DE RERUM NATURA LIBRI SEX With an Introduction AND NOTES TO BOOKS I., III., AND V. BY FRANCIS W. KELSEY UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN FIFTH EDITION. ALLYN AND BACON Boston and Chicago PREFACE. IN the present volume an attempt has been made to explain some portions of Lucretius' De Rerum Natura. The poem is printed in full for the reason that, being a work of art, it ought to be presented as a whole. The first, third, and fifth books were chosen for comment because they contain the gist of the poet's doctrine and a greater number of fine passages than the others. It is hoped that the reading of the remaining books will be facilitated by the analysis of the subject-matter given at the end of the introduction. The text is that of Munro's third edition, from which it was reprinted with his authorization. To justify the adoption of this text in a book intended primarily for the use of students, seems hardly necessary; for Munro's Lucretius marked a new era in the critical study as well as the interpretation of the poet. The more important emendations and variations of reading in the first, third, and fifth books are given in the notes. It has not been thought advisable to indicate in the |