De Rerum Natura

Lucretius

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

  1. Now come; with what swift motion they are borne,
  2. These images, and what the speed assigned
  3. To them across the breezes swimming on-
  4. So that o'er lengths of space a little hour
  5. Alone is wasted, toward whatever region
  6. Each with its divers impulse tends- I'll tell
  7. In verses sweeter than they many are;
  8. Even as the swan's slight note is better far
  9. Than that dispersed clamour of the cranes
  10. Among the southwind's aery clouds. And first,
  11. One oft may see that objects which are light
  12. And made of tiny bodies are the swift;
  13. In which class is the sun's light and his heat,
  14. Since made from small primordial elements
  15. Which, as it were, are forward knocked along
  16. And through the interspaces of the air
  17. To pass delay not, urged by blows behind;
  18. For light by light is instantly supplied
  19. And gleam by following gleam is spurred and driven.
  20. Thus likewise must the images have power
  21. Through unimaginable space to speed
  22. Within a point of time,- first, since a cause
  23. Exceeding small there is, which at their back
  24. Far forward drives them and propels, where, too,
  25. They're carried with such winged lightness on;
  26. And, secondly, since furnished, when sent off,
  27. With texture of such rareness that they can
  28. Through objects whatsoever penetrate
  29. And ooze, as 'twere, through intervening air.
  1. Besides, if those fine particles of things
  2. Which from so deep within are sent abroad,
  3. As light and heat of sun, are seen to glide
  4. And spread themselves through all the space of heaven
  5. Upon one instant of the day, and fly
  6. O'er sea and lands and flood the heaven, what then
  7. Of those which on the outside stand prepared,
  8. When they're hurled off with not a thing to check
  9. Their going out? Dost thou not see indeed
  10. How swifter and how farther must they go
  11. And speed through manifold the length of space
  12. In time the same that from the sun the rays
  13. O'erspread the heaven? This also seems to be
  14. Example chief and true with what swift speed
  15. The images of things are borne about:
  16. That soon as ever under open skies
  17. Is spread the shining water, all at once,
  18. If stars be out in heaven, upgleam from earth,
  19. Serene and radiant in the water there,
  20. The constellations of the universe-
  21. Now seest thou not in what a point of time
  22. An image from the shores of ether falls
  23. Unto the shores of earth? Wherefore, again,
  24. And yet again, 'tis needful to confess
  25. With wondrous...
  26. . . . . . .