In Memoriam T. Lucretii Cari

Photo: English Poet Ben Jonson's Copy of Lucretius with Acid Stain

Today is the anniversary of the traditional date of the death of Lucretius, which, according to the 4th century grammarian Aelius Donatus, occurred on the same day that Virgil assumed the Toga Virilis on his 17th birthday.

Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas

Atque metus omnes, et inexorabile fatum

Subjecit pedibus, strepitumque Acherontis avari

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

And who has trampled beneath his feet all fear,

Inexorable fate, and the din of the devouring underworld

-Publius Vergilius Maro

carmina sublimis tunc sunt peritura Lucreti,

exitio terras cum dabit una dies

Then shall perish the verses of sublime Lucretius,

When that day shall consign the world to destruction

-Publius Ovidius Naso

And in case anyone is curious about the other inscription in Jonson's copy, it is also from Ovid;

Quote

explicat ut causas rapidi Lucretius ignis,

casurumque triplex vaticinatur opus,

[...] though Lucretius explains the cause of impetuous fire,

and predicts the triple death of earth, water, air [...]

In addition to Jonson's copy, we also have surviving copies belonging to Niccolo Niccoli, Machiavelli, Michel de Montaigne, Thomas Jefferson, and more.

Two more October dates; today, Oct. 30 is the anniversary of the death of Poggio Bracciolini in 1459. Tomorrow, October 31st, is the anniversary of the opening of the Leiden University Library in 1587. Poggio was the first to bring Lucretius back in to circulation, but the two most important 9th century medieval manuscripts--the Quadratus and the Oblongus--are housed in the Library at Leiden.

• Oct. 15th to 31st
  • 15th; T. Lucretius Carus death
  • 19th; Marsilio Ficino born (started writing a commentary on Lucretius but burned it out of fear)
  • 21st; Hermann Usener death
  • 23rd;Hermann Usener born
  • 24th; Vesuvius Eruption preserves Villa of the Papyri
  • 29th; H. A. J. Munro born
  • 30th; Poggio Bracciolini born
  • 31st; Opening of the Leiden University Library