Review: On the Nature of Things

On the Nature of Things by Lucretius
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum"

Throughout this book I was wishing I could go back in time and have a talk with Lucretius. I think I could have explained things pretty well to him. Except probably lightning, since I have no idea what the science is behind moisture and water creating electricity (with apologies to all my science teachers).

Otherwise this was quite interesting, if for no other reason than to get an idea as to how Ancient Romans saw and understood the world.

I really like this translation, by Martin Ferguson Smith, along with its footnotes, which helped me quite a bit, and didn't lack in humor ("Lucr. identifies its name with the Greek aornos, "birdless," and applies the adjective "Avernian" to all places whose noxious exhalations render them birdless. On a visit to lake Avernus, I did not see any birds flying over it, but I observed that the place is not inimical to water-skiers" - p. 197, footnote 51),

His arguments regarding gravity were fascinating, and I loved his reasoning for not worrying about death. I would be lying, however, if I didn't say there was a lot of uninteresting material to slog through as well.

Now I will have to read more about Epicurus.

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