Lucretius On The Nature Of Love Essay

According to Lucretius in On the Nature of Things, a “lovers’ passion is storm-tossed” (Lucretius 50). He views love as a sort of frenzy which engulfs the lovers in madness. It disrupts the lives of individuals as “their days are passed at the mercy of another’s whim” (Lucretius 51). They begin to “die from hunger and general idleness, because they would not do anything apart from each other” (The Speech of Aristophanes, 191a-b). They lose sight of their duties and strength, and instead focus on the “icy heartache” associated with love (Lucretius 49). The lover’s pleasure unavoidably involves heartsickness and pain. Often the lovers become so overwhelmed with bitter thoughts of remorse and jealousy that they are incapable of living a flourishing life. Therefore, they become prisoners to the possession of their love. Love-sickness especially arises in the absence of one’s loved one. This exclusive attachment to a particular individual may ultimately lead to a loss of control of one’s mind and life. The lover …show more content…
Once the difference between the two are recognized, the possibility of a love immune to tragedy can be better understood. Infatuation should be looked upon as a sort of longing or desire for a certain possession. These possessions are not actually ours to have, for they always fall vulnerable to circumstances beyond the agent’s control. Infatuation simply mirrors the idea of love. It is fragile and jealous. Rather than viewing love as a possession, one should view love as a partnership in which each half contributes equally to maintaining and growing the relationship over time. Partnerships require the acceptance of each other’s bad habits, flaws, fears, and insecurities. A loving partnership can overcome all challenges and painful times. The lovers strengthen each other and grow together through these challenges, rather than being fragile like infatuation and falling