De Rerum Natura

Lucretius

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

  1. Now, how it comes that we,
  2. Whene'er we wish, can step with strides ahead,
  3. And how 'tis given to move our limbs about,
  4. And what device is wont to push ahead
  5. This the big load of our corporeal frame,
  6. I'll say to thee- do thou attend what's said.
  7. I say that first some idol-films of walking
  8. Into our mind do fall and smite the mind,
  9. As said before. Thereafter will arises;
  10. For no one starts to do a thing, before
  11. The intellect previsions what it wills;
  12. And what it there pre-visioneth depends
  13. On what that image is. When, therefore, mind
  14. Doth so bestir itself that it doth will
  15. To go and step along, it strikes at once
  16. That energy of soul that's sown about
  17. In all the body through the limbs and frame-
  18. And this is easy of performance, since
  19. The soul is close conjoined with the mind.
  20. Next, soul in turn strikes body, and by degrees
  21. Thus the whole mass is pushed along and moved.
  22. Then too the body rarefies, and air,
  23. Forsooth as ever of such nimbleness,
  24. Comes on and penetrates aboundingly
  25. Through opened pores, and thus is sprinkled round
  26. Unto all smallest places in our frame.
  27. Thus then by these twain factors, severally,
  28. Body is borne like ship with oars and wind.
  29. Nor yet in these affairs is aught for wonder
  30. That particles so fine can whirl around
  31. So great a body and turn this weight of ours;
  32. For wind, so tenuous with its subtle body,
  33. Yet pushes, driving on the mighty ship
  34. Of mighty bulk; one hand directs the same,
  35. Whatever its momentum, and one helm
  36. Whirls it around, whither ye please; and loads,
  37. Many and huge, are moved and hoisted high
  38. By enginery of pulley-blocks and wheels,
  39. With but light strain.
  1. Now, by what modes this sleep
  2. Pours through our members waters of repose
  3. And frees the breast from cares of mind, I'll tell
  4. In verses sweeter than they many are;
  5. Even as the swan's slight note is better far
  6. Than that dispersed clamour of the cranes
  7. Among the southwind's aery clouds. Do thou
  8. Give me sharp ears and a sagacious mind,-
  9. That thou mayst not deny the things to be
  10. Whereof I'm speaking, nor depart away
  11. With bosom scorning these the spoken truths,
  12. Thyself at fault unable to perceive.
  13. Sleep chiefly comes when energy of soul
  14. Hath now been scattered through the frame, and part
  15. Expelled abroad and gone away, and part
  16. Crammed back and settling deep within the frame-
  17. Whereafter then our loosened members droop.
  18. For doubt is none that by the work of soul
  19. Exist in us this sense, and when by slumber
  20. That sense is thwarted, we are bound to think
  21. The soul confounded and expelled abroad-
  22. Yet not entirely, else the frame would lie
  23. Drenched in the everlasting cold of death.
  24. In sooth, where no one part of soul remained
  25. Lurking among the members, even as fire
  26. Lurks buried under many ashes, whence
  27. Could sense amain rekindled be in members,
  28. As flame can rise anew from unseen fire?