A grimly entertaining anthology of ancient Greek and Roman writings about how to fearlessly prepare for the end of the world and other disastersA remarkable percentage of people believe we are living in the end times, according to pollsters. Between the climate crisis, nuclear weapons, AI, and other existential threats, it’s easy to see why. How should we think about the apocalypse? How can we mentally prepare for doomsday and other disasters? This anthology presen...

De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things) is a first-century BC didacticpoem by the Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius (c. 99 BC – c. 55 BC) with the goal of explaining Epicurean philosophy to a Roman audience. The poem, written in some 7 400 dactylic hexameters, is divided into six untitled books, and explores Epicurean physics through poetic language and metaphors. Namely, Lucretius explores the principles of atomism; the nature of the mind and soul; explanations of sensation and thoug...

De Rerum Natura is a first century BC epic poem by the Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius with the goal of explaining Epicurean philosophy to a Roman audience. The poem, written in dactylic hexameter, is divided into six books, and concentrates heavily on Epicurean physics. It deals with the principles of atomism; the nature of the mind and soul; explanations of sensation and thought; the development of the world and its phenomena; and explains a variety of celestial and terrestrial phen...

Yale Required Reading - Collected Works (Vol. 2) gathers a commanding sequence of classical and late-antique texts that chart Roman literature's evolution from stage comedy and republican polemic to epic, satire, elegy, biography, historiography, and philosophical confession. Its stylistic range is striking: comic intrigue, forensic brilliance, lyric compression, encyclopedic narrative, stoic tragedy, caustic epigram, and searching spiritual autobiography stand beside landmarks such as the...

The Greek Philosopher behind Nearly Every Bad Idea

"On the Nature of Things" is a first-century BC long didactic poem written in Latin as "De rerum natura" by the Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius that sets forth the physical theory of the Greek philosopher Epicurus. Epicurus taught that the world could be understood by reason and that religion only arouses unnecessary fear. Lucretius denounced popular beliefs in deities and supernatural creatures.The staying power of "On the Nature of Things" is unquestionable. The wor...

What if you could uncover the secrets of the universe, explore the foundations of science and philosophy, and gain a deeper understanding of the natural world?On the Nature of Things: Lucretius' Epic on Science, Philosophy, and the Cosmos brings you Lucretius' timeless masterpiece, thoughtfully modernized and adapted for today's readers.Written in poetic form over two thousand years ago, On the Nature of Things is a profound expl...

"De Rerum Natura" (On the Nature of Things) is a didactic epic poem written by the Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius in the 1st century BC. The poem is written in hexameter verse and explores the philosophy of Epicureanism, which emphasizes the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain as the ultimate goals of life.The poem is divided into six books and covers a wide range of topics, including the nature of the universe, the principles of physics, the nature of the mind and soul, an...

The Greatest Works of Roman Classical Literature gathers the commanding genres of Latin antiquity: epic, satire, comedy, biography, historiography, philosophical dialogue, lyric, elegy, rhetoric, and moral reflection. From the grandeur of the Aeneid and the transformations of The Metamorphoses to the razor-edged wit of Roman satire and the intimate art of love elegy, the collection traces a civilization thinking through power, virtue, empire, mortality, pleasure, and language itself. Its c...

Yale Classics (Vol. 2) is an exceptional compendium that traverses the vast expanse of Latin literature, encapsulating an array of styles and genres from eminent classical authors. The anthology presents a rich tapestry of thought and artistry, ranging from the incisive philosophical musings of Seneca to the majestic epic narratives of Virgil. Readers will discover a bevy of satires, elegies, and orations, alongside philosophical treatises and historical accounts'—each piece carefully sele...

The anthology, *The Greatest Works of Roman Classical Literature*, encapsulates the grandeur and diversity that define Roman literary achievement. This collection spans a remarkable range of genres and styles, illustrating the complexity and nuance of Roman thought and expression over centuries. From the epic grandeur of Virgil to the philosophical insights of Seneca, and the satirical edge of Juvenal, these texts vividly illuminate the multifaceted nature of Roman cultural and intellectua...

Yale Classics (Vol. 2) gathers a commanding cross-section of Roman and late antique literature, tracing the intellectual, political, and aesthetic ambitions of the classical world. Epic, satire, comedy, philosophical consolation, biography, historiography, lyric, rhetoric, and epistolary prose appear in vigorous dialogue. From the imperial grandeur of the Aeneid and the mythic transformations of the Metamorphoses to the sharp social anatomies of satire and the inward meditations of moral p...