Those things that are in the light we behold from darkness. by Lucretius

Those things that are in the light we behold from darkness.

Lucretius

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Categorized in : Darkness Light Atheism

When the supreme violence of a furious wind upon the sea sweeps over the waters the chief admiral of a fleet along with his mighty legions, does he not crave the gods' peace with vows and in his panic seek with prayers the peace of the winds and favouring breezes. Nonetheless, he is caught up in the furious hurricane and driven upon the shoals of death.

prayer sea wind

Forbear to spew out reason from your mind, but rather ponder everything with keen judgment; and if it seems true, own yourself vanquished, but, if it is false, gird up your loins to fight.

atheism fighting mind

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.

should-have blow order

Assuredly whatsoever things are fabled to exist in deep Acheron, these all exist in this life. There is no wretched Tantalus, fearing the great rock that hangs over him in the air and frozen with vain terror. Rather, it is in this life that fear of the gods oppresses mortals without cause, and the rock they fear is any that chance may bring.

rocks atheism air

If anyone decided to call the sea Neptune, and corn Ceres, and to misapply the name of Bacchus rather than to give liquor its right name, so be it; and let him dub the round world "Mother of the Gods" so long as he is careful not really to infest his mind with base superstitions.

mother names sea

True piety lies rather in the power to contemplate the universe w... by Lucretius

True piety lies rather in the power to contemplate the universe with a quiet mind.

atheism mind lying

Lucretius was passionate, and much more in need of exhortations to prudence than Epicurus was. He committed suicide, and appears to have suffered from periodic insanity - brought on, so some averred, by the pains of love or the unintended effects of a love philtre.

pain suicide insanity

Lucretius, who follows [Epicurus] in denouncing love, sees no harm in sexual intercourse provided it is divorced from passion.

intercourse harm passion

For there is a VOID in things; a truth which it will be useful for you, in reference to many points, to know; and which will prevent you from wandering in doubt.

void wander doubt

Things stand apart so far and differ, that What's food for one is... by Lucretius

Things stand apart so far and differ, that What's food for one is poison for another.

poison food science

These [the senses] we trust, first, last, and always. by Lucretius

These [the senses] we trust, first, last, and always.

senses lasts firsts

Tempests, and bright lightnings, are to be sung; their nature is to be told, and from what cause they pursue their course; lest, having foolishly divided the heaven into parts, you should be anxious as to the quarter from which the flying flame may come, or to what region it may betake itself; and tremble to think how it penetrates through walled enclosures, and how, having exercised its power, it extricates itself from them. Of which phenomena the multitude can by no means see the causes, and think that they are accomplished by supernatural power.

flames mean thinking

Nothing comes from nothing. by Lucretius

Nothing comes from nothing.

cause-and-effect

Men are eager to tread underfoot what they have once too much fea... by Lucretius

Men are eager to tread underfoot what they have once too much feared.

too-much men

And life is given to none freehold, but it is leasehold for all. by Lucretius

And life is given to none freehold, but it is leasehold for all.

atheism given life-is

The gods and their tranquil abodes appear, which no winds disturb, nor clouds bedew with showers, nor does the white snow, hardened by frost, annoy them; the heaven, always pure, is without clouds, and smiles with pleasant light diffused.

light clouds wind

There is so much wrong with the world. (tanta stat praedita culpa... by Lucretius

There is so much wrong with the world. (tanta stat praedita culpa)

positive-atheism atheism world

How is it that the sky feeds the stars? by Lucretius

How is it that the sky feeds the stars?

stars sky

Human life lay foul before men's eyes, crushed to the dust beneat... by Lucretius

Human life lay foul before men's eyes, crushed to the dust beneath religion's weight.

dust eye men

Continual dropping wears away a stone. by Lucretius

Continual dropping wears away a stone.

dropping stones