Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, DE RERUM NATURE: BOOK 4. THE ARGUMENT, by TITUS LUCRETIUS CARUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

DE RERUM NATURE: BOOK 4. THE ARGUMENT, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The poet first his owne high prayses sings
Last Line: Retaine mens love, when beauty fades away.
Alternate Author Name(s): Lucretius
Subject(s): Beauty; Love; Poetry & Poets; Praise


The Poet first his owne high prayses sings
For having tracd out such mysterious things
Then treats of image, species which be
From Bodies passing of perpetually
Or formd by chance in the superiour ayre
With swiftest motion ever wandring there
Who often stooping in their agile flight
And touching th'eies are there the cause of sight,
Why images beyond the glasse wee see
Why in't, reverst, & unreverst they be
Why there they walke he next proceeds to explaine
Then doth the certeinty of Sence maintaine.
Confuting their bold ignorance who owne
A fallability in all that's knowne
Next treats the cause of hearing, tast, & smell
How various soules in various sence excell
The secret touch whence thoughts & dreams arise,
That Organs for the Sence were made, denies
Shewes why all natures food require, the cause
Which vigorous Members into motion drawes
Whence Sleepe proceeds, & the varietie
Of visions which then represented be
By th'active fancy, chiefly among these
How Love, the waking dreame, our souls doth seize,
The vanity of that ill hatch't desire;
And how th'entangled wisely may retire.
Last doth of Wedlocks fruite & its want treate
Advizing weomen to be cleane & neate
And well behavd, that so they may
Retaine mens love, when beauty fades away.





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