealike 3. And that, moreover, another air above streams on athwart the top of the sphere and tends in same direction as are rolled along the glittering. Very little is authentically known of the life of the latin poet titus lucretius carus aside from the fact that he lived in the first half of the first century b. Sep 14, 2016 it takes more than a little budella to take on the repertoire of the three tenors especially for singers who are in their early twenties. E tenebris tantis tam clarum extollere lumen qui primus potuisti inlustrans commoda vitae, te sequor. Lucretia in latin, translation, englishlatin dictionary. Rarely have we heard the sad millwheel monologue sung in a more touching, theatrical and moving way as from jose cura. Of the eight classical poets he rendered into english over a period of twenty years, virgil or ovid, or perhaps homer, might be expected to call forth. The tenors formerly known as the canadian tenors are a vocal group consisting of victor micallef, fraser walters, and clifton murray. The private lives of the three tenors is a gossip biography of tenors placido domingo, luciano pavarotti, and jose carreras by marcia lewis, the mother of monica lewinsky. An xml version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer perseus any modifications you make. I want to teach myself latin how do i study it and what texts should i learn duration. Before which i step to speak holier oracles about this matter and with much reasoning certain by more than the pythian oracle prophesied from the tripod and laurel of phoebus.
Jun 26, 2011 i dont have an answer and its been ages since i read lucretius, but i can recommend the encyclopedia of literary translation into english as a possible source for an answer. Mortal, what hast thou of such grave concern that thou indulgest in too sickly plaints. Even a few selections from his poetry reveal the radical freethinker at his very best. Now available in paperback, this annotated scholarly edition of the latin text ofde rerum naturahas long been hailed as one of the finest. But even in these days of old roman name revival, lucretius sounds a bit longwhitebeardish, though it can be enlivened with the nickname luc.
And since ive read it in latin and in one translation that i wasnt particularly fond of, i cant recommend any translation in particular. Book iii deals with the soul, its nature, and its fate. Nov 24, 2016 i want to teach myself latin how do i study it and what texts should i learn duration. The line about his eyes leaving the light is taken from a poem by the celebrated latin poet ennius, to whom lucretius pays tribute in book i. Once more, if nature should of a sudden send a voice abroad, and her own self inveigh against us so. For more information please look up the beginning of this. Cambridge greek and latin classics book 3 paperback. On the nature of things book onc book two book three book four book five. The gens lucretia was a prominent family of the roman republic. C, that is to say the age of julius caesar, cicero, and above all a time of riots and civil wars that would have led to the end of the roman republic. Stanford libraries official online search tool for books, media, journals, databases, government documents and more. The subject merits some attention, insomuch as the emphasis constantly laid upon the greek origin of roman literary forms has tended to obscure the fact that the strongest forces in latin literature were not due to greek or any other influence, but were its own, its peculiar. In it, he set out to explicate the universe, embracing and refuting ideas of the great greek philosophers.
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