De Rerum Natura

Lucretius

Lucretius. De Rerum Natura. William Ellery Leonard. E. P. Dutton. 1916.

  1. But besides,
  2. Seeing they feign that not all bodies press
  3. To centre inward, rather only those
  4. Of earth and water (liquid of the sea,
  5. And the big billows from the mountain slopes,
  6. And whatsoever are encased, as 'twere,
  7. In earthen body), contrariwise, they teach
  8. How the thin air, and with it the hot fire,
  9. Is borne asunder from the centre, and how,
  10. For this all ether quivers with bright stars,
  11. And the sun's flame along the blue is fed
  12. (Because the heat, from out the centre flying,
  13. All gathers there), and how, again, the boughs
  14. Upon the tree-tops could not sprout their leaves,
  15. Unless, little by little, from out the earth
  16. For each were nutriment...
  17. . . . . . .
  18. Lest, after the manner of the winged flames,
  19. The ramparts of the world should flee away,
  20. Dissolved amain throughout the mighty void,
  21. And lest all else should likewise follow after,
  22. Aye, lest the thundering vaults of heaven should burst
  23. And splinter upward, and the earth forthwith
  24. Withdraw from under our feet, and all its bulk,
  25. Among its mingled wrecks and those of heaven,
  26. With slipping asunder of the primal seeds,
  27. Should pass, along the immeasurable inane,
  28. Away forever, and, that instant, naught
  29. Of wrack and remnant would be left, beside
  30. The desolate space, and germs invisible.
  31. For on whatever side thou deemest first
  32. The primal bodies lacking, lo, that side
  33. Will be for things the very door of death:
  34. Wherethrough the throng of matter all will dash,
  35. Out and abroad.
  36. These points, if thou wilt ponder,
  37. Then, with but paltry trouble led along...
  38. . . . . . .
  39. For one thing after other will grow clear,
  40. Nor shall the blind night rob thee of the road,
  41. To hinder thy gaze on nature's Farthest-forth.
  42. Thus things for things shall kindle torches new.
  1. 'Tis sweet, when, down the mighty main, the winds
  2. Roll up its waste of waters, from the land
  3. To watch another's labouring anguish far,
  4. Not that we joyously delight that man
  5. Should thus be smitten, but because 'tis sweet
  6. To mark what evils we ourselves be spared;
  7. 'Tis sweet, again, to view the mighty strife
  8. Of armies embattled yonder o'er the plains,
  9. Ourselves no sharers in the peril; but naught
  10. There is more goodly than to hold the high
  11. Serene plateaus, well fortressed by the wise,
  12. Whence thou may'st look below on other men
  13. And see them ev'rywhere wand'ring, all dispersed
  14. In their lone seeking for the road of life;
  15. Rivals in genius, or emulous in rank,
  16. Pressing through days and nights with hugest toil
  17. For summits of power and mastery of the world.
  18. O wretched minds of men! O blinded hearts!
  19. In how great perils, in what darks of life
  20. Are spent the human years, however brief!-
  21. O not to see that nature for herself
  22. Barks after nothing, save that pain keep off,
  23. Disjoined from the body, and that mind enjoy
  24. Delightsome feeling, far from care and fear!
  25. Therefore we see that our corporeal life
  26. Needs little, altogether, and only such
  27. As takes the pain away, and can besides
  28. Strew underneath some number of delights.
  29. More grateful 'tis at times (for nature craves
  30. No artifice nor luxury), if forsooth
  31. There be no golden images of boys
  32. Along the halls, with right hands holding out
  33. The lamps ablaze, the lights for evening feasts,
  34. And if the house doth glitter not with gold
  35. Nor gleam with silver, and to the lyre resound
  36. No fretted and gilded ceilings overhead,
  37. Yet still to lounge with friends in the soft grass
  38. Beside a river of water, underneath
  39. A big tree's boughs, and merrily to refresh
  40. Our frames, with no vast outlay- most of all
  41. If the weather is laughing and the times of the year
  42. Besprinkle the green of the grass around with flowers.
  43. Nor yet the quicker will hot fevers go,
  44. If on a pictured tapestry thou toss,
  45. Or purple robe, than if 'tis thine to lie
  46. Upon the poor man's bedding. Wherefore, since
  47. Treasure, nor rank, nor glory of a reign
  48. Avail us naught for this our body, thus
  49. Reckon them likewise nothing for the mind:
  50. Save then perchance, when thou beholdest forth
  51. Thy legions swarming round the Field of Mars,
  52. Rousing a mimic warfare- either side
  53. Strengthened with large auxiliaries and horse,
  54. Alike equipped with arms, alike inspired;
  55. Or save when also thou beholdest forth
  56. Thy fleets to swarm, deploying down the sea:
  57. For then, by such bright circumstance abashed,
  58. Religion pales and flees thy mind; O then
  59. The fears of death leave heart so free of care.
  60. But if we note how all this pomp at last
  61. Is but a drollery and a mocking sport,
  62. And of a truth man's dread, with cares at heels,
  63. Dreads not these sounds of arms, these savage swords
  64. But among kings and lords of all the world
  65. Mingles undaunted, nor is overawed
  66. By gleam of gold nor by the splendour bright
  67. Of purple robe, canst thou then doubt that this
  68. Is aught, but power of thinking?- when, besides
  69. The whole of life but labours in the dark.
  70. For just as children tremble and fear all
  71. In the viewless dark, so even we at times
  72. Dread in the light so many things that be
  73. No whit more fearsome than what children feign,
  74. Shuddering, will be upon them in the dark.
  75. This terror then, this darkness of the mind,
  76. Not sunrise with its flaring spokes of light,
  77. Nor glittering arrows of morning can disperse,
  78. But only nature's aspect and her law.