Lucretius
Roman poet and philosopher.
So much wrong could religion induce.
Lucretius, who follows [Epicurus] in denouncing love, sees no harm in sexual intercourse provided it is divorced from passion.
Omnis cum in tenebris praesertim vita laboret.
Cur non ut plenus vitae conviva recedis
aequo animoque capis securam, stulte, quietem?
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.
Ergo vivida vis pervicet et extra
processit longe flamentia moenia mundi
atque omne immensum peragravit mente animoque.
Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas.
Vitaque mancipio, nulli datur, omnibus usu.
Nequiquam, quoniam medio de fonte leporum
surgit amari aliquid quod in ipsis floribus angat.
Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum.
Nec prorsum vitam ducendo demimus hilum
tempore de mortis nec delibare valemus.
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.