De Rerum Natura

Lucretius

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

  1. And since I've taught thee that the world's great vaults
  2. Are mortal and that sky is fashioned
  3. Of frame e'en born in time, and whatsoe'er
  4. Therein go on and must perforce go on
  5. . . . . . .
  6. The most I have unravelled; what remains
  7. Do thou take in, besides; since once for all
  8. To climb into that chariot' renowned
  9. . . . . . .
  10. Of winds arise; and they appeased are
  11. So that all things again...
  12. . . . . . .
  13. Which were, are changed now, with fury stilled;
  14. All other movements through the earth and sky
  15. Which mortals gaze upon (O anxious oft
  16. In quaking thoughts!), and which abase their minds
  17. With dread of deities and press them crushed
  18. Down to the earth, because their ignorance
  19. Of cosmic causes forces them to yield
  20. All things unto the empery of gods
  21. And to concede the kingly rule to them.
  22. For even those men who have learned full well
  23. That godheads lead a long life free of care,
  24. If yet meanwhile they wonder by what plan
  25. Things can go on (and chiefly yon high things
  26. Observed o'erhead on the ethereal coasts),
  27. Again are hurried back unto the fears
  28. Of old religion and adopt again
  29. Harsh masters, deemed almighty,- wretched men,
  30. Unwitting what can be and what cannot,
  31. And by what law to each its scope prescribed,
  32. Its boundary stone that clings so deep in Time.
  33. Wherefore the more are they borne wandering on
  34. By blindfold reason. And, Memmius, unless
  35. From out thy mind thou spuest all of this
  36. And casteth far from thee all thoughts which be
  37. Unworthy gods and alien to their peace,
  38. Then often will the holy majesties
  39. Of the high gods be harmful unto thee,
  40. As by thy thought degraded,- not, indeed,
  41. That essence supreme of gods could be by this
  42. So outraged as in wrath to thirst to seek
  43. Revenges keen; but even because thyself
  44. Thou plaguest with the notion that the gods,
  45. Even they, the Calm Ones in serene repose,
  46. Do roll the mighty waves of wrath on wrath;
  47. Nor wilt thou enter with a serene breast
  48. Shrines of the gods; nor wilt thou able be
  49. In tranquil peace of mind to take and know
  50. Those images which from their holy bodies
  51. Are carried into intellects of men,
  52. As the announcers of their form divine.
  53. What sort of life will follow after this
  54. 'Tis thine to see. But that afar from us
  55. Veriest reason may drive such life away,
  56. Much yet remains to be embellished yet
  57. In polished verses, albeit hath issued forth
  58. So much from me already; lo, there is
  59. The law and aspect of the sky to be
  60. By reason grasped; there are the tempest times
  61. And the bright lightnings to be hymned now-
  62. Even what they do and from what cause soe'er
  63. They're borne along- that thou mayst tremble not,
  64. Marking off regions of prophetic skies
  65. For auguries, O foolishly distraught
  66. Even as to whence the flying flame hath come,
  67. Or to which half of heaven it turns, or how
  68. Through walled places it hath wound its way,
  69. Or, after proving its dominion there,
  70. How it hath speeded forth from thence amain-
  71. Whereof nowise the causes do men know,
  72. And think divinities are working there.
  73. Do thou, Calliope, ingenious Muse,
  74. Solace of mortals and delight of gods,
  75. Point out the course before me, as I race
  76. On to the white line of the utmost goal,
  77. That I may get with signal praise the crown,
  78. With thee my guide!