Book Iv - Part 03 - The Senses And Mental Pictures Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOFPQRA HSTFFUVW LXYZFTA2B2C2D2FFD2D2 CFD2E2F2G2D2C H2I2J2D2K2L2M2D2D2RD 2N2O2P2Q2R2 D2J2S2G2FD2T2U2J2D2D 2D2G2V2W2C2D2D2D2W2X 2Y2D2Y2D2D2F Z2D2D2A3B3D2C3D3E3F3 FP2G3H3D2G2D2D2RD2D2 D2D2C3D2D2H3Y2H3A3I3 AD2J3FD2PK3ZL3D2D2M3 N3O3 AD2P3D2X2D2D2D2FZ2P2 D2Q3R3S3P2ASFD2D2FD2 J3AFCAP2T3M2FD2D2D2 U3V3D2D2XD2K2

Bodies that strike the eyes awaking sightA
From certain things flow odours evermoreB
As cold from rivers heat from sun and sprayC
From waves of ocean eater out of wallsD
Around the coasts Nor ever cease to flitE
The varied voices sounds athrough the airF
Then too there comes into the mouth at timesG
The wet of a salt taste when by the seaH
We roam about and so whene'er we watchI
The wormword being mixed its bitter stingsJ
To such degree from all things is each thingK
Borne streamingly along and sent aboutL
To every region round and Nature grantsM
Nor rest nor respite of the onward flowN
Since 'tis incessantly we feeling haveO
And all the time are suffered to descryF
And smell all things at hand and hear them soundP
Besides since shape examined by our handsQ
Within the dark is known to be the sameR
As that by eyes perceived within the lightA
And lustrous day both touch and sight must beH
By one like cause aroused So if we testS
A square and get its stimulus on usT
Within the dark within the light what squareF
Can fall upon our sight except a squareF
That images the things Wherefore it seemsU
The source of seeing is in imagesV
Nor without these can anything be viewedW
-
Now these same films I name are borne aboutL
And tossed and scattered into regions allX
But since we do perceive alone through eyesY
It follows hence that whitherso we turnZ
Our sight all things do strike against it thereF
With form and hue And just how far from usT
Each thing may be away the image yieldsA2
To us the power to see and chance to tellB2
For when 'tis sent at once it shoves aheadC2
And drives along the air that's in the spaceD2
Betwixt it and our eyes And thus this airF
All glides athrough our eyeballs and as 'twereF
Brushes athrough our pupils and thuswiseD2
Passes across Therefore it comes we seeD2
How far from us each thing may be awayC
And the more air there be that's driven beforeF
And too the longer be the brushing breezeD2
Against our eyes the farther off removedE2
Each thing is seen to be forsooth this workF2
With mightily swift order all goes onG2
So that upon one instant we may seeD2
What kind the object and how far awayC
-
Nor over marvellous must this be deemedH2
In these affairs that though the films which strikeI2
Upon the eyes cannot be singly seenJ2
The things themselves may be perceived For thusD2
When the wind beats upon us stroke by strokeK2
And when the sharp cold streams 'tis not our wontL2
To feel each private particle of windM2
Or of that cold but rather all at onceD2
And so we see how blows affect our bodyD2
As if one thing were beating on the sameR
And giving us the feel of its own bodyD2
Outside of us Again whene'er we thumpN2
With finger tip upon a stone we touchO2
But the rock's surface and the outer hueP2
Nor feel that hue by contact rather feelQ2
The very hardness deep within the rockR2
-
Now come and why beyond a looking glassD2
An image may be seen perceive For seenJ2
It soothly is removed far withinS2
'Tis the same sort as objects peered uponG2
Outside in their true shape whene'er a doorF
Yields through itself an open peering placeD2
And lets us see so many things outsideT2
Beyond the house Also that sight is madeU2
By a twofold twin air for first is seenJ2
The air inside the door posts next the doorsD2
The twain to left and right and afterwardsD2
A light beyond comes brushing through our eyesD2
Then other air then objects peered uponG2
Outside in their true shape And thus when firstV2
The image of the glass projects itselfW2
As to our gaze it comes it shoves aheadC2
And drives along the air that's in the spaceD2
Betwixt it and our eyes and brings to passD2
That we perceive the air ere yet the glassD2
But when we've also seen the glass itselfW2
Forthwith that image which from us is borneX2
Reaches the glass and there thrown back againY2
Comes back unto our eyes and driving rollsD2
Ahead of itself another air that thenY2
'Tis this we see before itself and thusD2
It looks so far removed behind the glassD2
Wherefore again again there's naught for wonderF
-
In those which render from the mirror's planeZ2
A vision back since each thing comes to passD2
By means of the two airs Now in the glassD2
The right part of our members is observedA3
Upon the left because when comes the imageB3
Hitting against the level of the glassD2
'Tis not returned unshifted but forced offC3
Backwards in line direct and not obliqueD3
Exactly as whoso his plaster maskE3
Should dash before 'twere dry on post or beamF3
And it should straightway keep at clinging thereF
Its shape reversed facing him who threwP2
And so remould the features it gives backG3
It comes that now the right eye is the leftH3
The left the right An image too may beD2
From mirror into mirror handed onG2
Until of idol films even five or sixD2
Have thus been gendered For whatever thingsD2
Shall hide back yonder in the house the sameR
However far removed in twisting waysD2
May still be all brought forth through bending pathsD2
And by these several mirrors seen to beD2
Within the house since Nature so compelsD2
All things to be borne backward and spring offC3
At equal angles from all other thingsD2
To such degree the image gleams acrossD2
From mirror unto mirror where 'twas leftH3
It comes to be the right and then againY2
Returns and changes round unto the leftH3
Again those little sides of mirrors curvedA3
Proportionate to the bulge of our own flankI3
Send back to us their idols with the rightA
Upon the right and this is so becauseD2
Either the image is passed on alongJ3
From mirror unto mirror and thereafterF
When twice dashed off flies back unto ourselvesD2
Or else the image wheels itself aroundP
When once unto the mirror it has comeK3
Since the curved surface teaches it to turnZ
To usward Further thou might'st well believeL3
That these film idols step along with usD2
And set their feet in unison with oursD2
And imitate our carriage since from thatM3
Part of a mirror whence thou hast withdrawnN3
Straightway no images can be returnedO3
-
Further our eye balls tend to flee the brightA
And shun to gaze thereon the sun even blindsD2
If thou goest on to strain them unto himP3
Because his strength is mighty and the filmsD2
Heavily downward from on high are borneX2
Through the pure ether and the viewless windsD2
And strike the eyes disordering their jointsD2
So piecing lustre often burns the eyesD2
Because it holdeth many seeds of fireF
Which working into eyes engender painZ2
Again whatever jaundiced people viewP2
Becomes wan yellow since from out their bodiesD2
Flow many seeds wan yellow forth to meetQ3
The films of things and many too are mixedR3
Within their eye which by contagion paintS3
All things with sallowness Again we viewP2
From dark recesses things that stand in lightA
Because when first has entered and possessedS
The open eyes this nearer darkling airF
Swiftly the shining air and luminousD2
Followeth in which purges then the eyesD2
And scatters asunder of that other airF
The sable shadows for in large degreesD2
This air is nimbler nicer and more strongJ3
And soon as ever 'thas filled and oped with lightA
The pathways of the eyeballs which beforeF
Black air had blocked there follow straightawayC
Those films of things out standing in the lightA
Provoking vision what we cannot doP2
From out the light with objects in the darkT3
Because that denser darkling air behindM2
Followeth in and fills each apertureF
And thus blockades the pathways of the eyesD2
That there no images of any thingsD2
Can be thrown in and agitate the eyesD2
-
And when from far away we do beholdU3
The squared towers of a city oftV3
Rounded they seem on this account becauseD2
Each distant angle is perceived obtuseD2
Or rather it is not perceived at allX
And perishes its blow nor to our gazeD2
Arrives its strokeK2

Lucretius



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation


Write your comment about Book Iv - Part 03 - The Senses And Mental Pictures poem by Lucretius


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 0 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