Nate's "Back of the Book" Graphic

    Nate has revised his "Back of the Book" graphic to substitute a quote from Lucretius for the one formerly listed by Laertius. It turns out that that previous clip, while absolutely accurate in substance, was more of a combination of comments from Laertius and Lucian. Since we didn't want two quotes from Lucian, and Lucretius deserves inclusion anyway, please keep THIS version for the future and sharing on social media. Thanks Nate!


    Also, I wanted to post this as a forum thread so people could find the graphic more easily. There will be discussion of the graphic under the comments to the graphic itself, but sometimes those aren't as easy to find when searching as a forum post.


    The primary home of the graphic is here: Back of Book - Epicurus as a Modern Best-Selling Author


    And here's the image again:


    468-back-of-book-epicurus-as-a-modern-best-selling-author

    Thread
    Lucretius' Appearance - Research into What He Looked Like
    For the time being I'll start this thread with this. I know we can find information about the Lucretius ring in the introduction to one of Munro's editions to his Lucretius. And I clipped that photo of the ring somewhere, so that exists on the internet too, but I don't know where the original is located. The sketches in the second picture are, on the left, from the sketchbook of Herculaneum discoveries (need link) and the one on the right is from the Munro book.


    …
    Cassius



    My favorite quote on Lucretius comes from Ovid in his Amores.


    Quote

    The verses of sublime Lucretius are destined to perish only when a single day will consign the world to destruction.


    Cicero, in a letter to his brother;


    Quote

    The poems of Lucretius are as you write: they exhibit many flashes of genius, and yet show great mastership.


    Albert Einstein, in a preface to a German edition;


    Quote

    For anyone who is not completely submerged in the spirit of our age, who feels instead like a spectator as the world goes past him, especially, from time to time, vis-à-vis the intellectual attitudes of his contemporaries — on him will Lucretius's poem work its magic


    George Santayana;


    Quote

    That things have their poetry, not because of what we make them symbols of, but because of their own movement and life, is what Lucretius proves once for all to mankind.

    Quote

    Whether it be a wind blowing, a torrent rushing, a lamb bleating, the magic of love, genius achieving its purpose, or a war, or a pestilence, Lucretius sees everything in its causes, and in its total career. One breath of lavish creation, one iron law of change, runs through the whole, making all things kin in their inmost elements and in their last end. Here is the touch of nature indeed, her largeness and eternity. Here is the true echo of the life of matter.


    And–why not! Lucy Hutchinson;


    Quote

    [...] I found I never understood him till I learned to abhor him, and dread a wanton dalliance with impious books.