Six hundred years after Poggio’s retrieval of the De rerum natura, and with the recent surge of interest in Lucretius and his influence, there has never been a better time to fully assess and recognize the shaping force of his thought and poetry over European culture from antiquity to modern times. This volume offers a multidisciplinary and updated overview of Lucretius as philosopher and as poet, with special attention to how these two aspects interact. The volume includes 18 contributions by established as well as early career scholars working on Lucretius’ philosophical and poetic work, and his reception both in ancient and early modern times. All the chapters present new and original research. Section I explores core issues of Epicurean-Lucretian epistemology and ethics. Section II expounds much new material on ancient response to and reception of Lucretius. Section III presents new material and analysis on the immediate, fraught early modern reception of the poem. Section IV offers a wide collection of new and original papers on Lucretius’ fortunes in the period from Machiavelli up to Victorian times. Section V explores little known aspects of the iconographical and biographical motifs related to the De rerum natura.

This book consists of a thorough study of Lucretius’ poetic and philosophical debt to Empedocles, focusing on their respective uses of analogy and examining how both poets turn these poetic techniques to use in their epistemological approaches to nature.

This book attempts to provide a more positive assessment of Lucretius' aims and methodology by considering the poet's attitude to myth, and the role which it plays in the De Rerum Natura, against the background of earlier and contemporary views.

Of the Nature of Things Lucretius - Lucretius' poem On the Nature of Things combines a scientific and philosophical treatise with some of the greatest poetry ever written. With intense moral fervour he demonstrates to humanity that in death there is nothing to fear since the soul is mortal, and the world and everything in it is governed by the mechanical laws of nature and not by gods; and that by believing this men can live in peace of mind and happiness. He bases this on the atomic theory expounded by the Greek philosopher Epicurus, and continues with an examination of sensation, sex, cosmology, meteorology, and geology, all of these subjects made more attractive by the poetry with which he illustrates them.very little is known about the Roman poet and philosopher Titus Lucretius Carus. His birth and death dates are based off of cross-referencing works that mention him, and pieces of evidence derived from his writing, and are believed to be circa 99 BC54 BC. On the Nature of Things is Lucretiuss only known work. The goal of the text is to explain Epicurean philosophy to the Roman people. It is addressed to Gaius Memmius, a praetor and patron of Lucretius. Presented in this work is an argument for atomism, the assertion that it is not the Gods that are responsible for the happenings of the world, but rather atoms and voids. Lucretius also argues that death is simply the dissipation of the human mind, and that it is not something we should fear. On the Nature of Things is a detailed articulation of ancient thought-provoking debates which are still relevant today. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper, follows the verse translation of William Ellery Leonard, and includes an introduction by Cyril Bailey.

Takes stock of existing approaches in the interpretation of Lucretius, innovates within these, and advances in new directions.