On the Nature of Things

On the Nature of Things (De Rerum Natura) is the great philosophical poem of Lucretius (c.99-c.55 BC), who set out the Epicurean vision of a universe made of atoms moving in the void, free of the meddling of gods and the fear of death. Lost for centuries and rediscovered in 1417, the poem helped spark the Renaissance and modern science with its startlingly prescient materialism. It remains one of the most influential and beautiful works of ancient thought. Free PDF download available on BDeBooks.