Lucretius
Roman poet and philosopher.
Stilicidi casus lapidem cavat, uncus aratri.
Nam veluti pueri trepidant atque omnia caecis
in tenebris metuunt, sic nos in luce timemus
interdum, nilo quae sunt metuenda magis quam
quae pueri in tenebris pavitant finguntque futura.
hunc igitur terrorem animi tenebrasque necessest
non radii solis neque lucida tela diei
discutiant sed naturae species ratioque.
Nec prorsum vitam ducendo demimus hilum
tempore de mortis nec delibare valemus.
Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum.
Nequiquam, quoniam medio de fonte leporum
surgit amari aliquid quod in ipsis floribus angat.
Vitaque mancipio, nulli datur, omnibus usu.
Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas.
Ergo vivida vis pervicet et extra
processit longe flamentia moenia mundi
atque omne immensum peragravit mente animoque.
Lucretius was passionate, and much more in need of exhortations to prudence than Epicurus was. He committed suicide, and appears to have suffered from periodic insanity – brought on, so some averred, by the pains of love or the unintended effects of a love philtre.
Cur non ut plenus vitae conviva recedis
aequo animoque capis securam, stulte, quietem?
Omnis cum in tenebris praesertim vita laboret.
Lucretius, who follows [Epicurus] in denouncing love, sees no harm in sexual intercourse provided it is divorced from passion.
So much wrong could religion induce.
Ut quod ali cibus est aliis fuat acre venenum.
Nequeunt oculis rerum primordia cerni.
From the midst of the fountain of delights rises something bitter that chokes them all amongst the flowers.
Infidi maris insidis virisque dolumque
ut vitare velint, neve ullo tempore credant
subdola cum ridet placidi pellacia ponti.
Omnia qua propter debent per inane quietum
aeque ponderibus non aequis concita ferri.
All religions are equally sublime to the ignorant, useful to the politician, and ridiculous to the philosopher.
Circumretit enim vis atque iniuria quemque,
atque, unde exortast, at eum plerumque revertit.