De Rerum Natura
- 1.146.42
Were their becoming, they would spring abroad
- 1.146.43
Suddenly, unforeseen, in alien months,
- 1.146.44
With no primordial germs, to be preserved
- 1.146.45
From procreant unions at an adverse hour.
- 1.185.1
Nor on the mingling of the living seeds
- 1.185.2
Would space be needed for the growth of things
- 1.185.3
Were life an increment of nothing: then
- 1.185.4
The tiny babe forthwith would walk a man,
- 1.185.5
And from the turf would leap a branching tree-
- 1.185.6
Wonders unheard of; for, by Nature, each
- 1.185.7
Slowly increases from its lawful seed,
- 1.185.8
And through that increase shall conserve its kind.
- 1.185.9
Whence take the proof that things enlarge and feed
- 1.185.10
From out their proper matter. Thus it comes
- 1.185.11
That earth, without her seasons of fixed rains,
- 1.185.12
Could bear no produce such as makes us glad,
- 1.185.13
And whatsoever lives, if shut from food,
- 1.185.14
Prolongs its kind and guards its life no more.
- 1.185.15
Thus easier 'tis to hold that many things
- 1.185.16
Have primal bodies in common (as we see
- 1.185.17
The single letters common to many words)
- 1.185.18
Than aught exists without its origins.
- 1.185.19
Moreover, why should Nature not prepare
- 1.185.20
Men of a bulk to ford the seas afoot,
- 1.185.21
Or rend the mighty mountains with their hands,
- 1.185.22
Or conquer Time with length of days, if not
- 1.185.23
Because for all begotten things abides
- 1.185.24
The changeless stuff, and what from that may spring
- 1.185.25
Is fixed forevermore? Lastly we see
- 1.185.26
How far the tilled surpass the fields untilled
- 1.185.27
And to the labour of our hands return
- 1.185.28
Their more abounding crops; there are indeed
- 1.185.29
Within the earth primordial germs of things,
- 1.185.30
Which, as the ploughshare turns the fruitful clods
- 1.185.31
And kneads the mould, we quicken into birth.
- 1.185.32
Else would ye mark, without all toil of ours,
- 1.185.33
Spontaneous generations, fairer forms.
- 1.205.1
Confess then, naught from nothing can become,
- 1.205.2
Since all must have their seeds, wherefrom to grow,
- 1.205.3
Wherefrom to reach the gentle fields of air.
- 1.205.4
Hence too it comes that Nature all dissolves
- 1.205.5
Into their primal bodies again, and naught
- 1.205.6
Perishes ever to annihilation.
- 1.205.7
For, were aught mortal in its every part,
- 1.205.8
Before our eyes it might be snatched away
- 1.205.9
Unto destruction; since no force were needed
- 1.205.10
To sunder its members and undo its bands.
- 1.205.11
Whereas, of truth, because all things exist,
- 1.205.12
With seed imperishable, Nature allows
- 1.205.13
Destruction nor collapse of aught, until
- 1.205.14
Some outward force may shatter by a blow,
- 1.205.15
Or inward craft, entering its hollow cells,
- 1.205.16
Dissolve it down. And more than this, if Time,
- 1.205.17
That wastes with eld the works along the world,
- 1.205.18
Destroy entire, consuming matter all,
- 1.205.19
Whence then may Venus back to light of life
- 1.205.20
Restore the generations kind by kind?
- 1.205.21
Or how, when thus restored, may daedal Earth
- 1.205.22
Foster and plenish with her ancient food,
- 1.205.23
Which, kind by kind, she offers unto each?
- 1.205.24
Whence may the water-springs, beneath the sea,
- 1.205.25
Or inland rivers, far and wide away,
- 1.205.26
Keep the unfathomable ocean full?
- 1.205.27
And out of what does Ether feed the stars?
- 1.205.28
For lapsed years and infinite age must else
- 1.205.29
Have eat all shapes of mortal stock away:
- 1.205.30
But be it the Long Ago contained those germs,
- 1.205.31
By which this sum of things recruited lives,
- 1.205.32
Those same infallibly can never die,
- 1.205.33
Nor nothing to nothing evermore return.
- 1.238.1
And, too, the selfsame power might end alike
- 1.238.2
All things, were they not still together held
- 1.238.3
By matter eternal, shackled through its parts,
- 1.238.4
Now more, now less. A touch might be enough
- 1.238.5
To cause destruction. For the slightest force
- 1.238.6
Would loose the weft of things wherein no part
- 1.238.7
Were of imperishable stock. But now
- 1.238.8
Because the fastenings of primordial parts
- 1.238.9
Are put together diversely and stuff
- 1.238.10
Is everlasting, things abide the same
- 1.238.11
Unhurt and sure, until some power comes on
- 1.238.12
Strong to destroy the warp and woof of each:
- 1.238.13
Nothing returns to naught; but all return
- 1.238.14
At their collapse to primal forms of stuff.
- 1.238.15
Lo, the rains perish which Ether-father throws
- 1.238.16
Down to the bosom of Earth-mother; but then
- 1.238.17
Upsprings the shining grain, and boughs are green
- 1.238.18
Amid the trees, and trees themselves wax big
- 1.238.19
And lade themselves with fruits; and hence in turn
- 1.238.20
The race of man and all the wild are fed;
- 1.238.21
Hence joyful cities thrive with boys and girls;
- 1.238.22
And leafy woodlands echo with new birds;
- 1.238.23
Hence cattle, fat and drowsy, lay their bulk
- 1.238.24
Along the joyous pastures whilst the drops
- 1.238.25
Of white ooze trickle from distended bags;
- 1.238.26
Hence the young scamper on their weakling joints
- 1.238.27
Along the tender herbs, fresh hearts afrisk
- 1.238.28
With warm new milk. Thus naught of what so seems
- 1.238.29
Perishes utterly, since Nature ever
- 1.238.30
Upbuilds one thing from other, suffering naught
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