On the Nature of the Universe (Oxford World’s Classics) (45 page)

BOOK: On the Nature of the Universe (Oxford World’s Classics)
8.17Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

And those whom flight had saved with mangled bodies

 

Pressed trembling palms over their ghastly sores,

995

Calling on Orcus with heart-rending cries

 

Till cruel torments put an end to life,

 

With none to help, not knowing what wounds need.

 

But many thousands on the battlefield

 

One day did not destroy, nor did rough seas

1000

Dash ships and men together on the rocks.

 

Then all in vain, all useless, all for nothing,

 

The sea would rise and roar and then again

 

Lightly lay down her empty threats. No one

 

By quiet seas’ deceitful blandishments

 

And laughing waves was e’er enticed to ruin.

1005

The wicked art of seamanship lay hid.

 

Then lack of food brought fainting limbs to death,

 

Today, by contrast, plenty ’tis that kills.

 

Then men unknowing poured poison for themselves,

 

Today with greater skill they poison others.

1010

And then, when huts and skins and fire they had got themselves,

 

And woman joined with man had made a home,

 

And laws of married life were known to them,

 

And they saw loving children born to them,

 

Then first the human race began to soften.

 

Through fire their chilly limbs became less able

1015

To bear the cold with sky for covering;

 

Venus sapped their strength; and children easily

 

With winning smiles could break their parents’ will.

 

And neighbours then began to join in friendship,

 

Wishing to do no ill nor suffer harm,

1020

And sought protection for their womankind

 

And children, with stammering voice and gesture showing

 

That pity for the weak is right for all.

 

Not everywhere could harmony be born,

 

But the most part kept faithful to their bonds,

1025

Or else the human race had quite been lost

 

In the old days, nor could its progeny

 

Have passed till now through all the generations.

 

As for the various sounds of speech, ’twas nature

 

That made men utter them, and convenience

 

Found names for things, rather as we see children

1030

Driven to make gestures by their lack of speech

 

And point with finger at things in front of them.

 

For every creature feels the purposes

 

For which he can use the power that lies in him.

 

Before the budding horns sprout from its forehead

 

A calf will use them, butting angrily,

1035

And cubs of panthers and lions fight and scratch

 

With feet and claws, and use their mouths to bite

 

When teeth and claws have scarcely yet been formed.

 

And birds of every kind we see place trust

 

In their wings and seek unsteady aid from them.

1040

Therefore to think that someone then allotted

 

Names to things, and that men learnt words from him,

 

Is folly. Why should we think that this man had the power

 

To mark all things with voices and to utter

 

The various sounds of speech, and not believe

 

That others had the power to do the same?

 

Besides, if others had not used these sounds,

1045

Whence was the concept of this usefulness

 

Implanted in him, whence first came the power

 

To picture in his mind what he should do?

 

And one man could not compel many and force them

1050

That they should wish to learn the names of things.

 

One cannot easily in any way

 

Teach deaf men what to do. And to have sounds

 

Unheard before all meaningless in vain

 

Dinned into their ears, that they could not endure.

1055

Lastly, what is so very wonderful

 

If the human race, with vigorous voice and tongue

 

Endowed, should mark things out with voices

 

Differing according to their different feelings?

 

Dumb cattle and wild beasts of every kind

 

Make noises quite distinct and different

1060

When they are gripped by fear or pain, or joy

 

Wells up within them. And the evidence

 

For this lies in plain facts well known to all.

 

Angry Molossian hounds, when first they draw back

 

Their flabby jowls and bare their teeth and growl

1065

With rage suppressed, make sounds quite different

 

From when they bark and fill the place with din.

 

And when they lick their pups with loving tongue

 

And toss them with their paws and nibbling them

 

Pretend to make sweet tender mouthfuls of them,

 

Far different then the playful yelps they make

1070

From when they howl abandoned in the house

 

Or whimper cringing from the master’s whip.

 

In neighing too, there is a difference

 

When a young stallion in the prime of life

 

Pricked by the spurs of winged love runs wild

1075

Among the mares, and from his flaring nostrils

 

Snorts out his challenge to arms, and when he’s weak

 

At other times and neighs with quaking limbs.

 

Lastly, among the different types of birds,

 

Ospreys, sea hawks, and gulls amid the waves

 

Seeking their life and living from the sea,

1080

At other times make very different cries

 

From when they are fishing and struggling with their prey.

 

And some birds change their voices with the weather,

 

As ancient ravens do and flocks of rooks,

 

Or so they say, when they cry out for rain

 

To bring them water, or summon wind and storm.

1085

Therefore if animals are caused by different feelings,

 

Dumb though they be, to utter different sounds,

 

So much the more and with compelling reason

 

Must we suppose that men could in those days

 

Mark different things by different sounds of speech.

1090

Now here’s an answer to another question.

 

Fire was first brought to earth for mortal men

 

By lightning. From this every flame has spread.

 

For fire from on high fills many things, and makes them

1095

Blaze, when a stroke from heaven has kindled them.

 

But also when a branching tree struck by the wind

 

Swaying and surging leans against another,

 

Fire is pressed out by the strong force of friction

 

Until sometimes the gleam of flame springs forth

 

As bough rubs bough and trunk rubs trunk together.

1100

Fire may have come to men from either cause.

 

Then, to cook food and soften it by heat

 

It was the sun that taught them, since they saw,

 

Roaming the fields, how many things were softened

 

By its strong rays and vanquished by the heat.

 

And as the days passed, more and more they learnt

1105

To change their former life and way of living

 

By new inventions and by fire, well taught

 

By those pre-eminent in heart and mind.

 

Kings founded cities and built citadels,

 

Safeguard and refuge of their royal power.

 

Cattle and lands they divided, giving to each

1110

According to his talent and strength and beauty.

 

For beauty then was prized and strength had power.

 

Next property was established and gold was found,

 

And all the honour given to strength and beauty

 

Was quickly lost, for ’tis the general rule,

1115

Where riches call, the strong and handsome follow.

 

But if a man should guide his life by wisdom,

 

His greatest riches are a frugal life

 

And quiet mind. In that little there’s no poverty.

 

But men instead sought after fame and power

1120

To make a firm foundation for their fortune

 

And live in wealth a life of quiet content—

 

In vain. Since as they strove to reach the heights

 

They made a lonely path beset with danger,

 

And from the summit like a thunderbolt,

1125

Envy struck them down to a Hell of shame.

 

For envy as a rule like thunderbolts

 

Is wont to strike the summits, scorching all

 

That stand above the common range of things.

 

Far better therefore is it in obedience

 

To live a life of quiet than lust for kingdom

1130

And fell desire to hold the world subdued.

 

So let them sweat blood, wearied by fruitless toil,

 

Struggling along ambition’s narrow path.

 

Since all their wisdom comes from others’ lips

 

And they strive for things relying on what they hear

 

Other books

The Beast Within by Terra Laurent
Breeds by Keith C Blackmore
Unexpected Lovers by Sandy Sullivan
Cut to the Bone by Joan Boswell
Are We There Yet? by David Levithan