1. Home
    1. Start Here: Study Guide
    2. Community Standards And Posting Policies
    3. Terms of Use
    4. Moderator Team
    5. Site Map
    6. Quizzes
    7. Articles
      1. Featured Articles
    8. All Blog Posts
      1. Elli's Blog / Articles
  2. Wiki
    1. Wiki Home
    2. FAQ
    3. Classical Epicureanism
    4. Physics Wiki
    5. Canonics Wiki
    6. Ethics Wiki
    7. Search Assistance
    8. Not NeoEpicurean
    9. Foundations
    10. Navigation Outlines
    11. Key Pages
  3. Forum
    1. Full Forum List
    2. Welcome Threads
    3. Physics
    4. Canonics
    5. Ethics
    6. Uncategorized Forum
    7. Study Resources Forum
    8. Ancient Texts Forum
    9. Shortcuts
    10. Featured
  4. Latest
    1. New Activity
    2. Latest Threads
    3. Dashboard
  5. Podcast
    1. Lucretius Today Podcast
    2. Episode Guide
    3. Lucretius Today At Youtube
    4. EpicureanFriends Youtube Page
  6. Texts
    1. Overview
    2. Diogenes Laertius
    3. Principal Doctrines
    4. Vatican Sayings
    5. Lucretius
    6. Herodotus
    7. Pythocles
    8. Menoeceus
    9. Fragments - Usener Collection
    10. Torquatus On Ethics
    11. Velleius On Gods
    12. Greek/Latin Help
  7. Gallery
    1. Featured images
    2. Albums
    3. Latest Images
    4. Latest Comments
  8. Calendar
    1. Upcoming Events List
    2. Zoom Meetings
    3. This Month
    4. Sunday Zoom Meetings
    5. First Monday Zoom Meetings
    6. Wednesday Zoom Meeting
    7. Twentieth Zoom Meetings
    8. Zoom Meetings
  9. Other
    1. Featured Content
    2. Blog Posts
    3. Files
    4. Logbook
    5. EF ToDo List
    6. Link-Database
  • Login
  • Register
  • Search
Everywhere
  • Everywhere
  • Forum
  • Articles
  • Blog Articles
  • Files
  • Gallery
  • Events
  • Pages
  • Wiki
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • More Options

Welcome To EpicureanFriends.com!

"Remember that you are mortal, and you have a limited time to live, and in devoting yourself to discussion of the nature of time and eternity you have seen things that have been, are now, and are to come."

Sign In Now
or
Register a new account
  1. Home
    1. Start Here: Study Guide
    2. Community Standards And Posting Policies
    3. Terms of Use
    4. Moderator Team
    5. Site Map
    6. Quizzes
    7. Articles
      1. Featured Articles
    8. All Blog Posts
      1. Elli's Blog / Articles
  2. Wiki
    1. Wiki Home
    2. FAQ
    3. Classical Epicureanism
    4. Physics Wiki
    5. Canonics Wiki
    6. Ethics Wiki
    7. Search Assistance
    8. Not NeoEpicurean
    9. Foundations
    10. Navigation Outlines
    11. Key Pages
  3. Forum
    1. Full Forum List
    2. Welcome Threads
    3. Physics
    4. Canonics
    5. Ethics
    6. Uncategorized Forum
    7. Study Resources Forum
    8. Ancient Texts Forum
    9. Shortcuts
    10. Featured
  4. Latest
    1. New Activity
    2. Latest Threads
    3. Dashboard
  5. Podcast
    1. Lucretius Today Podcast
    2. Episode Guide
    3. Lucretius Today At Youtube
    4. EpicureanFriends Youtube Page
  6. Texts
    1. Overview
    2. Diogenes Laertius
    3. Principal Doctrines
    4. Vatican Sayings
    5. Lucretius
    6. Herodotus
    7. Pythocles
    8. Menoeceus
    9. Fragments - Usener Collection
    10. Torquatus On Ethics
    11. Velleius On Gods
    12. Greek/Latin Help
  7. Gallery
    1. Featured images
    2. Albums
    3. Latest Images
    4. Latest Comments
  8. Calendar
    1. Upcoming Events List
    2. Zoom Meetings
    3. This Month
    4. Sunday Zoom Meetings
    5. First Monday Zoom Meetings
    6. Wednesday Zoom Meeting
    7. Twentieth Zoom Meetings
    8. Zoom Meetings
  9. Other
    1. Featured Content
    2. Blog Posts
    3. Files
    4. Logbook
    5. EF ToDo List
    6. Link-Database
  1. Home
    1. Start Here: Study Guide
    2. Community Standards And Posting Policies
    3. Terms of Use
    4. Moderator Team
    5. Site Map
    6. Quizzes
    7. Articles
      1. Featured Articles
    8. All Blog Posts
      1. Elli's Blog / Articles
  2. Wiki
    1. Wiki Home
    2. FAQ
    3. Classical Epicureanism
    4. Physics Wiki
    5. Canonics Wiki
    6. Ethics Wiki
    7. Search Assistance
    8. Not NeoEpicurean
    9. Foundations
    10. Navigation Outlines
    11. Key Pages
  3. Forum
    1. Full Forum List
    2. Welcome Threads
    3. Physics
    4. Canonics
    5. Ethics
    6. Uncategorized Forum
    7. Study Resources Forum
    8. Ancient Texts Forum
    9. Shortcuts
    10. Featured
  4. Latest
    1. New Activity
    2. Latest Threads
    3. Dashboard
  5. Podcast
    1. Lucretius Today Podcast
    2. Episode Guide
    3. Lucretius Today At Youtube
    4. EpicureanFriends Youtube Page
  6. Texts
    1. Overview
    2. Diogenes Laertius
    3. Principal Doctrines
    4. Vatican Sayings
    5. Lucretius
    6. Herodotus
    7. Pythocles
    8. Menoeceus
    9. Fragments - Usener Collection
    10. Torquatus On Ethics
    11. Velleius On Gods
    12. Greek/Latin Help
  7. Gallery
    1. Featured images
    2. Albums
    3. Latest Images
    4. Latest Comments
  8. Calendar
    1. Upcoming Events List
    2. Zoom Meetings
    3. This Month
    4. Sunday Zoom Meetings
    5. First Monday Zoom Meetings
    6. Wednesday Zoom Meeting
    7. Twentieth Zoom Meetings
    8. Zoom Meetings
  9. Other
    1. Featured Content
    2. Blog Posts
    3. Files
    4. Logbook
    5. EF ToDo List
    6. Link-Database
  1. EpicureanFriends - Home of Classical Epicurean Philosophy
  2. Gallery
  • Sidebar
  • Sidebar

Virgil - Felix Qui Potuit Rerum Cognoscere Causas

  • Cassius
  • September 18, 2021 at 7:18 AM
  • 1,509 Views
  • 3 Comments
Regularly Checking In On A Small Screen Device? Bookmark THIS page!

Epicurean Friends Image Gallery

Welcome to the EpicureanFriends Image Gallery, where our Level 3 and above participants post and share images for public use in the teaching and promotion of Epicurean philosophy. Please limit contributions to those which directly relate and support the philosophy of Epicurus. Choose the topic to display by selecting from the "Categories" listed ( at left on a wide-screen device or in the footer below on a mobile device). To view the Latest Images, click here.

Virgil - Felix Qui Potuit Rerum Cognoscere Causas

Virgil - Felix Qui Potuit Rerum Cognoscere Causas

Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas - Wikipedia


“Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas” is verse 490 of Book 2 of the "Georgics" (29 BC), by the Latin poet Virgil (70 - 19 BC). It is literally translated as: “Fortunate, who was able to know the causes of things”. ] Virgil may have had in mind the Roman philosopher Lucretius, of the Epicurean school.

Uses[edit]

300px-Inscription_in_the_Catacombs_of_Paris.jpg
The verse on display in the Catacombs of Paris

This sentence is often written with a present tense instead of the past tense: “Felix, qui potest rerum cognoscere causas” (“Fortunate is he, who is able to know the causes of things”). Translators have also often added the adjective "hid" or "hidden" to qualify the causes.

The latter half of the phrase, "rerum cognoscere causas", is the motto of the London School of Economics, the University of Sheffield, Bruce Hall (residential college of the Australian National University), Humberside Collegiate, the University of Guelph, Hill Park Secondary School in Hamilton, Ontario, the IVDI lecture hall of the University of Debrecen, the Science National Honor Society, the Royal Military College of Science,[2] the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel and the Romanian National Defense College [ro].[3]

Comments 3

Cassius
September 18, 2021 at 8:39 AM
Author

So I like this one almost literally but in present tense:

Happy is he who is able to know the causes of things,

And all fear, and inexorable fate, he tramples underfoot, along with the roar of greedy hell.

So in this brief verse you've got a great summary of the Epicurean worldview:

  1. Pleasure/happiness
  2. Brought about by Knowledge of Nature
  3. Rejecting fear
  4. Rejecting fate
  5. And rejecting - violently! - the threats of religion, including fear of death.

For me this one is probably more complete and clear as a summary of the most important elements of Epicurean philosophy than is the Tetrapharmakon.

And better yet than the Tetrapharmakon? It's in LATIN and therefore easier for more modern westerners to memorize and see the meaning! ;)

Unfortunately for me when I look at many of the remaining texts it's still "Greek to me." But when I look at these Latin words I can almost imagine Lucretius / Virgil saying them, and me be actually able to understand him as he's saying it. - The only words being really foreign probably the metus and strepitum.

Cassius
September 18, 2021 at 8:28 AM
Author

From Nodictionaries.com:

https://nodictionaries.com/vergil/georgic-2/475-540

felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas
felix, felicis (gen.), felicior -or -us, felicissimus -a -umhappy; blessed; fertile; favorable; lucky; successful, fruitful
cognosco, cognoscere, cognovi, cognitusbecome acquainted with/aware of; recognize; learn, find to be; inquire/examine
causa, causae Fcause/reason/motive; origin, source, derivation; responsibility/blame; symptom
atque metus omnis et inexorabile fatum
atqueand, as well/soon as; together with; and moreover/even; and too/also/now; yet
metus, metus Mfear, anxiety; dread, awe; object of awe/dread
inexorabilis, inexorabilis, inexorabileinexorable, relentless
fatum, fati Nutterance, oracle; fate, destiny; natural term of life; doom, death, calamity
subiecit pedibus strepitumque Acherontis auari:
subjicio, subjicere, subjeci, subjectusthrow under, place under; make subject; expose
pes, pedis Mfoot
strepo, strepere, strepui, strepitusmake a loud noise; shout confusedly; resound
avarus, avara -um, avarior -or -us, avarissimus -a -umavaricious, greedy; stingy, miserly, mean; covetous, hungry for
fortunatus et ille deos qui nouit agrestis
fortuno, fortunare, fortunavi, fortunatusmake happy, bless, prosper
nosco, noscere, novi, notusget to know; learn, find out; become cognizant of/acquainted/familiar with
agrestis, agrestis, agresterustic, inhabiting countryside; rude, wild, savage; of/passing through fields
Panaque Siluanumque senem Nymphasque sorores.
Pan, Panos/is MPan; Greek god of shepherds
silvanus, silvani Mgods associated with forest and uncultivated land
senex, senis (gen.), senior -or -us, -aged, old
nymphe, nymphes Fnymph; water; bride; young maiden
soror, sororis Fsister
Don
September 18, 2021 at 7:50 AM

Here's a link to the English translation at the Perseus Digital Library:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?do…%3A1999.02.0058

"Happy, who had the skill to understand
Nature's hid causes, and beneath his feet
All terrors cast, and death's relentless doom,
And the loud roar of greedy Acheron."

Unread Threads

    1. Title
    2. Replies
    3. Last Reply
    1. Philodemus' "On Anger" - General - Texts and Resources 19

      • Like 1
      • Cassius
      • April 1, 2022 at 5:36 PM
      • Philodemus On Anger
      • Cassius
      • June 30, 2025 at 8:54 AM
    2. Replies
      19
      Views
      5.8k
      19
    3. Don

      June 30, 2025 at 8:54 AM
    1. The Religion of Nature - as supported by Lucretius' De Rerum Natura 4

      • Thanks 1
      • Kalosyni
      • June 12, 2025 at 12:03 PM
      • General Discussion of "On The Nature of Things"
      • Kalosyni
      • June 23, 2025 at 12:36 AM
    2. Replies
      4
      Views
      617
      4
    3. Godfrey

      June 23, 2025 at 12:36 AM
    1. New Blog Post From Elli - " Fanaticism and the Danger of Dogmatism in Political and Religious Thought: An Epicurean Reading"

      • Thanks 2
      • Cassius
      • June 20, 2025 at 4:31 PM
      • Epicurus vs Abraham (Judaism, Christianity, Islam)
      • Cassius
      • June 20, 2025 at 4:31 PM
    2. Replies
      0
      Views
      1.4k
    1. Best Lucretius translation? 9

      • Like 1
      • Rolf
      • June 19, 2025 at 8:40 AM
      • General Discussion of "On The Nature of Things"
      • Rolf
      • June 19, 2025 at 3:01 PM
    2. Replies
      9
      Views
      494
      9
    3. Cassius

      June 19, 2025 at 3:01 PM
    1. New Translation of Epicurus' Works 1

      • Thanks 2
      • Eikadistes
      • June 16, 2025 at 3:50 PM
      • Uncategorized Discussion (General)
      • Eikadistes
      • June 16, 2025 at 6:32 PM
    2. Replies
      1
      Views
      473
      1
    3. Cassius

      June 16, 2025 at 6:32 PM

Details

Filename
Selection_1461.jpg
Upload Date
September 18, 2021 at 7:18 AM
Dimensions
552 × 523 px
File Size
75.95 kB

Categories

  • Lucretius

Categories

  1. Featured 30
  2. General 316
  3. Outreach 115
  4. Epicurean Graphics / Memes 364
  5. Vatican Sayings 27
  6. Principal Doctrines 98
  7. Venus - Classic Artwork 11
  8. Canonics 6
  9. Graphics By Creator 444
  10. Physics 31
  11. Ethics 49
  12. People 161
  13. Major Topics 123
  14. Twentieth 7

Latest Posts

  • "The Darkening Age: Christian Destruction of the Classical World" - By Catherine Nixey (2018)

    kochiekoch June 30, 2025 at 5:21 PM
  • Principal Doctrine XIV - Analysis And Application - Article By George Kaplanis Posted In Elli's Blog

    Cassius June 30, 2025 at 1:37 PM
  • Forum Reorganization Pending: Subforums Devoted To Individual Principal Doctrines and Vatican Sayings To Be Consolidated

    Cassius June 30, 2025 at 9:02 AM
  • Philodemus' "On Anger" - General - Texts and Resources

    Don June 30, 2025 at 8:54 AM
  • Interesting website that connects people to work-stay vacations - farms

    Kalosyni June 30, 2025 at 8:52 AM
  • Episode 288 - Tusculan Disputations Part 3 - "Will The Wise Man Feel Grief?" Not Yet Recorded

    Cassius June 30, 2025 at 6:18 AM
  • Happy Birthday General Thread

    Cassius June 30, 2025 at 4:05 AM
  • Articles concerning Epicurus and political involvement

    sanantoniogarden June 29, 2025 at 9:54 PM
  • Welcome Samsara73

    sanantoniogarden June 29, 2025 at 9:25 PM
  • Special Emphasis On "Emotions" In Lucretius Today Podcast / Tusculan Disputations - Should Everyone Aspire To Emulate Mr. Spock?

    Cassius June 29, 2025 at 3:39 PM

EpicureanFriends - Classical Epicurean Philosophy

  1. Home
    1. About Us
    2. Classical Epicurean Philosophy
  2. Wiki
    1. Getting Started
  3. Frequently Asked Questions
    1. Site Map
  4. Forum
    1. Latest Threads
    2. Featured Threads
    3. Unread Posts
  5. Texts
    1. Core Texts
    2. Biography of Epicurus
    3. Lucretius
  6. Articles
    1. Latest Articles
  7. Gallery
    1. Featured Images
  8. Calendar
    1. This Month At EpicureanFriends
Powered by WoltLab Suite™ 6.0.22
Style: Inspire by cls-design
Stylename
Inspire
Manufacturer
cls-design
Licence
Commercial styles
Help
Supportforum
Visit cls-design