Even if I knew nothing of the atoms, I would venture to assert on the evidence of the celestial phenomena themselves, supported by many other arguments, that the universe was certainly not created for us by divine power: it is so full of imperfections.

Lucretius

Categorized in : Imperfection Atoms Venture

Constant dripping hollows out a stone. by Lucretius

Constant dripping hollows out a stone.

encouragement motivational inspirational

Why shed tears that you must die? For if your past life has been one of enjoyment, and if all your pleasures have not passed through your mind, as through a sieve, and vanished, leaving not a rack behind, why then do you not, like a thankful guest, rise cheerfully from life's feast, and with a quiet mind go take your rest.

leaving death past

Fear was the first thing on Earth to create gods. by Lucretius

Fear was the first thing on Earth to create gods.

earth firsts

No matter how difficult a task may look.. Persistence and steady... by Lucretius

No matter how difficult a task may look.. Persistence and steady action will get you through

persistence tasks encouragement

Since you must admit that there is nothing outside the universe, it can have no limit and is accordingly without end or measure. It makes no odds in which part of it you may take your stand; whatever spot anyone may occupy, the universe stretches away from him just the same in all directions without limit.

atheism odds may

Nothing can be created out of nothing. by Lucretius

Nothing can be created out of nothing.

complexity preparation

Certainly it was no design of the atoms to place themselves in a particular order, nor did they decide what motions each should have. But atoms were struck with blows in many ways and carried along by their own weight from infinite times up to the present. They have been accustomed to move and to meet in all manner of ways. For this reason, it came to pass that being spread abroad through a vast time and trying every sort of combination and motion, at length those come together that produce great things, like earth and sea and sky and the generation of living creatures.

infinite-time blow moving

Do we not see all humans unaware Of what they want, and always searching everywhere, And changing place, as if to drop the load they bear?

humans bears want

Too often in time past, religion has brought forth criminal and shameful actions... How many evils has religion caused?

atheism evil past

For fools admire and love those things they see hidden in verses turned all upside down, and take for truth what sweetly strokes the ears and comes with sound of phrases fine imbued.

phrases and-love sound

Poor humanity, to saddle the gods with such a responsibility and throw in a vindictive temper. What griefs they hatch for themselves, what festering sores for us, what tears for our prosperity! This is not piety, this oft-repeated show of bowing a veiled head before a graven image; this bustling to every altar; this kow-towing and prostration on the ground with palms outspread before the shrines of the gods; this deluging of vow on vow. True piety lies rather in the power to contemplate the universe with a quiet mind.

grief responsibility lying

The water hollows out the stone, not by force but drop by drop. by Lucretius

The water hollows out the stone, not by force but drop by drop.

force stones water

The body searches for that which has injured the mind with love. by Lucretius

The body searches for that which has injured the mind with love.

body mind discovery

Beauty and strength were, both of them, much esteemed; Then wealth was discovered and soon after gold Which quickly became more honoured than strength or beauty. For men, however strong or beautiful, Generally follow the train of a richer man.

strong beautiful men

What came from the earth returns back to the earth, and the spirit that was sent from heaven, again carried back, is received into the temple of heaven.

return-back earth heaven

It was certainly not by design that the particles fell into order, they did not work out what they were going to do, but because many of them by many chances struck one another in the course of infinite time and encountered every possible form and movement, that they found at last the disposition they have, and that is how the universe was created.

infinite-time spring order

So it is more useful to watch a man in times of peril, and in adversity to discern what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn from the depths of his heart, and the mask is torn off, reality remains.

adversity heart reality

It's easier to avoid the snares of love than to escape once you are in that net whose cords and knots are strong; but even so, enmeshed, entangled, you can still get out unless, poor fool, you stand in your own way.

fool strong way

Truths kindle light for truths. by Lucretius

Truths kindle light for truths.

kindles light

The greatest wealth is to live content with little, for there is never want where the mind is satisfied.

greatest-wealth rainy-day mind