The Cambridge Companion to Lucretius (Cambridge Companions to Literature)

Lucretius' Didactic Poem De Rerum Natura ('on The Nature Of Things') Is An Impassioned And Visionary Presentation Of The Materialist Philosophy Of Epicurus, And One Of The Most Powerful Poetic Texts Of Antiquity. After Its Rediscovery In 1417 It Became A Controversial And Seminal Work In Successive Phases Of Literary History, The History Of Science, And The Enlightenment. In This Cambridge Companion Experts In The History Of Literature, Philosophy And Science Discuss The Poem In Its Ancient Contexts And In Its Reception Both As A Literary Text And As A Vehicle For Progressive Ideas. The Companion Is Designed Both As An Accessible Handbook For The General Reader Who Wishes To Learn About Lucretius, And As A Series Of Stimulating Essays For Students Of Classical Antiquity And Its Reception. It Is Completely Accessible To The Reader Who Has Only Read Lucretius In Translation.--publisher's Description. Part I. Antiquity. Lucretius And Greek Philosophy / James Warren ; Lucretius And The Herculaneum Library / Dirk Obbink ; Lucretius And Roman Politics And History / Alessandro Schiesaro ; Lucretius And Previous Poetic Traditions / Monica Gale ; Lucretian Architecture : The Structure And Argument Of The De Rerum Natura / Joseph Farrell ; Lucretian Texture : Style, Metre And Rhetoric In The De Rerum Natura / E.j. Kenney ; Lucretius And Later Latin Literature In Antiquity / Philip Hardie -- Part Ii. Themes. Lucretius And The History Of Science / Monte Johnson And Catherine Wilson ; Moral And Political Philosophy : Reading Of Lucretius From Virgil To Voltaire / Reid Barbour ; Lucretius And The Sublime / James I. Porter ; Religion And Enlightenment In The Neo-latin Reception Of Lucretius / Yasmin Haskell -- Part Iii. Reception. Lucretius In The Middle Ages And Early Renaissance : Transmission And Scholarship / Michael Reeve ; Lucretius In The Italian Renaissance / Valentina Prosperi ; Lucretius In Early Modern France / Philip Ford ; Lucretius In The English Renaissance / Stuart Gillespie ; The English Voices Of Lucretius From Lucy Hutchinson To John Mason Good / David Hopkins ; Lucretius In The European Enlightenment / Eric Baker ; Lucretius In Romantic And Victorian Britain / Martin Priestman ; Lucretius And The Moderns / Stuart Gillespie And Donald Mackenzie. Edited By Stuart Gillespie, Philip Hardie. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 327-356) And Indexes. Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 5 Contents......Page 7 Illustrations......Page 10 Contributors......Page 12 Preface......Page 16 Introduction by Stuart Gillespie and Philip Hardie......Page 17 Part I: Antiquity......Page 33 1. Lucretius and Greek Philosophy by James Warren......Page 35 2. Lucretius and the Herculaneum Library by Dirk Obbink......Page 49 3. Lucretius and Roman politics and History by Alessandro Schiesaro......Page 57 4. Lucretius and Previous Poetic Traditions by Monica Gale......Page 75 5. Lucretian Architecture: The Structure and Argument of the De rerum natura by Joseph Farrell......Page 92 6. Lucretian Texture: Style, Metre and Rhetoric in the De rerum natura by E. J. Kenney......Page 108 7. Lucretius and Later Latin Literature in Antiquity by Philip Hardie......Page 127 Part II: Themes......Page 145 8. Lucretius and the History of Science by Monte Johnson and Catherine Wilson......Page 147 9. Moral and Political Philosophy: Readings of Lucretius from Virgil to Voltaire by Reid Barbour......Page 165 10. Lucretius and the Sublime by James I. Porter......Page 183 11. Religion and Enlightenment in the Neo-Latin Reception of Lucretius by Yasmin Haskell......Page 201 Part III: Reception......Page 219 12. Lucretius in the Middle Ages and Early Renaissance: Transmission and Scholarship by Michael Reeve......Page 221 13. Lucretius in the Italian Renaissance by Valentina Prosperi......Page 230 14. Lucretius in Early Modern France by Philip Ford......Page 243 15. Lucretius in the English Renaissance by Stuart Gillespie......Page 258 16. The English Voices of Lucretius from Lucy Hutchinson to John Mason Good by David Hopkins......Page 270 17. Lucretius in the European Enlightenment by Eric Baker......Page 290 18. Lucretius in Romantic and Victorian Britain by Martin Priestman......Page 305 19. Lucretius and the Moderns by Stuart Gillespie and Donald Mackenzie......Page 322 Dateline......Page 341 Works Cited......Page 343 Main Lucretian Passages Discussed......Page 373 Lucretius' didactic poem De rerum natura ('On the Nature of Things') is an impassioned and visionary presentation of the materialist philosophy of Epicurus, and one of the most powerful poetic texts of antiquity. After its rediscovery in 1417 it became a controversial and seminal work in successive phases of literary history, the history of science, and the Enlightenment. In this 2007 Cambridge Companion experts in the history of literature, philosophy and science discuss the poem in its ancient contexts and in its reception both as a literary text and as a vehicle for progressive ideas. The Companion is designed both as an accessible handbook for the general reader who wishes to learn about Lucretius, and as a series of stimulating essays for students of classical antiquity and its reception. It is completely accessible to the reader who has only read Lucretius in translation.