Lucretius' poem On the Nature of the Universe 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. Melville translates this poem in a
style which is both accurate and poetical, and in language
accessible to the modern reader. The Introduction gives full
details of the little that is known of Lucretius' life and
background in 1st century BCE Rome, and also of the Epicurean
philosophy that was his inspiration. It also explores why the
issues Lucretius' poem raises about the scientific and poetical
views of the world continue to be important. The Explanatory Notes
explain all references for the non-classicist, and attempt to
situate Lucretius' scientific theories within the thought of his
time and subsequent scientific discoveries.
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