On the Nature of Things

by Titus Lucretius Carus

OF THE NATURE OF THINGS

By Titus Lucretius Carus

A Metrical Translation

By William Ellery Leonard

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CONTENTS

[ BOOK I ]

[ SUBSTANCE IS ETERNAL ]

[ THE VOID ]

[ NOTHING EXISTS per se EXCEPT ATOMS AND THE VOID ]

[ CHARACTER OF THE ATOMS ]

[ CONFUTATION OF OTHER PHILOSOPHERS ]

[ THE INFINITY OF THE UNIVERSE ]

[ BOOK II ]

[ PROEM ]

[ ATOMIC MOTIONS ]

[ ATOMIC FORMS AND THEIR COMBINATIONS ]

[ INFINITE WORLDS ]

[ BOOK III ]

[ PROEM ]

[ NATURE AND COMPOSITION OF THE MIND ]

[ THE SOUL IS MORTAL ]

[ FOLLY OF THE FEAR OF DEATH ]

[ BOOK IV ]

[ PROEM ]

[ EXISTENCE AND CHARACTER OF THE IMAGES ]

[ THE SENSES AND MENTAL PICTURES ]

[ SOME VITAL FUNCTIONS ]

[ THE PASSION OF LOVE ]

[ BOOK V ]

[ PROEM ]

[ THE WORLD IS NOT ETERNAL ]

[ ORIGINS OF VEGETABLE AND ANIMAL LIFE ]

[ ORIGINS AND SAVAGE PERIOD OF MANKIND ]

[ BEGINNINGS OF CIVILIZATION ]

[ BOOK VI ]

[ PROEM ]

[ GREAT METEOROLOGICAL PHENOMENA, ETC. ]

[ THE PLAGUE ATHENS ]