Epicureans discarded both the idea of immortality and the superstitious worship of wilful gods for a life of serene contentment in the available pleasures of nature. Lucretius, in elucidating this belief, steers the reader through an extraordinary breadth of subject matter, ranging from the indestructibility of atoms and the discovery of fire to the folly of romantic love and the phenomena of clouds and rainstorms. On the Nature of the Universe combines a thorough expostion of physical laws and human ethics with wit and sharp perception. This is essential reading for both the classical scholar and for anyone who wishes to understand the complexities of the human and natural world anew.
