The Canon Library
Cover of On the Nature of Things

Ancient · Philosophical poetry

On the Nature of Things

by Lucretius. Epic verse presents Epicurean physics and ethics, arguing that understanding nature frees humans from fear.

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Date
c. 55 BCE
Origin
Roman Republic
Era
Ancient
Genre
Philosophical poetry
Canon tier
Essential core
Difficulty
Challenging
Length
Long
Collection
The Western Canon

Subjects and themes

Why it matters

Epic verse presents Epicurean physics and ethics, arguing that understanding nature frees humans from fear.

This work is included on the basis of great books / harvard. Its cataloged influence level is 5 out of 5.

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The foundational arguments about virtue, knowledge, politics, mortality, and the good life. 8 books · Intermediate.