De Rerum Natura |
Translator: William Ellery Leonard
|
|
| 161 |
Inque dies magis hi victum vitamque priorem commutare novis monstrabant rebus et igni , ingenio qui praestabant et corde vigebant . condere coeperunt urbis arcemque locare praesidium reges ipsi sibi perfugiumque , et pecudes et agros divisere atque dedere pro facie cuiusque et viribus ingenioque ; nam facies multum valuit viresque vigebant . posterius res inventast aurumque repertum , quod facile et validis et pulchris dempsit honorem ; divitioris enim sectam plerumque secuntur quam lubet et fortes et pulchro corpore creti . quod siquis vera vitam ratione gubernet , divitiae grandes homini sunt vivere parce aequo animo ; neque enim est umquam penuria parvi . at claros homines voluerunt se atque potentes , ut fundamento stabili fortuna maneret et placidam possent opulenti degere vitam , ne quiquam , quoniam ad summum succedere honorem certantes iter infestum fecere viai , et tamen e summo , quasi fulmen , deicit ictos invidia inter dum contemptim in Tartara taetra ; invidia quoniam ceu fulmine summa vaporant plerumque et quae sunt aliis magis edita cumque ; ut satius multo iam sit parere quietum quam regere imperio res velle et regna tenere . proinde sine in cassum defessi sanguine sudent , angustum per iter luctantes ambitionis ; quandoquidem sapiunt alieno ex ore petuntque res ex auditis potius quam sensibus ipsis , nec magis id nunc est neque erit mox quam fuit ante .
|
And more and more each day Would men more strong in sense, more wise in heart, Teach them to change their earlier mode and life By fire and new devices. Kings began Cities to found and citadels to set, As strongholds and asylums for themselves, And flocks and fields to portion for each man After the beauty, strength, and sense of each- For beauty then imported much, and strength Had its own rights supreme. Thereafter, wealth Discovered was, and gold was brought to light, Which soon of honour stripped both strong and fair; For men, however beautiful in form Or valorous, will follow in the main The rich man's party. Yet were man to steer His life by sounder reasoning, he'd own Abounding riches, if with mind content He lived by thrift; for never, as I guess, Is there a lack of little in the world. But men wished glory for themselves and power Even that their fortunes on foundations firm Might rest forever, and that they themselves, The opulent, might pass a quiet life- In vain, in vain; since, in the strife to climb On to the heights of honour, men do make Their pathway terrible; and even when once They reach them, envy like the thunderbolt At times will smite, O hurling headlong down To murkiest Tartarus, in scorn; for, lo, All summits, all regions loftier than the rest, Smoke, blasted as by envy's thunderbolts; So better far in quiet to obey, Than to desire chief mastery of affairs And ownership of empires. Be it so; And let the weary sweat their life-blood out All to no end, battling in hate along The narrow path of man's ambition; Since all their wisdom is from others' lips, And all they seek is known from what they've heard And less from what they've thought. Nor is this folly Greater to-day, nor greater soon to be, Than' twas of old. |
| 162 |
Ergo regibus occisis subversa iacebat pristina maiestas soliorum et sceptra superba , et capitis summi praeclarum insigne cruentum sub pedibus vulgi magnum lugebat honorem ; nam cupide conculcatur nimis ante metutum . res itaque ad summam faecem turbasque redibat , imperium sibi cum ac summatum quisque petebat . inde magistratum partim docuere creare iuraque constituere , ut vellent legibus uti . nam genus humanum , defessum vi colere aevom , ex inimicitiis languebat ; quo magis ipsum sponte sua cecidit sub leges artaque iura . acrius ex ira quod enim se quisque parabat ulcisci quam nunc concessumst legibus aequis , hanc ob rem est homines pertaesum vi colere aevom . inde metus maculat poenarum praemia vitae . circumretit enim vis atque iniuria quemque atque unde exortast , ad eum plerumque revertit , nec facilest placidam ac pacatam degere vitam qui violat factis communia foedera pacis . etsi fallit enim divom genus humanumque , perpetuo tamen id fore clam diffidere debet ; quippe ubi se multi per somnia saepe loquentes aut morbo delirantes protraxe ferantur et celata in medium et peccata dedisse .
|
And therefore kings were slain, And pristine majesty of golden thrones And haughty sceptres lay o'erturned in dust; And crowns, so splendid on the sovereign heads, Soon bloody under the proletarian feet, Groaned for their glories gone- for erst o'er-much Dreaded, thereafter with more greedy zest Trampled beneath the rabble heel. Thus things Down to the vilest lees of brawling mobs Succumbed, whilst each man sought unto himself Dominion and supremacy. So next Some wiser heads instructed men to found The magisterial office, and did frame Codes that they might consent to follow laws. For humankind, o'er wearied with a life Fostered by force, was ailing from its feuds; And so the sooner of its own free will Yielded to laws and strictest codes. For since Each hand made ready in its wrath to take A vengeance fiercer than by man's fair laws Is now conceded, men on this account Loathed the old life fostered by force. 'Tis thence That fear of punishments defiles each prize Of wicked days; for force and fraud ensnare Each man around, and in the main recoil On him from whence they sprung. Not easy 'tis For one who violates by ugly deeds The bonds of common peace to pass a life Composed and tranquil. For albeit he 'scape The race of gods and men, he yet must dread 'Twill not be hid forever- since, indeed, So many, oft babbling on amid their dreams Or raving in sickness, have betrayed themselves (As stories tell) and published at last Old secrets and the sins. |
| 163 |
Nunc quae causa deum per magnas numina gentis pervulgarit et ararum compleverit urbis suscipiendaque curarit sollemnia sacra , quae nunc in magnis florent sacra rebus locisque , unde etiam nunc est mortalibus insitus horror , qui delubra deum nova toto suscitat orbi terrarum et festis cogit celebrare diebus , non ita difficilest rationem reddere verbis . quippe etenim iam tum divom mortalia saecla egregias animo facies vigilante videbant et magis in somnis mirando corporis auctu . his igitur sensum tribuebant propterea quod membra movere videbantur vocesque superbas mittere pro facie praeclara et viribus amplis . aeternamque dabant vitam , quia semper eorum subpeditabatur facies et forma manebat , et tamen omnino quod tantis viribus auctos non temere ulla vi convinci posse putabant . fortunisque ideo longe praestare putabant , quod mortis timor haut quemquam vexaret eorum , et simul in somnis quia multa et mira videbant efficere et nullum capere ipsos inde laborem . praeterea caeli rationes ordine certo et varia annorum cernebant tempora verti nec poterant quibus id fieret cognoscere causis . ergo perfugium sibi habebant omnia divis tradere et illorum nutu facere omnia flecti . in caeloque deum sedes et templa locarunt , per caelum volvi quia nox et luna videtur , luna dies et nox et noctis signa severa noctivagaeque faces caeli flammaeque volantes , nubila sol imbres nix venti fulmina grando et rapidi fremitus et murmura magna minarum .
|
And now what cause Hath spread divinities of gods abroad Through mighty nations, and filled the cities full Of the high altars, and led to practices Of solemn rites in season- rites which still Flourish in midst of great affairs of state And midst great centres of man's civic life, The rites whence still a poor mortality Is grafted that quaking awe which rears aloft Still the new temples of gods from land to land And drives mankind to visit them in throngs On holy days- 'tis not so hard to give Reason thereof in speech. Because, in sooth, Even in those days would the race of man Be seeing excelling visages of gods With mind awake; and in his sleeps, yet more- Bodies of wondrous growth. And, thus, to these Would men attribute sense, because they seemed To move their limbs and speak pronouncements high, Befitting glorious visage and vast powers. And men would give them an eternal life, Because their visages forevermore Were there before them, and their shapes remained, And chiefly, however, because men would not think Beings augmented with such mighty powers Could well by any force o'ermastered be. And men would think them in their happiness Excelling far, because the fear of death Vexed no one of them at all, and since At same time in men's sleeps men saw them do So many wonders, and yet feel therefrom Themselves no weariness. Besides, men marked How in a fixed order rolled around The systems of the sky, and changed times Of annual seasons, nor were able then To know thereof the causes. Therefore 'twas Men would take refuge in consigning all Unto divinities, and in feigning all Was guided by their nod. And in the sky They set the seats and vaults of gods, because Across the sky night and the moon are seen To roll along- moon, day, and night, and night's Old awesome constellations evermore, And the night-wandering fireballs of the sky, And flying flames, clouds, and the sun, the rains, Snow and the winds, the lightnings, and the hail, And the swift rumblings, and the hollow roar Of mighty menacings forevermore. |
| 164 |
O genus infelix humanum , talia divis cum tribuit facta atque iras adiunxit acerbas ! quantos tum gemitus ipsi sibi , quantaque nobis volnera , quas lacrimas peperere minoribus nostris ! nec pietas ullast velatum saepe videri vertier ad lapidem atque omnis accedere ad aras nec procumbere humi prostratum et pandere palmas ante deum delubra nec aras sanguine multo spargere quadrupedum nec votis nectere vota , sed mage pacata posse omnia mente tueri . nam cum suspicimus magni caelestia mundi templa super stellisque micantibus aethera fixum , et venit in mentem solis lunaeque viarum , tunc aliis oppressa malis in pectora cura illa quoque expergefactum caput erigere infit , ne quae forte deum nobis inmensa potestas sit , vario motu quae candida sidera verset ; temptat enim dubiam mentem rationis egestas , ecquae nam fuerit mundi genitalis origo , et simul ecquae sit finis , quoad moenia mundi et taciti motus hunc possint ferre laborem , an divinitus aeterna donata salute perpetuo possint aevi labentia tractu inmensi validas aevi contemnere viris . praeterea cui non animus formidine divum contrahitur , cui non correpunt membra pavore , fulminis horribili cum plaga torrida tellus contremit et magnum percurrunt murmura caelum ? non populi gentesque tremunt , regesque superbi corripiunt divum percussi membra timore , ne quod ob admissum foede dictumve superbe poenarum grave sit solvendi tempus adauctum ? summa etiam cum vis violenti per mare venti induperatorem classis super aequora verrit cum validis pariter legionibus atque elephantis , non divom pacem votis adit ac prece quaesit ventorum pavidus paces animasque secundas ? ne quiquam , quoniam violento turbine saepe correptus nihilo fertur minus ad vada leti . usque adeo res humanas vis abdita quaedam opterit et pulchros fascis saevasque secures proculcare ac ludibrio sibi habere videtur . denique sub pedibus tellus cum tota vacillat concussaeque cadunt urbes dubiaeque minantur , quid mirum si se temnunt mortalia saecla atque potestatis magnas mirasque relinquunt in rebus viris divum , quae cuncta gubernent ?
|
O humankind unhappy!- when it ascribed Unto divinities such awesome deeds, And coupled thereto rigours of fierce wrath! What groans did men on that sad day beget Even for themselves, and O what wounds for us, What tears for our children's children! Nor, O man, Is thy true piety in this: with head Under the veil, still to be seen to turn Fronting a stone, and ever to approach Unto all altars; nor so prone on earth Forward to fall, to spread upturned palms Before the shrines of gods, nor yet to dew Altars with profuse blood of four-foot beasts, Nor vows with vows to link. But rather this: To look on all things with a master eye And mind at peace. For when we gaze aloft Upon the skiey vaults of yon great world And ether, fixed high o'er twinkling stars, And into our thought there come the journeyings Of sun and moon, O then into our breasts, O'erburdened already with their other ills, Begins forthwith to rear its sudden head One more misgiving: lest o'er us, percase, It be the gods' immeasurable power That rolls, with varied motion, round and round The far white constellations. For the lack Of aught of reasons tries the puzzled mind: Whether was ever a birth-time of the world, And whether, likewise, any end shall be How far the ramparts of the world can still Outstand this strain of ever-roused motion, Or whether, divinely with eternal weal Endowed, they can through endless tracts of age Glide on, defying the o'er-mighty powers Of the immeasurable ages. Lo, What man is there whose mind with dread of gods Cringes not close, whose limbs with terror-spell Crouch not together, when the parched earth Quakes with the horrible thunderbolt amain, And across the mighty sky the rumblings run? Do not the peoples and the nations shake, And haughty kings do they not hug their limbs, Strook through with fear of the divinities, Lest for aught foully done or madly said The heavy time be now at hand to pay? When, too, fierce force of fury-winds at sea Sweepeth a navy's admiral down the main With his stout legions and his elephants, Doth he not seek the peace of gods with vows, And beg in prayer, a-tremble, lulled winds And friendly gales?- in vain, since, often up-caught In fury-cyclones, is he borne along, For all his mouthings, to the shoals of doom. Ah, so irrevocably some hidden power Betramples forevermore affairs of men, And visibly grindeth with its heel in mire The lictors' glorious rods and axes dire, Having them in derision! Again, when earth From end to end is rocking under foot, And shaken cities ruin down, or threaten Upon the verge, what wonder is it then That mortal generations abase themselves, And unto gods in all affairs of earth Assign as last resort almighty powers And wondrous energies to govern all? |
| 165 |
Quod super est , aeque aurum ferrumque repertumst et simul argenti pondus plumbique potestas , ignis ubi ingentis silvas ardore cremarat montibus in magnis , seu caelo fulmine misso , sive quod inter se bellum silvestre gerentes hostibus intulerant ignem formidinis ergo , sive quod inducti terrae bonitate volebant pandere agros pinguis et pascua reddere rura , sive feras interficere et ditescere praeda ; nam fovea atque igni prius est venarier ortum quam saepire plagis saltum canibusque ciere . quicquid id est , qua cumque e causa flammeus ardor horribili sonitu silvas exederat altis a radicibus et terram percoxerat igni , manabat venis ferventibus in loca terrae concava conveniens argenti rivus et auri , aeris item et plumbi . quae cum concreta videbant posterius claro in terra splendere colore , tollebant nitido capti levique lepore , et simili formata videbant esse figura atque lacunarum fuerant vestigia cuique . tum penetrabat eos posse haec liquefacta calore quamlibet in formam et faciem decurrere rerum , et prorsum quamvis in acuta ac tenvia posse mucronum duci fastigia procudendo , ut sibi tela parent silvasque ut caedere possint materiemque dolare et levia radere tigna et terebrare etiam ac pertundere perque forare . nec minus argento facere haec auroque parabant quam validi primum violentis viribus aeris , ne quiquam , quoniam cedebat victa potestas nec poterant pariter durum sufferre laborem . nam fuit in pretio magis aes aurumque iacebat propter inutilitatem hebeti mucrone retusum ; nunc iacet aes , aurum in summum successit honorem . sic volvenda aetas commutat tempora rerum . quod fuit in pretio , fit nullo denique honore ; porro aliud succedit et contemptibus exit inque dies magis adpetitur floretque repertum laudibus et miro est mortalis inter honore .
|
Now for the rest: copper and gold and iron Discovered were, and with them silver's weight And power of lead, when with prodigious heat The conflagrations burned the forest trees Among the mighty mountains, by a bolt Of lightning from the sky, or else because Men, warring in the woodlands, on their foes Had hurled fire to frighten and dismay, Or yet because, by goodness of the soil Invited, men desired to clear rich fields And turn the countryside to pasture-lands, Or slay the wild and thrive upon the spoils. (For hunting by pit-fall and by fire arose Before the art of hedging the covert round With net or stirring it with dogs of chase.) Howso the fact, and from what cause soever The flamy heat with awful crack and roar Had there devoured to their deepest roots The forest trees and baked the earth with fire, Then from the boiling veins began to ooze O rivulets of silver and of gold, Of lead and copper too, collecting soon Into the hollow places of the ground. And when men saw the cooled lumps anon To shine with splendour-sheen upon the ground, Much taken with that lustrous smooth delight, They 'gan to pry them out, and saw how each Had got a shape like to its earthy mould. Then would it enter their heads how these same lumps, If melted by heat, could into any form Or figure of things be run, and how, again, If hammered out, they could be nicely drawn To sharpest points or finest edge, and thus Yield to the forgers tools and give them power To chop the forest down, to hew the logs, To shave the beams and planks, besides to bore And punch and drill. And men began such work At first as much with tools of silver and gold As with the impetuous strength of the stout copper; But vainly- since their over-mastered power Would soon give way, unable to endure, Like copper, such hard labour. In those days Copper it was that was the thing of price; And gold lay useless, blunted with dull edge. Now lies the copper low, and gold hath come Unto the loftiest honours. Thus it is That rolling ages change the times of things: What erst was of a price, becomes at last A discard of no honour; whilst another Succeeds to glory, issuing from contempt, And day by day is sought for more and more, And, when 'tis found, doth flower in men's praise, Objects of wondrous honour. |
| 166 |
Nunc tibi quo pacto ferri natura reperta sit facilest ipsi per te cognoscere , Memmi . arma antiqua manus ungues dentesque fuerunt et lapides et item silvarum fragmina rami et flamma atque ignes , post quam sunt cognita primum . posterius ferri vis est aerisque reperta . et prior aeris erat quam ferri cognitus usus , quo facilis magis est natura et copia maior . aere solum terrae tractabant , aereque belli miscebant fluctus et vulnera vasta serebant et pecus atque agros adimebant ; nam facile ollis omnia cedebant armatis nuda et inerma . inde minutatim processit ferreus ensis versaque in obprobrium species est falcis ahenae , et ferro coepere solum proscindere terrae exaequataque sunt creperi certamina belli . et prius est armatum in equi conscendere costas et moderarier hunc frenis dextraque vigere quam biiugo curru belli temptare pericla . et biiugo prius est quam bis coniungere binos et quam falciferos armatum escendere currus . inde boves Lucas turrito corpore , tetras , anguimanus , belli docuerunt volnera Poeni sufferre et magnas Martis turbare catervas . sic alid ex alio peperit discordia tristis , horribile humanis quod gentibus esset in armis , inque dies belli terroribus addidit augmen .
|
Now, Memmius, How nature of iron discovered was, thou mayst Of thine own self divine. Man's ancient arms Were hands, and nails and teeth, stones too and boughs- Breakage of forest trees- and flame and fire, As soon as known. Thereafter force of iron And copper discovered was; and copper's use Was known ere iron's, since more tractable Its nature is and its abundance more. With copper men to work the soil began, With copper to rouse the hurly waves of war, To straw the monstrous wounds, and seize away Another's flocks and fields. For unto them, Thus armed, all things naked of defence Readily yielded. Then by slow degrees The sword of iron succeeded, and the shape Of brazen sickle into scorn was turned: With iron to cleave the soil of earth they 'gan, And the contentions of uncertain war Were rendered equal. And, lo, man was wont Armed to mount upon the ribs of horse And guide him with the rein, and play about With right hand free, oft times before he tried Perils of war in yoked chariot; And yoked pairs abreast came earlier Than yokes of four, or scythed chariots Whereinto clomb the men-at-arms. And next The Punic folk did train the elephants- Those curst Lucanian oxen, hideous, The serpent-handed, with turrets on their bulks- To dure the wounds of war and panic-strike The mighty troops of Mars. Thus Discord sad Begat the one Thing after other, to be The terror of the nations under arms, And day by day to horrors of old war She added an increase. |
| 167 |
Temptarunt etiam tauros in moenere belli expertique sues saevos sunt mittere in hostis . et validos partim prae se misere leones cum doctoribus armatis saevisque magistris , qui moderarier his possent vinclisque tenere , ne quiquam , quoniam permixta caede calentes turbabant saevi nullo discrimine turmas , terrificas capitum quatientis undique cristas , nec poterant equites fremitu perterrita equorum pectora mulcere et frenis convertere in hostis . inritata leae iaciebant corpora saltu undique et adversum venientibus ora patebant et nec opinantis a tergo deripiebant deplexaeque dabant in terram volnere victos , morsibus adfixae validis atque unguibus uncis . iactabantque suos tauri pedibusque terebant et latera ac ventres hauribant supter equorum cornibus et terram minitanti mente ruebant . et validis socios caedebant dentibus apri tela infracta suo tinguentes sanguine saevi permixtasque dabant equitum peditumque ruinas . nam transversa feros exibant dentis adactus iumenta aut pedibus ventos erecta petebant , ne quiquam , quoniam ab nervis succisa videres concidere atque gravi terram consternere casu . si quos ante domi domitos satis esse putabant , effervescere cernebant in rebus agundis volneribus clamore fuga terrore tumultu , nec poterant ullam partem redducere eorum ; diffugiebat enim varium genus omne ferarum , ut nunc saepe boves Lucae ferro male mactae diffugiunt , fera facta suis cum multa dedere . Sed facere id non tam vincendi spe voluerunt ; quam dare quod gemerent hostes , ipsique perire , qui numero diffidebant armisque vacabant , si fuit ut facerent . sed vix adducor ut ante non quierint animo praesentire atque videre , quam commune malum fieret foedumque , futurum . et magis id possis factum contendere in omni in variis mundis varia ratione creatis , quam certo atque uno terrarum quolibet orbi .
|
Bulls, too, they tried In war's grim business; and essayed to send Outrageous boars against the foes. And some Sent on before their ranks puissant lions With armed trainers and with masters fierce To guide and hold in chains- and yet in vain, Since fleshed with pell-mell slaughter, fierce they flew, And blindly through the squadrons havoc wrought, Shaking the frightful crests upon their heads, Now here, now there. Nor could the horsemen calm Their horses, panic-breasted at the roar, And rein them round to front the foe. With spring The infuriate she-lions would up-leap Now here, now there; and whoso came apace Against them, these they'd rend across the face; And others unwitting from behind they'd tear Down from their mounts, and twining round them, bring Tumbling to earth, o'ermastered by the wound, And with those powerful fangs and hooked claws Fasten upon them. Bulls would toss their friends, And trample under foot, and from beneath Rip flanks and bellies of horses with their horns, And with a threat'ning forehead jam the sod; And boars would gore with stout tusks their allies, Splashing in fury their own blood on spears Splintered in their own bodies, and would fell In rout and ruin infantry and horse. For there the beasts-of-saddle tried to scape The savage thrusts of tusk by shying off, Or rearing up with hoofs a-paw in air. In vain- since there thou mightest see them sink, Their sinews severed, and with heavy fall Bestrew the ground. And such of these as men Supposed well-trained long ago at home, Were in the thick of action seen to foam In fury, from the wounds, the shrieks, the flight, The panic, and the tumult; nor could men Aught of their numbers rally. For each breed And various of the wild beasts fled apart Hither or thither, as often in wars to-day Flee those Lucanian oxen, by the steel Grievously mangled, after they have wrought Upon their friends so many a dreadful doom. (If 'twas, indeed, that thus they did at all: But scarcely I'll believe that men could not With mind foreknow and see, as sure to come, Such foul and general disaster.- This We, then, may hold as true in the great All, In divers worlds on divers plan create,- Somewhere afar more likely than upon One certain earth.) But men chose this to do Less in the hope of conquering than to give Their enemies a goodly cause of woe, Even though thereby they perished themselves, Since weak in numbers and since wanting arms. |
| 168 |
Nexilis ante fuit vestis quam textile tegmen . textile post ferrumst , quia ferro tela paratur , nec ratione alia possunt tam levia gigni insilia ac fusi , radii , scapique sonantes . et facere ante viros lanam natura coëgit quam muliebre genus ; nam longe praestat in arte et sollertius est multo genus omne virile ; agricolae donec vitio vertere severi , ut muliebribus id manibus concedere vellent atque ipsi pariter durum sufferre laborem atque opere in duro durarent membra manusque .
|
Now, clothes of roughly inter-plaited strands Were earlier than loom-wove coverings; The loom-wove later than man's iron is, Since iron is needful in the weaving art, Nor by no other means can there be wrought Such polished tools- the treadles, spindles, shuttles, And sounding yarn-beams. And nature forced the men, Before the woman kind, to work the wool: For all the male kind far excels in skill, And cleverer is by much- until at last The rugged farmer folk jeered at such tasks, And so were eager soon to give them o'er To women's hands, and in more hardy toil To harden arms and hands. |