On the Nature of Things: The Eternal Laws of Nature and the Soul's Freedom (Large Print Deluxe Hardcover Edition For Easy Reading) [Large Print]

By Lucretius, T. Lucretius Carus, Titus Lucretius Carus, et al.

Book Overview

What if the key to human happiness was hidden in the atoms that make us?

Written in the first century BCE, On the Nature of Things is one of the most extraordinary philosophical works of the ancient world. With poetic genius and scientific insight, Lucretius reveals a universe built not on divine intervention, but on the timeless dance of atoms and void.

This modern translation revives the lyrical brilliance of Lucretius while delivering its message with contemporary clarity and power. More than a historical curiosity, this book is a radical guide to inner peace, free thought, and the fearless embrace of a natural world.

What You'll Discover in This Modern Translation:

- The Science of the Ancient World - Discover early theories of atoms, gravity, and natural law centuries ahead of their time

- Epicurean Philosophy Made Clear - Learn the principles of pleasure, tranquility, and freedom from fear

- A Poetic Vision of the Universe - Experience the grandeur of a cosmos without supernatural control

- A Call to Intellectual Liberation - Break free from superstition and embrace a life of reason and wonder

Lucretius invites us to marvel at the universe, trust in the laws of nature, and live without fear. This is not just philosophy-it's poetic liberation.

• Format: Hardcover
• Large Print: Yes
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1806982811
• ISBN13: 9781806982813
• Release Date: November 2025
• Publisher: Library of Alexandria
• Length: 204 Pages
• Weight: 1.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.5" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

Beautiful

Lucretius's arguments for his atomic theory and the "swerve" are paragons of lucidity. It's a good thing I had physics in school, I was very nearly converted anyway. The section dealing with love is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading elegant ideas beautifully expressed, or beautiful ideas elegantly expressed.

Among the very best of ancient literature

I can only second the opinions presented here. This is great poetry and great philosophy. Lucretius is truly amazing in his presentation of science, much of it the foundations of today's; he was the first and remains the best of popular science writers. The translation is dazzling. For once we are not reading to get an approximation of the original author's intentions, but for sheer excitement. This book should restore faith in the vital interplay of ancient and modern culture and dispel the myth of dualism between art and science.

Lucretius' Nature of Things, or How to Succeed in Life

I took a Roman history class called The Rise of Rome and this book was assigned to shed light upon some insightful details into one of the most popular Hellenistic philosophies, Epicureanism, and although Lucretius was of Roman nationality, this book is the most accessibly popular for students reading about Epicureanism for the first time. Copley's translation is written in meter, but what Lucretius was trying to say was very clear to me. I was actually most impressed by the clarity, although there were many other things that stayed with me after I read this. Although we don't know a lot about him comparatively to other Late-Republic figures like Cicero, Caesar, and Catullus, Lucretius was an interesting fellow (please read T.P. Wiseman's essay The Two Worlds of Titus Lucretius Carus), and he was evidently some sort of Renaissance man, as he was a scholar of everything from biology to philosophy to theology. Lucretius was quite an overachieving sort, as he was able, unlike many during the Roman republic, to find a patron, in this case the Roman politician Memmius, who was able to facilitate his ambitious literary aspirations via monetary funding. The Nature of Things is actually addressed to Memmius, just as the poet Lucan addressed his book on the Civil War between Pompey and Caesar, the Pharsalia, to the Roman emperor Nero a century later. Lucretius' proem in six books is in essence a comprehensive sermon whose message is basically how every man, and especially Memmius, should live his life. The relationship between the princely poet Lucretius and the Machiavellian politician Memmius is quite interesting. Lucretius, from the evidence of his proem, was a man who lived very close to his ideals, whereas Memmius was a crafty "Goodie" who was later indicted of voting fraud by the senate. The Roman poet Catullus, a contemporary of Lucretius, mentions Memmius in one of his 'hate' poems, calling him something quite nasty, because Memmius--when he was holding the office of Praetor in Asia Minor--cheated Catullus and his companions out of some tribute. It's hard to pigeonhole The Nature of Things, as Lucretius covers many topics in the six books, most conspicuously love, sex, and death. But every line serves the purpose of creating a kind of Epicurean manifesto, listing and elaborating upon the principal concepts mothered by Lucretius' Mohammed, the philosopher Epicurus, who lived nearly three hundred years before Lucretius even started working on his great work. Pursuant to Roman literary convention, Lucretius, at the beginning of his book, invokes his celestial muse, the Roman goddess Venus, who like Memmius, was also reputed to possess Trojan heritage, something Memmius was akin to celebrate profusely. This book is easy to take with you on a trip anywhere, and it's inexpensive too, so I recommend it highly. The notes on the bottom of the page are also helpful.