The Teacher’s Truth: Lucretius’ De rerum natura

Abstract

This chapter examines Lucretius' De rerum natura (‘On the Nature of Things’), a poem in six books on Epicurean natural philosophy, considering the work specifically as a didactic poem. After discussing the ways in which the Lucretian persona presents himself as a teacher and interacts with his student Memmius, the chapter focuses on the relationship of poetry and philosophy projected by the text. Reacting to Epicurus' rejection of poetry, Lucretius stresses the ability of his poetic medium to produce pleasure (the highest Epicurean good) and thus facilitate the teaching of philosophy. By repeatedly comparing the letters of his poem to the atoms that constitute the world, he gives the impression that his text is a microcosm of the macrocosm it describes. Finally, by somewhat counter-intuitively casting Epicurus as a poet and himself as his imitator, Lucretius effects a further blending of poetic form and philosophical content.