Lucretius 's poem, On the Nature of Things, is one of the last remaining pieces of Epicurean literature that we can see some of Epicurus 's philosophy. Although it does not come from straight from Epicurus’s hand, it is assumed that Lucretius has a copy of Epicurus’s work Nature in front of him and commenting on it through this poem. When Lucretius talks about why one should not fear death he offers two arguments why one should fear death and then the counter argument. Of his two major arguments, atomism is prevalent through them. Atomism states that everything is made up of atoms, indestructible and able to create complex forms, and can be destroyed. This means that everything from rocks to souls are all subject to being destroyed. Lucretius’s
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As stated in On the Nature of Things, “Hence, where thou seest a man to grieve because; When dead he rots with body laid away; Or perishes in flames or jaws of beasts, (On the Nature of Things)” the reader might believe that what awaits him in the afterlife is an eternity spent in Hades, with torment unimaginable. Therefore, he takes great care in trying to make his life as perfect and as pleasing to the gods as possible so he might not share that fate. By that logic, one would need to take extreme caution as to everything that they act upon. This would mean that everything that they might do will be derived from being a pious person and might cause pain for the person, something that in Epicureanism is something to avoid. Yet in spite of the knowledge that a man can lead a life where they might not suffer in Tartarus, there is not a guarantee and this can lead to someone drowning in anxiety. Lucretius offers a cure to this would be pious man with an assurance rather than a plausible …show more content…
He likens the sensation as being asleep forever more in this passage, “yet no longer unto thee ; Remains a remnant of desire for them’; If this they; only well perceived with mind; And followed up with maxims, they would free; Their state of man from anguish and from fear. ‘O even as here thou art, aslumber in death; So shalt thou; slumber down the rest of time; Released from every harrying pang. (On the Nature of Things)” For an Epicurean, is something to take solace in and nothing to worry about. In atomism, the idea of the soul and the body are intertwined. If the body were to die, so would the soul and here in lies a core tenet of atomism. There would be no future or present to worry about. No more pain or burden will plague existence, the person once known is gone forever. The Epicurean definition of pleasure is nothing more than to seek pleasure, which is the absence of pain. Death as depicted above is like a slumber where the pains and toils of existence are but a thing of the past. The soul in the event of death however has a more graphic exit from existence. The soul would be annihilated and scattered throughout nature leaving no trace of your past existence, save for the atoms you carried. The soul is now no longer existing which means you cannot be judged for eternal damnation. There is no hope of reincarnation, no afterlife, no
As stated in On the Nature of Things, “Hence, where thou seest a man to grieve because; When dead he rots with body laid away; Or perishes in flames or jaws of beasts, (On the Nature of Things)” the reader might believe that what awaits him in the afterlife is an eternity spent in Hades, with torment unimaginable. Therefore, he takes great care in trying to make his life as perfect and as pleasing to the gods as possible so he might not share that fate. By that logic, one would need to take extreme caution as to everything that they act upon. This would mean that everything that they might do will be derived from being a pious person and might cause pain for the person, something that in Epicureanism is something to avoid. Yet in spite of the knowledge that a man can lead a life where they might not suffer in Tartarus, there is not a guarantee and this can lead to someone drowning in anxiety. Lucretius offers a cure to this would be pious man with an assurance rather than a plausible …show more content…
He likens the sensation as being asleep forever more in this passage, “yet no longer unto thee ; Remains a remnant of desire for them’; If this they; only well perceived with mind; And followed up with maxims, they would free; Their state of man from anguish and from fear. ‘O even as here thou art, aslumber in death; So shalt thou; slumber down the rest of time; Released from every harrying pang. (On the Nature of Things)” For an Epicurean, is something to take solace in and nothing to worry about. In atomism, the idea of the soul and the body are intertwined. If the body were to die, so would the soul and here in lies a core tenet of atomism. There would be no future or present to worry about. No more pain or burden will plague existence, the person once known is gone forever. The Epicurean definition of pleasure is nothing more than to seek pleasure, which is the absence of pain. Death as depicted above is like a slumber where the pains and toils of existence are but a thing of the past. The soul in the event of death however has a more graphic exit from existence. The soul would be annihilated and scattered throughout nature leaving no trace of your past existence, save for the atoms you carried. The soul is now no longer existing which means you cannot be judged for eternal damnation. There is no hope of reincarnation, no afterlife, no