On The Nature Of Things

Lucretius lived in a particularly tumultuous period in Roman history, and an awareness of his nation’s struggles suffuses this work. During the first century BC, the Roman Republic was racked with a series of civil wars, as a succession of powerful men seized ever more power for themselves. By the time Lucretius died, the First Triumvirate (Marcus Licinius Crassus, Pompey the Great, and Julius Caesar) had control of the state, and Caesar would become dictator-for-life in only a few years; under twenty years after Lucretius’ death, Rome would crown its first Emperor.

This relentless pursuit of power ran contrary to Epicurean principles, and it is frequently held up as an example of a bad lifestyle. In the opening lines of the entire work, as he invokes the goddess Venus, Lucretius asks her to overcome Mars, the god of war, with her love. He says, “Let a stream of sweet, coaxing words flow in an appeal on behalf of the Romans for placid peace. For at this tempestuous time in my country’s history, I cannot tackle my task with tranquil mind…” (Book I, lines 40-42; pages 3-4). It appears that, as he sets the stage for his book’s argument, he’s expressing the belief that these teachings can show the Romans how to live peacefully.