Lucretius' The Nature of Things (in Contemporary American English Prose)

What is astounding about this epic poem is that it was written more than 2,000 years ago, when the Roman universe was still accounted for by heroes, demigods, and gods—both native and imported.

From the very beginning one feels the athletic language of a poet determined to explain things and creatures in simple language. Although he frequently complains about the “poverty” of Latin to explain the concepts he had in mind, he never gives up in his efforts; at worst his verses reveal a c…