Book Iii - Part 01 - Proem Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: AA BCDEFGHIJKLFMNOMPQRS TUVMMHWXYCCZA2B2PJMC 2GCD CCCD2CMOCQME2F2G2H2S CI2J2FK2SL2CCCM2JMN2 DMO2CCMP2Q2R2VCH2MCH 2L2S2MT2U2V2W2CMD2MC SH2CCCMSL2X2CMD2PMKD 2BCCMP2

A
A
-
-
-
-
-
-
O thou who first uplifted in such darkB
So clear a torch aloft who first shed lightC
Upon the profitable ends of manD
O thee I follow glory of the GreeksE
And set my footsteps squarely planted nowF
Even in the impress and the marks of thineG
Less like one eager to dispute the palmH
More as one craving out of very loveI
That I may copy thee for how should swallowJ
Contend with swans or what compare could beK
In a race between young kids with tumbling legsL
And the strong might of the horse Our father thouF
And finder out of truth and thou to usM
Suppliest a father's precepts and from outN
Those scriven leaves of thine renowned soulO
Like bees that sip of all in flowery woldsM
We feed upon thy golden sayings allP
Golden and ever worthiest endless lifeQ
For soon as ever thy planning thought that sprangR
From god like mind begins its loud proclaimS
Of nature's courses terrors of the brainT
Asunder flee the ramparts of the worldU
Dispart away and through the void entireV
I see the movements of the universeM
Rises to vision the majesty of godsM
And their abodes of everlasting calmH
Which neither wind may shake nor rain cloud splashW
Nor snow congealed by sharp frosts may harmX
With its white downfall ever unclouded skyY
O'er roofs and laughs with far diffused lightC
And nature gives to them their all nor aughtC
May ever pluck their peace of mind awayZ
But nowhere to my vision rise no moreA2
The vaults of Acheron though the broad earthB2
Bars me no more from gazing down o'er allP
Which under our feet is going on belowJ
Along the void O here in these affairsM
Some new divine delight and trembling aweC2
Takes hold through me that thus by power of thineG
Nature so plain and manifest at lastC
Hath been on every side laid bare to manD
-
And since I've taught already of what sortC
The seeds of all things are and how distinctC
In divers forms they flit of own accordC
Stirred with a motion everlasting onD2
And in what mode things be from them createC
Now after such matters should my verse meseemsM
Make clear the nature of the mind and soulO
And drive that dread of Acheron withoutC
Headlong which so confounds our human lifeQ
Unto its deeps pouring o'er all that isM
The black of death nor leaves not anythingE2
To prosper a liquid and unsullied joyF2
For as to what men sometimes will affirmG2
That more than Tartarus the realm of deathH2
They fear diseases and a life of shameS
And know the substance of the soul is bloodC
Or rather wind if haply thus their whimI2
And so need naught of this our science thenJ2
Thou well may'st note from what's to follow nowF
That more for glory do they braggart forthK2
Than for belief For mark these very sameS
Exiles from country fugitives afarL2
From sight of men with charges foul attaintC
Abased with every wretchedness they yetC
Live and where'er the wretches come they yetC
Make the ancestral sacrifices thereM2
Butcher the black sheep and to gods belowJ
Offer the honours and in bitter caseM
Turn much more keenly to religionN2
Wherefore it's surer testing of a manD
In doubtful perils mark him as he isM
Amid adversities for then aloneO2
Are the true voices conjured from his breastC
The mask off stripped reality behindC
And greed again and the blind lust of honoursM
Which force poor wretches past the bounds of lawP2
And oft allies and ministers of crimeQ2
To push through nights and days of the hugest toilR2
To rise untrammelled to the peaks of powerV
These wounds of life in no mean part are keptC
Festering and open by this fright of deathH2
For ever we see fierce Want and foul DisgraceM
Dislodged afar from secure life and sweetC
Like huddling Shapes before the doors of deathH2
And whilst from these men wish to scape afarL2
Driven by false terror and afar removeS2
With civic blood a fortune they amassM
They double their riches greedy heapers upT2
Of corpse on corpse they have a cruel laughU2
For the sad burial of a brother bornV2
And hatred and fear of tables of their kinW2
Likewise through this same terror envy oftC
Makes them to peak because before their eyesM
That man is lordly that man gazed uponD2
Who walks begirt with honour gloriousM
Whilst they in filth and darkness roll aroundC
Some perish away for statues and a nameS
And oft to that degree from fright of deathH2
Will hate of living and beholding lightC
Take hold on humankind that they inflictC
Their own destruction with a gloomy heartC
Forgetful that this fear is font of caresM
This fear the plague upon their sense of shameS
And this that breaks the ties of comradryL2
And oversets all reverence and faithX2
Mid direst slaughter For long ere to dayC
Often were traitors to country and dear parentsM
Through quest to shun the realms of AcheronD2
For just as children tremble and fear allP
In the viewless dark so even we at timesM
Dread in the light so many things that beK
No whit more fearsome than what children feignD2
Shuddering will be upon them in the darkB
This terror then this darkness of the mindC
Not sunrise with its flaring spokes of lightC
Nor glittering arrows of morning sun disperseM
But only Nature's aspect and her lawP2

Lucretius



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Book Iii - Part 01 - Proem poem by Lucretius


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 3 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets