ON THE NATURE OF THINGS

The Roman Lucretius was a follower of Epicurus, who taught that knowledge, fraternity, and the practice of virtue lead to the greatest pleasures in life—tranquility and security. Lucretius set forth his interpretation of this philosophy in his only known writing, DE RERUM NATURA, or ON THE NATURE OF THINGS. It seems modern in its materialism, disdain of superstition, and trust in science but remote in its phrasing and versification—for it is not only a treatise but a poem. Narrator Hugh Ross goes to great lengths to bring his considerable expressive power to bear on the meaning of the lines but falls short on the poetry. The graceless translation by Canadian scholar Ian Johnston does not help. Y.R. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2011]