De Rerum Natura
- 1.599.8
As of itself,- nor shall hereafter be,
- 1.599.9
Since 'tis itself still parcel of another,
- 1.599.10
A first and single part, whence other parts
- 1.599.11
And others similar in order lie
- 1.599.12
In a packed phalanx, filling to the full
- 1.599.13
The nature of first body: being thus
- 1.599.14
Not self-existent, they must cleave to that
- 1.599.15
From which in nowise they can sundered be.
- 1.599.16
So primal germs have solid singleness,
- 1.599.17
Which tightly packed and closely joined cohere
- 1.599.18
By virtue of their minim particles-
- 1.599.19
No compound by mere union of the same;
- 1.599.20
But strong in their eternal singleness,
- 1.599.21
Nature, reserving them as seeds for things,
- 1.599.22
Permitteth naught of rupture or decrease.
- 1.599.23
Moreover, were there not a minimum,
- 1.599.24
The smallest bodies would have infinites,
- 1.599.25
Since then a half-of-half could still be halved,
- 1.599.26
With limitless division less and less.
- 1.599.27
Then what the difference 'twixt the sum and least?
- 1.599.28
None: for however infinite the sum,
- 1.599.29
Yet even the smallest would consist the same
- 1.599.30
Of infinite parts. But since true reason here
- 1.599.31
Protests, denying that the mind can think it,
- 1.599.32
Convinced thou must confess such things there are
- 1.599.33
As have no parts, the minimums of nature.
- 1.599.34
And since these are, likewise confess thou must
- 1.599.35
That primal bodies are solid and eterne.
- 1.599.36
Again, if Nature, creatress of all things,
- 1.599.37
Were wont to force all things to be resolved
- 1.599.38
Unto least parts, then would she not avail
- 1.599.39
To reproduce from out them anything;
- 1.599.40
Because whate'er is not endowed with parts
- 1.599.41
Cannot possess those properties required
- 1.599.42
Of generative stuff- divers connections,
- 1.599.43
Weights, blows, encounters, motions, whereby things
- 1.599.44
Forevermore have being and go on.
- 1.635.1
And on such grounds it is that those who held
- 1.635.2
The stuff of things is fire, and out of fire
- 1.635.3
Alone the cosmic sum is formed, are seen
- 1.635.4
Mightily from true reason to have lapsed.
- 1.635.5
Of whom, chief leader to do battle, comes
- 1.635.6
That Heraclitus, famous for dark speech
- 1.635.7
Among the silly, not the serious Greeks
- 1.635.8
Who search for truth. For dolts are ever prone
- 1.635.9
That to bewonder and adore which hides
- 1.635.10
Beneath distorted words, holding that true
- 1.635.11
Which sweetly tickles in their stupid ears,
- 1.635.12
Or which is rouged in finely finished phrase.
- 1.635.13
For how, I ask, can things so varied be,
- 1.635.14
If formed of fire, single and pure? No whit
- 1.635.15
'Twould help for fire to be condensed or thinned,
- 1.635.16
If all the parts of fire did still preserve
- 1.635.17
But fire's own nature, seen before in gross.
- 1.635.18
The heat were keener with the parts compressed,
- 1.635.19
Milder, again, when severed or dispersed-
- 1.635.20
And more than this thou canst conceive of naught
- 1.635.21
That from such causes could become; much less
- 1.635.22
Might earth's variety of things be born
- 1.635.23
From any fires soever, dense or rare.
- 1.635.24
This too: if they suppose a void in things,
- 1.635.25
Then fires can be condensed and still left rare;
- 1.635.26
But since they see such opposites of thought
- 1.635.27
Rising against them, and are loath to leave
- 1.635.28
An unmixed void in things, they fear the steep
- 1.635.29
And lose the road of truth. Nor do they see,
- 1.635.30
That, if from things we take away the void,
- 1.635.31
All things are then condensed, and out of all
- 1.635.32
One body made, which has no power to dart
- 1.635.33
Swiftly from out itself not anything-
- 1.635.34
As throws the fire its light and warmth around,
- 1.635.35
Giving thee proof its parts are not compact.
- 1.635.36
But if perhaps they think, in other wise,
- 1.635.37
Fires through their combinations can be quenched
- 1.635.38
And change their substance, very well: behold,
- 1.635.39
If fire shall spare to do so in no part,
- 1.635.40
Then heat will perish utterly and all,
- 1.635.41
And out of nothing would the world be formed.
- 1.635.42
For change in anything from out its bounds
- 1.635.43
Means instant death of that which was before;
- 1.635.44
And thus a somewhat must persist unharmed
- 1.635.45
Amid the world, lest all return to naught,
- 1.635.46
And, born from naught, abundance thrive anew.
- 1.635.47
Now since indeed there are those surest bodies
- 1.635.48
Which keep their nature evermore the same,
- 1.635.49
Upon whose going out and coming in
- 1.635.50
And changed order things their nature change,
- 1.635.51
And all corporeal substances transformed,
- 1.635.52
'Tis thine to know those primal bodies, then,
- 1.635.53
Are not of fire. For 'twere of no avail
- 1.635.54
Should some depart and go away, and some
- 1.635.55
Be added new, and some be changed in order,
- 1.635.56
If still all kept their nature of old heat:
- 1.635.57
For whatsoever they created then
- 1.635.58
Would still in any case be only fire.
- 1.635.59
The truth, I fancy, this: bodies there are
- 1.635.60
Whose clashings, motions, order, posture, shapes
- 1.635.61
Produce the fire and which, by order changed,
- 1.635.62
Do change the nature of the thing produced,
- 1.635.63
And are thereafter nothing like to fire
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