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'Avia Pieridum peragro loca.'

expressions occur.]

'His ibi me rebus quaedam divina voluptas

Percipit adque horror.'

professes to fulfil the three distinct offices of a philosophical

Primum quod magnis doceo de rebus et artis

Religionum animum nodis exsolvere pergo,

Deinde quod obscura de re tam lucida pango

Carmina, musaeo contingens cuncta lepore.

which the permanent value of the poem depends. Thus, although the

society,--would naturally have been treated immediately after the

Hunc igitur terrorem animi tenebrasque necessest

Non radii solis neque lucida tela diei

Discutiant, sed naturae species ratioque.

Horribili super aspectu mortalibus instans,--

the cause of ignorance, degradation, and misery,--are vividly

personified and presented in close contrast with one another. The

which alone remained permanent amid the changing aspects of the

Nullam rem e nilo gigni divinitus unquam.

The apprehension of this principle--a principle common to all the

Materies quia rebus reddita certast

Gignundis e qua constat quid possit oriri.

The original substances out of which all things are produced, and

Corporibus caecis igitur natura gerit res.

Ergo praeter inane et corpora tertia per se

Nulla potest rerum in numero natura relinqui.

All material bodies are either elemental substances or compounded

Sunt igitur solida primordia simplicitate

Quae minimis stipata cohaerent partibus arte.

Non ex illarum conventu conciliata,

Sed magis aeterna pollentia simplicitate,

Unde neque avelli quicquam neque deminui jam

Concedit natura reservans semina rebus.

elements that volition in living beings becomes possible.

Unde ubi qua vi et quo pacto congressa coibunt

Materiae tanto in pelago turbaque aliena?

Sic aequo geritur certamine principiorum

Ex infinito contractum tempore bellum.

Further, the great diversity in Nature is to be accounted for by

Immortalia si volumus subiungere rebus

Fundamenta quibus nitatur summa salutis;

Ne tibi res redeant ad nilum funditus omnes.

Further, although they are the origin of all living and sentient

of matter. These atoms, by virtue of their ultimate conditions,

are capable only of certain combinations with one another. These

combinations have been brought about by perpetual motion, through

The third book treats of the nature of the mind, and of the vital

Quod simul atque hominem leti secura quies est

Indepta atque animi natura animaeque recessit,

Nil ibi libatum de toto corpore cernas

Ad speciem, nil ad pondus: mors omnia praestat

Vitalem praeter sensum calidumque vaporem.

Non modo enim ratio ruat omnis, vita quoque ipsa

Concidat extemplo, nisi credere sensibus ausis.

Morte obita quorum tellus amplectitur ossa,--

Nil ideo quoniam natumst in corpore ut uti

Possemus, sed quod natumst id procreat usum.

satirical power.

The object of the fifth book is to explain the formation of our

As the parts of our system,--earth, water, air, and heat,--are

perishable, and constantly passing through processes of decay and

First plants and trees, afterwards men and animals, were produced

Et Venus inminuit viris puerique parentum

Blanditiis facile ingenium fregere superbum.

The last source of superstition is our ignorance of the causes of

Praesertim rebus in illis

Quae supera caput aetheriis cernuntur in oris.

The practical purpose of the poem--the overthrow of

Tu mihi supremae praescribta ad candida calcis, etc.

Usque adeo largos haustus e fontibu' magnis

Lingua meo suavis diti de pectore fundet;--

It was also part of the author's design to enunciate his deepest

thoughts on the Gods, on Nature, and on human life in more highly

underlies the special subject of the poem. Some of these passages

The poem, though incomplete in regard to the arrangement of its

illustrious modern critic has said, that 'the greatest didactic

poem in any language was written in defence of the silliest and

advent of physical science. But, as a means of throwing light on

Invenies primis ab sensibus esse creatam

Notitiam veri neque sensus posse refelli.

But besides the direct action of outward things on the senses, he

apprehension or intuition of the mind (iniectus animi) into

things beyond the cognisance of sense. Thus there is no

actual inconsistency with his principles in claiming the power of

Omnis enim longe nostris ab sensibus infra

Primorum natura iacet.

Nam cur tam variae res possint esse requiro,

Ex uno si sunt igni puroque creatae.

At primordia gignundis in rebus oportet

Naturam clandestinam caecamque adhibere.

In his statement of the doctrine of the _Clinamen_, or slight

or matters.' But, in common with the earlier enquirers of Greece,

Undique quandoquidem per caulas aetheris omnis

Et quasi per magni circum spiracula mundi

Exitus introitusque elementis redditus extat.

Of the growth of plants and herbage it is said--

Ut pluma atque pili primum saetaeque creantur

Quadripedum membris et corpore pennipotentum,

Sic nova tum tellus herbas virgultaque primum

Sustulit, inde loci mortalia saecla creavit.