On the Nature of Things (Watson translation)


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(4.2 stars; 18 reviews)

Written in the first century b.C., On the Nature of Things (in Latin, De Rerum Natura) is a poem in six books that aims at explaining the Epicurean philosophy to the Roman audience. Among digressions about the importance of philosophy in men's life and praises of Epicurus, Lucretius created a solid treatise on the atomic theory, the falseness of religion and many kinds of natural phenomena. With no harm to his philosophical scope, the author composed a didactic poem of epic flavor, of which the imagery and style are highly praised. (Summary by Leni) (10 hr 55 min)

Chapters

00 - Preface and Remarks on the life and poem of Lucretius 47:52 Read by Leni
01 - Book I, pt 1 - Invocation and Dedication of the poem. Praise of Epicurus. … 36:30 Read by Leni
02 - Book I, pt 2 - Time doesn’t have a real existence. Atoms are solid and ind… 29:54 Read by Leni
03 - Book 1, pt 3 - Attack on the theory of Anaxagoras. The universe is boundle… 21:56 Read by Leni
04 - Book 2, pt 1 - Praise of philosophy. Properties of the atoms: weight, comb… 14:26 Read by ravenotation
05 - Book 2, pt 2 - Attack on those who refuse the theories of Epicurus. Proper… 35:11 Read by ravenotation
06 - Book 2, pt 3 - Compound bodies contain atoms of different figures. The inf… 52:58 Read by ravenotation
07 - Book 3, pt 1 - Eulogy of Epicurus. Denial of divine power over the world. … 18:13 Read by Anna Simon
08 - Book 3, pt 2 - The substance of the mind and the soul. The soul and the bo… 47:08 Read by Anna Simon
09 - Book 3, pt 3 - Death is the end of man, and nothing should be feared after… 20:56 Read by Anna Simon
10 - Book 4, pt 1 - Theory of image. Vision is produced by the impact of images… 50:41 Read by Disego
11 - Book 4, pt 2 - Other senses: sound, taste and odor. Imagination and though… 32:01 Read by Disego
12 - Book 4, pt 3 - Motion in animals and motion in images. Sleep and causes of… 35:07 Read by Disego
13 - Book 5, pt 1 - Praise of Epicurus. The world is not eternal. Heavenly bodi… 30:07 Read by Corpang
14 - Book 5, pt 2 - Cosmogony according to Epicurus. Causes of the motions of h… 42:35 Read by mwharr
15 - Book 5, pt 3 - The rudeness of the early life of men. The invention of spe… 34:12 Read by Nathan
16 - Book 6, pt 1 - Panegyric on Athens. Meteoric appearances in the heaven. Ca… 35:12 Read by Leni
17 - Book 6, pt. 2 - Origin of water-spouts, clouds, rain, rainbow, earthquakes… 31:57 Read by Anna Simon
18 - Book 6, pt. 3 - About the temperature of waters. About magnets and why met… 38:28 Read by Philippa

Reviews

Hard Work but a Must Read


(4 stars)

Really interesting from the view of thought from so long ago, but full of a lot of language that just doesn't mean much any more. Maybe it's all a bit beyond me.

Well read


(5 stars)

Most of it is not really interesting nowadays philosophically or poetically, but it is well read

Thank you!


(5 stars)

Thank you for this recording!