De Rerum Natura

Lucretius

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

  1. Now let us sing what makes the stars to move.
  2. In first place, if the mighty sphere of heaven
  3. Revolveth round, then needs we must aver
  4. That on the upper and the under pole
  5. Presses a certain air, and from without
  6. Confines them and encloseth at each end;
  7. And that, moreover, another air above
  8. Streams on athwart the top of the sphere and tends
  9. In same direction as are rolled along
  10. The glittering stars of the eternal world;
  11. Or that another still streams on below
  12. To whirl the sphere from under up and on
  13. In opposite direction- as we see
  14. The rivers turn the wheels and water-scoops.
  15. It may be also that the heavens do all
  16. Remain at rest, whilst yet are borne along
  17. The lucid constellations; either because
  18. Swift tides of ether are by sky enclosed,
  19. And whirl around, seeking a passage out,
  20. And everywhere make roll the starry fires
  21. Through the Summanian regions of the sky;
  22. Or else because some air, streaming along
  23. From an eternal quarter off beyond,
  24. Whileth the driven fires, or, then, because
  25. The fires themselves have power to creep along,
  26. Going wherever their food invites and calls,
  27. And feeding their flaming bodies everywhere
  28. Throughout the sky. Yet which of these is cause
  29. In this our world 'tis hard to say for sure;
  30. But what can be throughout the universe,
  31. In divers worlds on divers plan create,
  32. This only do I show, and follow on
  33. To assign unto the motions of the stars
  34. Even several causes which 'tis possible
  35. Exist throughout the universal All;
  36. Of which yet one must be the cause even here
  37. Which maketh motion for our constellations.
  38. Yet to decide which one of them it be
  39. Is not the least the business of a man
  40. Advancing step by cautious step, as I.