Delphi Complete Works of Lucretius

by Titus Lucretius Carus

  Again if in order that living creatures may severally have sense, sense is to be assigned to their first-beginnings as well, what are we to say of those of which mankind is specifically made?

  Sure enough they burst into fits of shaking laughter and sprinkle with dewy tears face and cheeks and have the cunning to say much about the composition of things and to inquire next what their own first-beginnings are; since like in their natures to the entire mortals they must in their turn be formed out of other elements, then those others out of others, so that you can venture nowhere to come to a stop: yes, whatever you shall say speaks and laughs and thinks, I will press you with the argument that it is formed of other things performing these same acts.

  But if we see these notions to be sheer folly and madness, and a man may laugh though not made of laughing things, and think and reason in learned language though not formed of thoughtful and eloquent seeds, why cannot the things which we see to have sense, just as well be made up of a mixture of things altogether devoid of sense?

  Denique caelesti sumus omnes semine oriundi;

  omnibus ille idem pater est, unde alma liquentis

  umoris guttas mater cum terra recepit,

  feta parit nitidas fruges arbustaque laeta

  995 et genus humanum, parit omnia saecla ferarum,

  pabula cum praebet, quibus omnes corpora pascunt

  et dulcem ducunt vitam prolemque propagant;

  qua propter merito maternum nomen adepta est.

  cedit item retro, de terra quod fuit ante,

  1000 in terras, et quod missumst ex aetheris oris,

  id rursum caeli rellatum templa receptant.

  nec sic interemit mors res ut materiai

  corpora conficiat, sed coetum dissupat ollis;

  inde aliis aliud coniungit et efficit, omnis

  1005 res ut convertant formas mutentque colores

  et capiant sensus et puncto tempore reddant;

  ut noscas referre earum primordia rerum

  cum quibus et quali positura contineantur

  et quos inter se dent motus accipiantque,

  1010 neve putes aeterna penes residere potesse

  corpora prima quod in summis fluitare videmus

  rebus et interdum nasci subitoque perire.

  quin etiam refert nostris in versibus ipsis

  cum quibus et quali sint ordine quaeque locata;

  1015 namque eadem caelum mare terras flumina solem

  significant, eadem fruges arbusta animantis;

  si non omnia sunt, at multo maxima pars est

  consimilis; verum positura discrepitant res.

  sic ipsis in rebus item iam materiai

  1020 intervalla vias conexus pondera plagas

  concursus motus ordo positura figurae

  cum permutantur, mutari res quoque debent.

  Nunc animum nobis adhibe veram ad rationem.

  nam tibi vehementer nova res molitur ad auris

  1025 accedere et nova se species ostendere rerum.

  sed neque tam facilis res ulla est, quin ea primum

  difficilis magis ad credendum constet, itemque

  nil adeo magnum neque tam mirabile quicquam,

  quod non paulatim minuant mirarier omnes,

  1030 principio caeli clarum purumque colorem

  quaeque in se cohibet, palantia sidera passim,

  lunamque et solis praeclara luce nitorem;

  [990] Again we are all sprung from a heavenly seed, all have that same father, by whom mother earth the giver of increase, when she has taken in from him liquid drops of moisture, conceives and bears goodly crops and joyous trees and the race of man, bears all kinds of brute beasts, in that she supplies food with which all feed their bodies and lead a pleasant life and continue their race; wherefore with good cause she has gotten the name of mother.

  That also which before was from the earth, passes back into the earth, and that which was sent from the borders of ether, is carried back and taken in again by the quarters of heaven.

  Death does not extinguish things in such way as to destroy the bodies of matter, but only breaks up the union amongst them, and then joins anew the different elements with others; and thus it comes to pass that all things change their shapes and alter their colors and receive sensations and in a moment yield them up; so that from all this you may know it matters much with what others and in what position the same first-beginnings of things are held in union and what motions they do mutually impart and receive, and you must not suppose that that which we see floating about on the surface of things and now born, then at once perishing, can be a property inherent in everlasting first bodies.

  Nay in our verses themselves it matters much with what other elements and in what kind of order the several elements are placed.

  If not all, yet by far the greatest number are alike; but the totals composed of them are made to differ by the position of these elements.

  Thus in actual things, as well, when the clashings potions, arrangement, position and shapes of matter change about, the things must also change.

  Apply now, we entreat, your mind to true reason.

  For a new question struggles earnestly to gain your ears, a new aspect of things to display itself.

  But there is nothing so easy as not to be at first more difficult to believe than afterwards; and nothing, too so great, so marvelous, that all do not gradually abate their admiration of it.

  Look up at the bright and unsullied hue of heaven and the stars which it holds within it, wandering all about, and the moon and the sun’s light of dazzling brilliancy:

  omnia quae nunc si primum mortalibus essent

  ex improviso si sint obiecta repente,

  1035 quid magis his rebus poterat mirabile dici,

  aut minus ante quod auderent fore credere gentes?

  nil, ut opinor; ita haec species miranda fuisset.

  quam tibi iam nemo fessus satiate videndi,

  suspicere in caeli dignatur lucida templa.

  1040 desine qua propter novitate exterritus ipsa

  expuere ex animo rationem, sed magis acri

  iudicio perpende, et si tibi vera videntur,

  dede manus, aut, si falsum est, accingere contra.

  quaerit enim rationem animus, cum summa loci sit

  1045 infinita foris haec extra moenia mundi,

  quid sit ibi porro, quo prospicere usque velit mens

  atque animi iactus liber quo pervolet ipse.

  Principio nobis in cunctas undique partis

  et latere ex utroque supra supterque per omne

  1050 nulla est finis; uti docui, res ipsaque per se

  vociferatur, et elucet natura profundi.

  nullo iam pacto veri simile esse putandumst,

  undique cum vorsum spatium vacet infinitum

  seminaque innumero numero summaque profunda

  1055 multimodis volitent aeterno percita motu,

  hunc unum terrarum orbem caelumque creatum,

  nil agere illa foris tot corpora materiai;

  cum praesertim hic sit natura factus et ipsa

  sponte sua forte offensando semina rerum

  1060 multimodis temere in cassum frustraque coacta

  tandem coluerunt ea quae coniecta repente

  magnarum rerum fierent exordia semper,

  terrai maris et caeli generisque animantum.

  quare etiam atque etiam talis fateare necesse est

  1065 esse alios alibi congressus materiai,

  qualis hic est, avido complexu quem tenet aether.

  Praeterea cum materies est multa parata,

  cum locus est praesto nec res nec causa moratur

  ulla, geri debent ni mirum et confieri res.

  1070 nunc et seminibus si tanta est copia, quantam

  enumerare aetas animantum non queat omnis,

  quis eadem natura manet, quae semina rerum

  conicere in loca quaeque queat simili ratione

  atque huc sunt coniecta, necesse est confiteare

&nb
sp; 1075 esse alios aliis terrarum in partibus orbis

  et varias hominum gentis et saecla ferarum.

  [1032] if all these things were now for the first time, if I say they were now suddenly presented to mortals beyond all expectation, what could have been named that would be more marvelous than these things, or that nations beforehand would less venture to believe could be?

  Nothing, methinks: so wondrous strange had been this sight.

  Yet how little, you know, wearied as all are to satiety with seeing, any one now cares to look up into heaven’s glittering quarters! Cease therefore to be dismayed by the mere novelty and so to reject reason from your mind with loathing: weigh the questions rather with keen judgment and if they seem to you to be true, surrender, or if they are a falsehood, gird yourself to the encounter.

  For since the sum of space is unlimited outside beyond these walls of the world, the mind seeks to apprehend what there is yonder there, to which the spirit ever yearns to look forward, and to which the mind’s emission reaches in free and unembarrassed flight.

  In the first place we see that round in all directions, about above and underneath, throughout the universe there is no bound, as I have shown and as the thing of itself proclaims with loud voice and as clearly shines out in the nature of bottomless space.

  In no wise then can it be deemed probable, when space yawns illimitable towards all points and seeds in number numberless and sum unfathomable fly about in manifold ways driven on in ceaseless motion, that this single earth and heaven have been brought into being, that those bodies of matter so many in number do nothing outside them; the more so that this world has been made by nature, just as the seeds of things have chanced spontaneously to clash, after being brought together in manifold wise without purpose, without foresight, without result, and at last have filtered through such seeds as, suddenly thrown together, were fitted to become on each occasion the rudiments of great things, of earth sea and heaven and the race of living things.

  Wherefore again and again I say you must admit that there are elsewhere other combinations of matter like to this with ether holds in its greedy grasp.

  Again when much matter is at hand, when room is there and there is no thing, no cause to hinder, things sure enough must go on and be completed.

  Well, then, if on the one hand there is so great a store of seeds as the whole life of living creatures cannot reckon up, and if the same force and nature abide in them and have the power to throw the seeds of things together into their several places in the same way as they are thrown together into our world, you must admit that in other parts of space there -are other earths and various races of men and kinds of wild beasts.

  Huc accedit ut in summa res nulla sit una,

  unica quae gignatur et unica solaque crescat,

  quin aliquoius siet saecli permultaque eodem

  1080 sint genere. in primis animalibus indice mente

  invenies sic montivagum genus esse ferarum,

  sic hominum geminam prolem, sic denique mutas

  squamigerum pecudes et corpora cuncta volantum.

  qua propter caelum simili ratione fatendumst

  1085 terramque et solem, lunam mare cetera quae sunt,

  non esse unica, sed numero magis innumerali;

  quando quidem vitae depactus terminus alte

  tam manet haec et tam nativo corpore constant

  quam genus omne, quod his generatimst rebus abundans.

  1090 Quae bene cognita si teneas, natura videtur

  libera continuo, dominis privata superbis,

  ipsa sua per se sponte omnia dis agere expers.

  nam pro sancta deum tranquilla pectora pace

  quae placidum degunt aevom vitamque serenam,

  1095 quis regere immensi summam, quis habere profundi

  indu manu validas potis est moderanter habenas,

  quis pariter caelos omnis convertere et omnis

  ignibus aetheriis terras suffire feracis,

  omnibus inve locis esse omni tempore praesto,

  1100 nubibus ut tenebras faciat caelique serena

  concutiat sonitu, tum fulmina mittat et aedis

  saepe suas disturbet et in deserta recedens

  saeviat exercens telum, quod saepe nocentes

  praeterit exanimatque indignos inque merentes?

  1105 Multaque post mundi tempus genitale diemque

  primigenum maris et terrae solisque coortum

  addita corpora sunt extrinsecus, addita circum

  semina, quae magnum iaculando contulit omne,

  unde mare et terrae possent augescere et unde

  1110 appareret spatium caeli domus altaque tecta

  tolleret a terris procul et consurgeret aer.

  [1077] Moreover in the sum of all there is no one thing which is begotten single in its kind and grows up single and sole of its kind; but a thing always belongs to some class and there are many other things in the same kind.

  First, in the case of living things, most noble Memmius, you will find that in this sort has been begotten the mountain-ranging race of wild beasts, in this sort the breed of men, in this sort too the mute shoals of scaly creatures and all bodies of fowls.

  Therefore on a like principle you must admit that earth, and sun, moon, sea, and all things else that are, are not single in their kind, but rather in number past numbering; since the deep-set boundary-mark of life just as much awaits these and they are just as much of a body that had birth, as any class of things which here on earth abounds in samples of its kind.

  If you well apprehend and keep in mind these things, nature free at once and rid of her haughty lords is seen to do all things spontaneously of herself without the meddling of the gods.

  For I appeal to the holy breasts of the gods who in tranquil peace pass a calm time and an unruffled existence, who can rule the sum, who can hold in his hand with controlling force the strong reins, of the immeasurable deep?

  Who can at once make all the different heavens to roll and warm with ethereal fires all the fruitful earths, or be present in all places at all times, to bring darkness with clouds and shake with noise the heaven’s serene expanse, to hurl lightnings and often throw down his own temples, and withdrawing into the deserts there to spend his rage in practicing his bolt which often passes the guilty by and strikes dead the innocent and unoffending?

  And since the birth-time of the world and first day of being to sea and earth and the formation of the sun many bodies have been added from without, many seeds added all round, which the great universe in tossing to and fro has contributed; that from them the sea and lands might increase and from them heaven’s mansion might enlarge its expanse and raise its high vaults far above earth, and that air might rise up around.

  nam sua cuique, locis ex omnibus, omnia plagis

  corpora distribuuntur et ad sua saecla recedunt,

  umor ad umorem, terreno corpore terra

  1115 crescit et ignem ignes procudunt aetheraque aether,

  donique ad extremum crescendi perfica finem

  omnia perduxit rerum natura creatrix;

  ut fit ubi nihilo iam plus est quod datur intra

  vitalis venas quam quod fluit atque recedit.

  1120 omnibus hic aetas debet consistere rebus,

  hic natura suis refrenat viribus auctum.

  nam quae cumque vides hilaro grandescere adauctu

  paulatimque gradus aetatis scandere adultae,

  plura sibi adsumunt quam de se corpora mittunt,

  1125 dum facile in venas cibus omnis inditur et dum

  non ita sunt late dispessa, ut multa remittant

  et plus dispendi faciant quam vescitur aetas.

  nam certe fluere atque recedere corpora rebus

  multa manus dandum est; sed plura accedere debent,

  1130 donec alescendi summum tetigere cacumen.

  inde minutatim vires et robur adultum

  frangit et in partem peiorem liquitur aetas.

  quippe etenim quanto est res ampli
or, augmine adempto,

  et quo latior est, in cunctas undique partis

  1135 plura modo dispargit et a se corpora mittit,

  nec facile in venas cibus omnis diditur ei

  nec satis est, pro quam largos exaestuat aestus,

  unde queat tantum suboriri ac subpeditare.

  iure igitur pereunt, cum rarefacta fluendo

  1140 sunt et cum externis succumbunt omnia plagis,

  quando quidem grandi cibus aevo denique defit,

  nec tuditantia rem cessant extrinsecus ullam

  corpora conficere et plagis infesta domare.

  Sic igitur magni quoque circum moenia mundi

  1145 expugnata dabunt labem putrisque ruinas;

  omnia debet enim cibus integrare novando

  et fulcire cibus, cibus omnia sustentare,

  ne quiquam, quoniam nec venae perpetiuntur

  quod satis est, neque quantum opus est natura ministrat.

  1150 Iamque adeo fracta est aetas effetaque tellus

  vix animalia parva creat, quae cuncta creavit

  saecla deditque ferarum ingentia corpora partu.

  [1111] For all bodies from all quarters are assigned by blows each to its appropriate thing and all withdraw to their proper classes; moisture passes to moisture, from an earthy body earth increases and fires forge fires and ether ether, until nature parent of things with finishing hand has brought all things on to their utmost limit of growth.

  And this comes to pass when that which is infused into the life-arteries is no more than that which ebbs from them and withdraws: at this point the life-growth in all things must stop, at this point nature by her powers checks further increase.

  For whatever things you see grow in size with joyous increase and mount by successive steps to mature age, take to themselves more bodies than they discharge from themselves, while food is readily infused into all the arteries and the things are not so widely spread out as to throw off many particles and occasion more waste than their age can take in as nourishment.