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De Rerum Natura (Lucretius)
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De Rerum Natura

Author: Lucretius
Translator: William Ellery Leonard
89
Principio
quoniam
mittunt
in
rebus
apertis

corpora
res
multae
,
partim
diffusa
solute
,
robora
ceu
fumum
mittunt
ignesque
vaporem
,
et
partim
contexta
magis
condensaque
,
ut
olim

cum
teretis
ponunt
tunicas
aestate
cicadae
,
et
vituli
cum
membranas
de
corpore
summo

nascentes
mittunt
,
et
item
cum
lubrica
serpens

exuit
in
spinis
vestem
;
nam
saepe
videmus

illorum
spoliis
vepres
volitantibus
auctas
.
quae
quoniam
fiunt
,
tenuis
quoque
debet
imago

ab
rebus
mitti
summo
de
corpore
rerum
.
nam
cur
illa
cadant
magis
ab
rebusque
recedant

quam
quae
tenvia
sunt
,
hiscendist
nulla
potestas
;
praesertim
cum
sint
in
summis
corpora
rebus

multa
minuta
,
iaci
quae
possint
ordine
eodem

quo
fuerint
et
formai
servare
figuram
,
et
multo
citius
,
quanto
minus
indupediri

pauca
queunt
et
sunt
prima
fronte
locata
.
nam
certe
iacere
ac
largiri
multa
videmus
,
non
solum
ex
alto
penitusque
,
ut
diximus
ante
,
verum
de
summis
ipsum
quoque
saepe
colorem
.
et
volgo
faciunt
id
lutea
russaque
vela

et
ferrugina
,
cum
magnis
intenta
theatris

per
malos
volgata
trabesque
trementia
flutant
;
namque
ibi
consessum
caveai
supter
et
omnem

scaenai
speciem
patrum
matrumque
deorsum

inficiunt
coguntque
suo
fluitare
colore
.
et
quanto
circum
mage
sunt
inclusa
theatri

moenia
,
tam
magis
haec
intus
perfusa
lepore

omnia
conrident
correpta
luce
diei
.
ergo
lintea
de
summo
cum
corpore
fucum

mittunt
,
effigias
quoque
debent
mittere
tenvis

res
quaeque
,
ex
summo
quoniam
iaculantur
utraque
.
sunt
igitur
iam
formarum
vestigia
certa
,
quae
volgo
volitant
subtili
praedita
filo

nec
singillatim
possunt
secreta
videri
.

Well learn from this: mainly, because we see
Even 'mongst visible objects many be
That send forth bodies, loosely some diffused-
Like smoke from oaken logs and heat from fires-
And some more interwoven and condensed-
As when the locusts in the summertime
Put off their glossy tunics, or when calves
At birth drop membranes from their body's surface,
Or when, again, the slippery serpent doffs
Its vestments 'mongst the thorns- for oft we see
The breres augmented with their flying spoils:
Since such takes place, 'tis likewise certain too
That tenuous images from things are sent,
From off the utmost outside of the things.
For why those kinds should drop and part from things,
Rather than others tenuous and thin,
No power has man to open mouth to tell;
Especially, since on outsides of things
Are bodies many and minute which could,
In the same order which they had before,
And with the figure of their form preserved,
Be thrown abroad, and much more swiftly too,
Being less subject to impediments,
As few in number and placed along the front.
For truly many things we see discharge
Their stuff at large, not only from their cores
Deep-set within, as we have said above,
But from their surfaces at times no less-
Their very colours too. And commonly
The awnings, saffron, red and dusky blue,
Stretched overhead in mighty theatres,
Upon their poles and cross-beams fluttering,
Have such an action quite; for there they dye
And make to undulate with their every hue
The circled throng below, and all the stage,
And rich attire in the patrician seats.
And ever the more the theatre's dark walls
Around them shut, the more all things within
Laugh in the bright suffusion of strange glints,
The daylight being withdrawn. And therefore, since
The canvas hangings thus discharge their dye
From off their surface, things in general must
Likewise their tenuous effigies discharge,
Because in either case they are off-thrown
From off the surface. So there are indeed
Such certain prints and vestiges of forms
Which flit around, of subtlest texture made,
Invisible, when separate, each and one.
90
Praeterea
omnis
odor
fumus
vapor
atque
aliae
res

consimiles
ideo
diffusae
rebus
abundant
,
ex
alto
quia
dum
veniunt
extrinsecus
ortae

scinduntur
per
iter
flexum
,
nec
recta
viarum

ostia
sunt
,
qua
contendant
exire
coortae
.
at
contra
tenuis
summi
membrana
coloris

cum
iacitur
,
nihil
est
quod
eam
discerpere
possit
,
in
promptu
quoniam
est
in
prima
fronte
locata
.
Postremo
speculis
in
aqua
splendoreque
in
omni

quae
cumque
apparent
nobis
simulacra
,
necessest
,
quandoquidem
simili
specie
sunt
praedita
rerum
,
exin
imaginibus
missis
consistere
eorum
.
sunt
igitur
tenues
formarum
illis
similesque

effigiae
,
singillatim
quas
cernere
nemo

cum
possit
,
tamen
adsiduo
crebroque
repulsu

reiectae
reddunt
speculorum
ex
aequore
visum
,
nec
ratione
alia
servari
posse
videntur
,
tanto
opere
ut
similes
reddantur
cuique
figurae
.

Again, all odour, smoke, and heat, and such
Streams out of things diffusedly, because,
Whilst coming from the deeps of body forth
And rising out, along their bending path
They're torn asunder, nor have gateways straight
Wherethrough to mass themselves and struggle abroad.
But contrariwise, when such a tenuous film
Of outside colour is thrown off, there's naught
Can rend it, since 'tis placed along the front
Ready to hand. Lastly those images
Which to our eyes in mirrors do appear,
In water, or in any shining surface,
Must be, since furnished with like look of things,
Fashioned from images of things sent out.
There are, then, tenuous effigies of forms,
Like unto them, which no one can divine
When taken singly, which do yet give back,
When by continued and recurrent discharge
Expelled, a picture from the mirrors' plane.
Nor otherwise, it seems, can they be kept
So well conserved that thus be given back
Figures so like each object.
91
Nunc
age
,
quam
tenui
natura
constet
imago

percipe
.
et
in
primis
,
quoniam
primordia
tantum

sunt
infra
nostros
sensus
tantoque
minora

quam
quae
primum
oculi
coeptant
non
posse
tueri
,
nunc
tamen
id
quoque
uti
confirmem
,
exordia
rerum

cunctarum
quam
sint
subtilia
percipe
paucis
.
primum
animalia
sunt
iam
partim
tantula
,
corum

tertia
pars
nulla
possit
ratione
videri
.
horum
intestinum
quodvis
quale
esse
putandumst
!
quid
cordis
globus
aut
oculi
?
quid
membra
?
quid
artus
?
quantula
sunt
!
quid
praeterea
primordia
quaeque
,
unde
anima
atque
animi
constet
natura
necessumst
,
nonne
vides
quam
sint
subtilia
quamque
minuta
?
praeterea
quaecumque
suo
de
corpore
odorem

expirant
acrem
,
panaces
absinthia
taetra

habrotonique
graves
et
tristia
centaurea
,
quorum
unum
quidvis
leviter
si
forte
duobus

quin
potius
noscas
rerum
simulacra
vagari

multa
modis
multis
,
nulla
vi
cassaque
sensu
?
Sed
ne
forte
putes
ea
demum
sola
vagari
,
quae
cumque
ab
rebus
rerum
simulacra
recedunt
,
sunt
etiam
quae
sponte
sua
gignuntur
et
ipsa

constituuntur
in
hoc
caelo
,
qui
dicitur
aer
,
quae
multis
formata
modis
sublime
feruntur
,
ut
nubes
facile
inter
dum
concrescere
in
alto

cernimus
et
mundi
speciem
violare
serenam
aëra

mulcentes
motu
;
nam
saepe
Gigantum

ora
volare
videntur
et
umbram
ducere
late
,
inter
dum
magni
montes
avolsaque
saxa

montibus
ante
ire
et
solem
succedere
praeter
,
inde
alios
trahere
atque
inducere
belua
nimbos
.
nec
speciem
mutare
suam
liquentia
cessant

et
cuiusque
modi
formarum
vertere
in
oras
.

Now then, learn
How tenuous is the nature of an image.
And in the first place, since primordials be
So far beneath our senses, and much less
E'en than those objects which begin to grow
Too small for eyes to note, learn now in few
How nice are the beginnings of all things-
That this, too, I may yet confirm in proof:
First, living creatures are sometimes so small
That even their third part can nowise be seen;
Judge, then, the size of any inward organ-
What of their sphered heart, their eyes, their limbs,
The skeleton?- How tiny thus they are!
And what besides of those first particles
Whence soul and mind must fashioned be?- Seest not
How nice and how minute? Besides, whatever
Exhales from out its body a sharp smell-
The nauseous absinth, or the panacea,
Strong southernwood, or bitter centaury-
If never so lightly with thy [fingers] twain
Perchance [thou touch] a one of them
. . . . . .
Then why not rather know that images
Flit hither and thither, many, in many modes,
Bodiless and invisible?
But lest
Haply thou holdest that those images
Which come from objects are the sole that flit,
Others indeed there be of own accord
Begot, self-formed in earth's aery skies,
Which, moulded to innumerable shapes,
Are borne aloft, and, fluid as they are,
Cease not to change appearance and to turn
Into new outlines of all sorts of forms;
As we behold the clouds grow thick on high
And smirch the serene vision of the world,
Stroking the air with motions. For oft are seen
The giants' faces flying far along
And trailing a spread of shadow; and at times
The mighty mountains and mountain-sundered rocks
Going before and crossing on the sun,
Whereafter a monstrous beast dragging amain
And leading in the other thunderheads.
92
Nunc
ea
quam
facili
et
celeri
ratione
genantur

perpetuoque
fluant
ab
rebus
lapsaque
cedant

semper
enim
summum
quicquid
de
rebus
abundat
,
quod
iaculentur
.
et
hoc
alias
cum
pervenit
in
res
,
transit
,
ut
in
primis
vestem
;
sed
ubi
aspera
saxa

aut
in
materiam
ligni
pervenit
,
ibi
iam

scinditur
,
ut
nullum
simulacrum
reddere
possit
.
at
cum
splendida
quae
constant
opposta
fuerunt

densaque
,
ut
in
primis
speculum
est
,
nihil
accidit
horum
;
nam
neque
,
uti
vestem
,
possunt
transire
,
neque
autem

scindi
;
quam
meminit
levor
praestare
salutem
.
qua
propter
fit
ut
hinc
nobis
simulacra
redundent
.
et
quamvis
subito
quovis
in
tempore
quamque

rem
contra
speculum
ponas
,
apparet
imago
;
perpetuo
fluere
ut
noscas
e
corpore
summo

texturas
rerum
tenuis
tenuisque
figuras
.
ergo
multa
brevi
spatio
simulacra
genuntur
,
ut
merito
celer
his
rebus
dicatur
origo
.
et
quasi
multa
brevi
spatio
summittere
debet

lumina
sol
,
ut
perpetuo
sint
omnia
plena
,
sic
ab
rebus
item
simili
ratione
necessest

temporis
in
puncto
rerum
simulacra
ferantur

multa
modis
multis
in
cunctas
undique
partis
;
quandoquidem
speculum
quo
cumque
obvertimus
oris
,
res
ibi
respondent
simili
forma
atque
colore
.
Praeterea
modo
cum
fuerit
liquidissima
caeli

tempestas
,
perquam
subito
fit
turbida
foede
,
undique
uti
tenebras
omnis
Acherunta
rearis

liquisse
et
magnas
caeli
complesse
cavernas
.
usque
adeo
taetra
nimborum
nocte
coorta

inpendent
atrae
Formidinis
ora
superne
;
quorum
quantula
pars
sit
imago
dicere
nemost

qui
possit
neque
eam
rationem
reddere
dictis
.

Now [hear] how easy and how swift they be
Engendered, and perpetually flow off
From things and gliding pass away....
. . . . . .
For ever every outside streams away
From off all objects, since discharge they may;
And when this outside reaches other things,
As chiefly glass, it passes through; but where
It reaches the rough rocks or stuff of wood,
There 'tis so rent that it cannot give back
An image. But when gleaming objects dense,
As chiefly mirrors, have been set before it,
Nothing of this sort happens. For it can't
Go, as through glass, nor yet be rent- its safety,
By virtue of that smoothness, being sure.
'Tis therefore that from them the images
Stream back to us; and howso suddenly
Thou place, at any instant, anything
Before a mirror, there an image shows;
Proving that ever from a body's surface
Flow off thin textures and thin shapes of things.
Thus many images in little time
Are gendered; so their origin is named
Rightly a speedy. And even as the sun
Must send below, in little time, to earth
So many beams to keep all things so full
Of light incessant; thus, on grounds the same,
From things there must be borne, in many modes,
To every quarter round, upon the moment,
The many images of things; because
Unto whatever face of things we turn
The mirror, things of form and hue the same
Respond. Besides, though but a moment since
Serenest was the weather of the sky,
So fiercely sudden is it foully thick
That ye might think that round about all murk
Had parted forth from Acheron and filled
The mighty vaults of sky- so grievously,
As gathers thus the storm-clouds' gruesome night,
Do faces of black horror hang on high-
Of which how small a part an image is
There's none to tell or reckon out in words.
93
Nunc
age
,
quam
celeri
motu
simulacra
ferantur
,
et
quae
mobilitas
ollis
tranantibus
auras

reddita
sit
,
longo
spatio
ut
brevis
hora
teratur
,
in
quem
quaeque
locum
diverso
numine
tendunt
,
suavidicis
potius
quam
multis
versibus
edam
;
parvus
ut
est
cycni
melior
canor
,
ille
gruum
quam

clamor
in
aetheriis
dispersus
nubibus
austri
.
Principio
persaepe
levis
res
atque
minutis

corporibus
factas
celeris
licet
esse
videre
.
in
quo
iam
genere
est
solis
lux
et
vapor
eius
,
propterea
quia
sunt
e
primis
facta
minutis
,
quae
quasi
cuduntur
perque
aëris
intervallum

non
dubitant
transire
sequenti
concita
plaga
;
suppeditatur
enim
confestim
lumine
lumen

et
quasi
protelo
stimulatur
fulgere
fulgur
.
qua
propter
simulacra
pari
ratione
necessest

inmemorabile
per
spatium
transcurrere
posse

temporis
in
puncto
,
primum
quod
parvola
causa

est
procul
a
tergo
quae
provehat
atque
propellat
,
quod
super
est
,
ubi
tam
volucri
levitate
ferantur
,
deinde
quod
usque
adeo
textura
praedita
rara

mittuntur
,
facile
ut
quasvis
penetrare
queant
res

et
quasi
permanare
per
aëris
intervallum
.

Now come; with what swift motion they are borne,
These images, and what the speed assigned
To them across the breezes swimming on-
So that o'er lengths of space a little hour
Alone is wasted, toward whatever region
Each with its divers impulse tends- I'll tell
In verses sweeter than they many are;
Even as the swan's slight note is better far
Than that dispersed clamour of the cranes
Among the southwind's aery clouds. And first,
One oft may see that objects which are light
And made of tiny bodies are the swift;
In which class is the sun's light and his heat,
Since made from small primordial elements
Which, as it were, are forward knocked along
And through the interspaces of the air
To pass delay not, urged by blows behind;
For light by light is instantly supplied
And gleam by following gleam is spurred and driven.
Thus likewise must the images have power
Through unimaginable space to speed
Within a point of time,- first, since a cause
Exceeding small there is, which at their back
Far forward drives them and propels, where, too,
They're carried with such winged lightness on;
And, secondly, since furnished, when sent off,
With texture of such rareness that they can
Through objects whatsoever penetrate
And ooze, as 'twere, through intervening air.
94
Praeterea
si
quae
penitus
corpuscula
rerum

ex
altoque
foras
mittuntur
,
solis
uti
lux

ac
vapor
,
haec
puncto
cernuntur
lapsa
diei

per
totum
caeli
spatium
diffundere
sese

perque
volare
mare
ac
terras
caelumque
rigare
.
quid
quae
sunt
igitur
iam
prima
fronte
parata
,
cum
iaciuntur
et
emissum
res
nulla
moratur
?
quone
vides
citius
debere
et
longius
ire

multiplexque
loci
spatium
transcurrere
eodem

tempore
quo
solis
pervolgant
lumina
caelum
?
Hoc
etiam
in
primis
specimen
verum
esse
videtur
,
quam
celeri
motu
rerum
simulacra
ferantur
,
quod
simul
ac
primum
sub
diu
splendor
aquai

ponitur
,
extemplo
caelo
stellante
serena

sidera
respondent
in
aqua
radiantia
mundi
.
iamne
vides
igitur
quam
puncto
tempore
imago

aetheris
ex
oris
in
terrarum
accidat
oras
?
quare
etiam
atque
etiam
mitti
fateare
necessest

Besides, if those fine particles of things
Which from so deep within are sent abroad,
As light and heat of sun, are seen to glide
And spread themselves through all the space of heaven
Upon one instant of the day, and fly
O'er sea and lands and flood the heaven, what then
Of those which on the outside stand prepared,
When they're hurled off with not a thing to check
Their going out? Dost thou not see indeed
How swifter and how farther must they go
And speed through manifold the length of space
In time the same that from the sun the rays
O'erspread the heaven? This also seems to be
Example chief and true with what swift speed
The images of things are borne about:
That soon as ever under open skies
Is spread the shining water, all at once,
If stars be out in heaven, upgleam from earth,
Serene and radiant in the water there,
The constellations of the universe-
Now seest thou not in what a point of time
An image from the shores of ether falls
Unto the shores of earth? Wherefore, again,
And yet again, 'tis needful to confess
With wondrous...
. . . . . .
95
corpora
quae
feriant
oculos
visumque
lacessant
.
perpetuoque
fluunt
certis
ab
rebus
odores
,
frigus
ut
a
fluviis
,
calor
ab
sole
,
aestus
ab
undis

aequoris
,
exesor
moerorum
litora
circum
,
nec
variae
cessant
voces
volitare
per
auras
.
denique
in
os
salsi
venit
umor
saepe
saporis
,
cum
mare
versamur
propter
,
dilutaque
contra

cum
tuimur
misceri
absinthia
,
tangit
amaror
.
usque
adeo
omnibus
ab
rebus
res
quaeque
fluenter

fertur
et
in
cunctas
dimittitur
undique
partis

nec
mora
nec
requies
interdatur
ulla
fluendi
,
perpetuo
quoniam
sentimus
et
omnia
semper

cernere
odorari
licet
et
sentire
sonare
.
THE SENSES AND MENTAL PICTURES
Bodies that strike the eyes, awaking sight.
From certain things flow odours evermore,
As cold from rivers, heat from sun, and spray
From waves of ocean, eater-out of walls
Around the coasts. Nor ever cease to flit
The varied voices, sounds athrough the air.
Then too there comes into the mouth at times
The wet of a salt taste, when by the sea
We roam about; and so, whene'er we watch
The wormword being mixed, its bitter stings.
To such degree from all things is each thing
Borne streamingly along, and sent about
To every region round; and nature grants
Nor rest nor respite of the onward flow,
Since 'tis incessantly we feeling have,
And all the time are suffered to descry
And smell all things at hand, and hear them sound.
96
Praeterea
quoniam
manibus
tractata
figura

in
tenebris
quaedam
cognoscitur
esse
eadem
quae

cernitur
in
luce
et
claro
candore
,
necessest

consimili
causa
tactum
visumque
moveri
.
nunc
igitur
si
quadratum
temptamus
et
id
nos

commovet
in
tenebris
,
in
luci
quae
poterit
res

accidere
ad
speciem
quadrata
,
nisi
eius
imago
?
esse
in
imaginibus
qua
propter
causa
videtur

cernundi
neque
posse
sine
his
res
ulla
videri
.
Nunc
ea
quae
dico
rerum
simulacra
feruntur

undique
et
in
cunctas
iaciuntur
didita
partis
;
verum
nos
oculis
quia
solis
cernere
quimus
,
propterea
fit
uti
,
speciem
quo
vertimus
,
omnes

res
ibi
eam
contra
feriant
forma
atque
colore
.
et
quantum
quaeque
ab
nobis
res
absit
,
imago

efficit
ut
videamus
et
internoscere
curat
;
nam
cum
mittitur
,
extemplo
protrudit
agitque
aëra

qui
inter
se
cumque
est
oculosque
locatus
,
isque
ita
per
nostras
acies
perlabitur
omnis

et
quasi
perterget
pupillas
atque
ita
transit
.
propterea
fit
uti
videamus
quam
procul
absit

res
quaeque
.
et
quanto
plus
aëris
ante
agitatur

et
nostros
oculos
perterget
longior
aura
,
tam
procul
esse
magis
res
quaeque
remota
videtur
.
scilicet
haec
summe
celeri
ratione
geruntur
,
quale
sit
ut
videamus
,
et
una
quam
procul
absit
.
Illud
in
his
rebus
minime
mirabile
habendumst
,
cur
,
ea
quae
feriant
oculos
simulacra
videri

singula
cum
nequeant
,
res
ipsae
perspiciantur
.
ventus
enim
quoque
paulatim
cum
verberat
et
cum

acre
fluit
frigus
,
non
privam
quamque
solemus

particulam
venti
sentire
et
frigoris
eius
,
sed
magis
unorsum
,
fierique
perinde
videmus

corpore
tum
plagas
in
nostro
tam
quam
aliquae
res

verberet
atque
sui
det
sensum
corporis
extra
.
praeterea
lapidem
digito
cum
tundimus
,
ipsum

tangimus
extremum
saxi
summumque
colorem

nec
sentimus
eum
tactu
,
verum
magis
ipsam

duritiem
penitus
saxi
sentimus
in
alto
.

Besides, since shape examined by our hands
Within the dark is known to be the same
As that by eyes perceived within the light
And lustrous day, both touch and sight must be
By one like cause aroused. So, if we test
A square and get its stimulus on us
Within the dark, within the light what square
Can fall upon our sight, except a square
That images the things? Wherefore it seems
The source of seeing is in images,
Nor without these can anything be viewed.
Now these same films I name are borne about
And tossed and scattered into regions all.
But since we do perceive alone through eyes,
It follows hence that whitherso we turn
Our sight, all things do strike against it there
With form and hue. And just how far from us
Each thing may be away, the image yields
To us the power to see and chance to tell:
For when 'tis sent, at once it shoves ahead
And drives along the air that's in the space
Betwixt it and our eyes. And thus this air
All glides athrough our eyeballs, and, as 'twere,
Brushes athrough our pupils and thuswise
Passes across. Therefore it comes we see
How far from us each thing may be away,
And the more air there be that's driven before,
And too the longer be the brushing breeze
Against our eyes, the farther off removed
Each thing is seen to be: forsooth, this work
With mightily swift order all goes on,
So that upon one instant we may see
What kind the object and how far away.
Nor over-marvellous must this be deemed
In these affairs that, though the films which strike
Upon the eyes cannot be singly seen,
The things themselves may be perceived. For thus
When the wind beats upon us stroke by stroke
And when the sharp cold streams, 'tis not our wont
To feel each private particle of wind
Or of that cold, but rather all at once;
And so we see how blows affect our body,
As if one thing were beating on the same
And giving us the feel of its own body
Outside of us. Again, whene'er we thump
With finger-tip upon a stone, we touch
But the rock's surface and the outer hue,
Nor feel that hue by contact- rather feel
The very hardness deep within the rock.