'Therefore this terror and darkness of the mind Not by the sun's rays, nor the bright shafts of day, Must be dispersed, as is most necessary, But by the face of nature and her laws.' Lucretius' poem On the Nature of the Universe combines a scientific and philosophical treatise with some of the greatest poetry ever written. With intense moral fervour Lucretius demonstrates to humanity that in death there is nothing to fear since the soul is mortal, and the world and everything in it is governed not by the gods, but by the mechanical laws of nature. By believing this, men can live in peace of mind and happiness. Lucretius bases his argument on the atomic theory expounded by the Greek philosopher Epicurus. His poem explores sensation, sex, cosmology, meteorology, and geology through acute observation of the beauties of the natural world and with moving sympathy for man's place in it. Sir Ronald Melville's accessible and accurate verse translation is complemented by an introduction and notes situating Lucretius' scientific theories within the thought of 1st century BCE Rome and discussing the Epicurean philosophy that was his inspiration and why the issues Lucretius' poem raisies about the scientific and poetical views of the world continue to be important. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

卢克莱修(Lucretius，Carus约前99～前55)古罗马诗人、哲学家。他继承古代原子学说，特别是阐述并发展了伊壁鸠鲁的哲学观点。认为物质的存在是永恒的，提出了“无物能由无中生，无物能归于无”的唯物主义观点。反对神创论，认为宇宙是无限的，有其自然发展的过程，人们只要懂得了自然现象发生的真正原因，宗教偏见便可消失。承认世界的可知性，认为感觉是事物流射出来的影像作用于人的感官的结果，是一切认识的基础和来源，驳斥了怀疑论。认为幸福在于摆脱对神和死亡的恐惧，得到精神的安宁和心情的恬静。著有哲学长诗《物性论》。