Wednesday, June 23, 2004
The Epicurean
by guest poster Lucretius, an atomist
The Nature of Things
1.548
Atoms, then, are of solid single substance;
no other way would they have been preserved
till now, through endless time, to build new things.
3.227
Thus you may know the substance of the mind
and soul, I insist, is formed of most minute
atoms, for, slipping away, it steals no weight.
3.743
For a faulty logic claims the soul immortal,
yet has it adapted itself to change of body;
for all that is changed, breaks up and therefore dies.
For the parts are shuffled and their order altered;
hence they can be dispersed throughout the body
and all, with the body, in the end must die.
But if they say that human souls pass always
into human bodies, I'll yet ask why the wise
may become the fool, why no child is sagacious.
|
The Nature of Things
1.548
Atoms, then, are of solid single substance;
no other way would they have been preserved
till now, through endless time, to build new things.
3.227
Thus you may know the substance of the mind
and soul, I insist, is formed of most minute
atoms, for, slipping away, it steals no weight.
3.743
For a faulty logic claims the soul immortal,
yet has it adapted itself to change of body;
for all that is changed, breaks up and therefore dies.
For the parts are shuffled and their order altered;
hence they can be dispersed throughout the body
and all, with the body, in the end must die.
But if they say that human souls pass always
into human bodies, I'll yet ask why the wise
may become the fool, why no child is sagacious.
|
