De Rerum Natura

Lucretius

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

  1. If men, in that same way as on the mind
  2. They feel the load that wearies with its weight,
  3. Could also know the causes whence it comes,
  4. And why so great the heap of ill on heart,
  5. O not in this sort would they live their life,
  6. As now so much we see them, knowing not
  7. What 'tis they want, and seeking ever and ever
  8. A change of place, as if to drop the burden.
  9. The man who sickens of his home goes out,
  10. Forth from his splendid halls, and straight- returns,
  11. Feeling i'faith no better off abroad.
  12. He races, driving his Gallic ponies along,
  13. Down to his villa, madly,- as in haste
  14. To hurry help to a house afire.- At once
  15. He yawns, as soon as foot has touched the threshold,
  16. Or drowsily goes off in sleep and seeks
  17. Forgetfulness, or maybe bustles about
  18. And makes for town again. In such a way
  19. Each human flees himself- a self in sooth,
  20. As happens, he by no means can escape;
  21. And willy-nilly he cleaves to it and loathes,
  22. Sick, sick, and guessing not the cause of ail.
  23. Yet should he see but that, O chiefly then,
  24. Leaving all else, he'd study to divine
  25. The nature of things, since here is in debate
  26. Eternal time and not the single hour,
  27. Mortal's estate in whatsoever remains
  28. After great death.
  1. And too, when all is said,
  2. What evil lust of life is this so great
  3. Subdues us to live, so dreadfully distraught
  4. In perils and alarms? one fixed end
  5. Of life abideth for mortality;
  6. Death's not to shun, and we must go to meet.
  7. Besides we're busied with the same devices,
  8. Ever and ever, and we are at them ever,
  9. And there's no new delight that may be forged
  10. By living on. But whilst the thing we long for
  11. Is lacking, that seems good above all else;
  12. Thereafter, when we've touched it, something else
  13. We long for; ever one equal thirst of life
  14. Grips us agape. And doubtful 'tis what fortune
  15. The future times may carry, or what be
  16. That chance may bring, or what the issue next
  17. Awaiting us. Nor by prolonging life
  18. Take we the least away from death's own time,
  19. Nor can we pluck one moment off, whereby
  20. To minish the aeons of our state of death.
  21. Therefore, O man, by living on, fulfil
  22. As many generations as thou may:
  23. Eternal death shall there be waiting still;
  24. And he who died with light of yesterday
  25. Shall be no briefer time in death's No-more
  26. Than he who perished months or years before.