Lucretius

Lucretius (99 BC – 55 BC) was a Roman poet and philosopher. His only known work is the epic poem De rerum natura, about the tenets and philosophy of Epicureanism, and which is usually translated into English as On the Nature of Things.

Life

Very little is known about Lucretius's life; the only certain fact is that he was either a friend or client of Gaius Memmius, to whom the poem was addressed and dedicated.

De rerum natura

De rerum natura is a first century BC epic poem by Lucretius that the poet dedicated to his patron, Memmius. The poem, written in some 7,400 dactylic hexameters, is divided into six untitled books, and explores Epicurean physics through richly poetic language and metaphors.

Philosophy

Lucretius's philosophical views are based on the teachings of Epicurus, as presented in De rerum natura. According to Lucretius, the universe functions without the aid of gods, and religious fear is damaging to human life.

Legacy

Lucretius has been credited with originating the concept of the three-age system which was formalised in 1836 by C. J. Thomsen.

External links

• Works by Lucretius at Project Gutenberg
• De rerum natura, translated by William Ellery Leonard

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