For a text of the proem to Book 1, click HERE.

In the absence of a complete work of Ennius, Lucretius remains the greatest poetic innovator of Republican Rome-and the one most obviously indebted to Ennius. De rerum natura is a paradoxical text: it is an exposition of Epicurean physics (atomic motion in the first two books, the human being in 3-4 [including the soul and death in 3, dreams, sensation, and sex in 4], and human society and the world itself in 5-6), presented in a form (poetry) eschewed by Epicurus. He begins a poem designed in part to demonstrate, in good Epicurean fashion, the non-involvement of the gods in human affairs by a proem asking Venus for help. He composes an epic in relatively archaic style that has no heroes and no action-except for the action of atoms in the void. He combines very dry (and often difficult) philosophical proofs-more than 30 proofs of the mortality of the soul-with passages of extraordinary poetic power and imagery.

Fundamental questions about De rerum natura are still subject to debate: Lucretius' purpose, his audience, his relationship to the other powerful poetic strain of the 50s, neotericism, and more. What you need to ask yourself as you read DRN is a very basic question: what is this poet doing, and why? The readings that are assigned for this course are a small selection: the proem of books 1 and 3; a sample of Lucretius 'scientific' writing, and the diatribe on death at the end of book 3, arguably the earliest extant example of satire in Latin. If you have time, read more; and if you have time, read some Epicurus, if you never have, particularly the Letter to Herodotus and the Principal Sayings (Kuriai Doxai). They are widely available, and can probably even be found in the CU Library Electronic Texts website.

To offer a few more particular questions relevant to some of the passages you are reading:

1. What is the purpose of the hymn to Venus in the proem? What is L. asking her for?

2. What is L.'s relationship to Ennius? In particular, how does the image of Ennius he creates in the proem match what you know of Ennius himself?

3. What is L.'s attitude to participation in public life? The true Epicurean, we know, "will not take part in public life unless he is compelled by necessity". Why not? How does the proem of book 3 mesh with the proem of book 1?

4. How does the "Hymn to Death" at the end of book 3 work? Why should we not be afraid of death? How does L. use language to make his satirical point? You might want to compare Sosia's identity crisis in Amphitruo-or Gertrude Stein, "When you get there, there's no there there."

Bibliography:

I mention only four fairly recent books:

D. West, Imagery and Poetry of Lucretius (Edinburgh 1969), is a set of close stylistic readings of particular passages.

D. Clay, Lucretius and Epicurus (Ithaca, 1983) is probably the best general introduction to the poem, a careful reading of it as both philosophy and poetry.

M. Gale, Myth and Poetry in Lucretius (Cambridge, 1994) is an excellent study of L.'s use of myth, and of the relationship of DRN to the epic tradition.

D. Sedley, Lucretius and the Transformation of Greek Wisdom (Cambridge, 1998) is a detailed study of L.'s relationship to Empedocles and Epicurus. Not strong on poetry, but immensely learned about philosophy.