The Nature of Things (Penguin Classics)

In The Nature of Things, the Roman poet Lucretius sets out the philosophy of Epicurus in one of antiquity’s most ambitious works of poetry. Across six books, he explores the nature of matter, the workings of the universe, sensation and the mind, mortality, desire and the causes of natural phenomena.

Lucretius argues for a world governed by natural processes rather than divine intervention, presenting atomism not simply as a theory of matter but as a path towards freedom from fear and superstition. A. E. Stallings’ translation brings the energy and intellectual force of the Latin poem into modern English while preserving its poetic character, making this a compelling edition of a foundational work of Roman literature and ancient philosophy.