Lucretius III 487-547 | Dickinson College Commentaries

Quīn etiam subitō vī morbī saepe coāctus

ante oculōs aliquis nostrōs, ut fulminis ictū,

concidit et spūmās agit, ingemit et tremit artus,

dēsipit, extentat nervōs, torquētur, anhēlat490

incōnstanter, et in iactandō membra fatīgat,

nī mīrum quia vīs morbī distracta per artūs

turbat agēns animam, spūmāns in aequore salsō

ventōrum validīs fervēscunt vīribus undae.

exprimitur porrō gemitus, quia membra dolōre495

adficiuntur et omnīnō quod sēmina vōcis

ēliciuntur et ōre forās glomerāta feruntur

quā quasi cōnsuērunt et sunt mūnīta viāī.

dēsipientia fit, quia vīs animī atque animāī

conturbātur et, ut docuī, dīvīsa seorsum500

disiectātur eōdem illō distracta venēnō.

inde ubi iam morbī reflexit causa, reditque

in latebrās ācer corruptī corporis ūmor,

tum quasi vaccillāns prīmum cōnsurgit et omnis

paulātim redit in sēnsūs animamque receptat.505

haec igitur tantīs ubi morbīs corpore in ipsō

iactentur miserīsque modīs distracta labōrent,

cūr eadem crēdis sine corpore in āëre apertō

cum validīs ventīs aetātem dēgere posse?

Et quoniam mentem sānārī corpus ut aegrum510

cernimus et flectī medicīnā posse vidēmus,

id quoque praesāgit mortālem vīvere mentem.

addere enim partīs aut ōrdine trāiēcēre aecumst

aut aliquid prōsum dē summā dētrahere hīlum,

commūtāre animum quī cumque adorītur et īnfit515

aut aliam quamvīs nātūram flectere quaerit.

at neque trānsferrī sibi partīs nec tribuī vult

inmortāle quod est quicquam neque dēfluere hīlum;

nam quod cumque suīs mūtātum fīnibus exit,

continuō hoc mors est illīus quod fuit ante.520

ergō animus sīve aegrēscit, mortālia signa

mittit, utī docuī, seu flectitur ā medicīnā.

usque adeō falsae ratiōnī vēra vidētur

rēs occurrere et effugium praeclūdēre euntī

ancipitīque refūtātū convincere falsum.525

Dēnique saepe hominem paulātim cernimus īre

et membrātim vītālem dēperdere sēnsum;

in pedibus prīmum digitōs līvēscere et unguis,

inde pedēs et crūra morī, post inde per artūs

īre aliōs tractim gelidī vestīgia lētī.530

scinditur atque animae haec quoniam nātūra nec ūnō

tempore sincēra existit, mortālis habendast.

quod sī forte putās ipsam sē posse per artūs

introsum trahere et partīs condūcere in ūnum

atque ideō cūnctīs sēnsum dīdūcere membrīs,535

at locus ille tamen, quō cōpia tanta animāī

cōgitur, in sēnsū dēbet maiōre vidērī;

quī quoniam nusquamst, nī mīrum, ut dīximus,

dīlaniāta forās dispargitur, interit ergō.

quīn etiam sī iam libeat concēdere falsum540

et dare posse animam glomerārī in corpore eōrum,

lūmina quī lincunt moribundī particulātim,

mortālem tamen esse animam fateāre necesse

nec rēfert utrum pereat dispersa per aurās

an contracta suīs ē partibus obbrūtēscat,545

quandō hominem tōtum magis ac magis undique sēnsus

dēficit et vītae minus et minus undique restat.

notes

489: artus is accusative of respect (sometimes called synecdochical accusative), common in naming parts of the body affected by an intransitive verb.

495-498: Two causes for groaning during a seizure are given; one is introduced by quia and the other by quod. The adverb omnino suggests that the later is the more important cause. Quā is the adverb, here introducing an adverbial relative clause modifying the pathway described as ore foras ... feruntur (lit. "|away from the mouth | toward the outside | they are carried. |") The adverb quasi here has its "so to speak" or "if you don't mind my putting it this way" sense. Lucretius calls attention to the somewhat rough comparison of the passage through the mouth to a paved road (munita viai "paved surfaces of a road," and thus, by hendiadys, a "paved road.") Viai = viae (gen. sg.)

499: animai = animae (gen. sg.)

502-505: redīt- = rediit or redivit (perf. act. ind. 3rd. sg.) and hence parallel to reflexit. Acer ... umor is a poetic way of referring to the cause of the disease, which Lucretius seems to imagine is latent (hence in latebras) within the body between expressions of the symptoms. The adverb quasi here has its "so to speak" or "if you don't mind my putting it this way" sense, with which Lucrerius acknowledges that vacillans does not quite fit a description of a person recovering from a seizure. Consurgit has as its subject aliquis (the victim of the seizure) in line 488.

506-509: haec (neuter plural nominative; subject of iactentur) "these things" refers to the anima and animus. Iactentur and laborent (both present subjunctive) give a causal force to the relative clause of characteristic introduced by ubi. In this construction, Lucretius frequently places quippe in front of ubi. Credis: the indicative is striking, but gives a forceful and personal tone, for Lucretius is arguing against those who have actually made this claim.

510 ut "just as"

513: aecumst (= aequum est) "it is fair," "it is natural;" three infinitives compose the notional subject: addere, traiecere (= trāĭcĕre, another special spelling in Lucretius), and detrahere. Partis (acc. pl.) is object of both addere and traiecere.

514: prosum (= prorsum) "at all," here giving the overall effect of "or to take away even one small bit from the whole."

515: qui cumque: this indefinite relative clause supplies the agent for the infinitives above; the clause can be described as a conditional relative clause, i.e., "if/when anyone attempts. . . then it is natural [for him] to. . . "

517: sibi dative of reference. Partis (accusative plural), subject of transferri, tribui, and defluere vult in the sense of "consent" or "allow."

518: inmortale quod est quicquam = quicquam quod est immortale; the subject of vult (line 517).

521: mortalia signa "indications of being mortal."

523-525: falsa ratio and falsum are here personified as an enemy that is attacked, prevented from escaping, and defeated by vera res.

526-547: In some cases, the anima departs little by little, showing that it is divisible, and hence mortal.

526: ire for obire or ex vita exire.

527: membratim "one limb at a time;" an adverb formed from membra.

528: digitos the "toes," of course.

530-531: uno / tempore sincera existit, i.e., the natura animae doesn't "go forth as a complete unit at one time;" the use of sincerus to mean "as a complete unit" is unusual, but easily inferred in context.

533: ipsam refers to the anima. Se is object of trahere.

534: in unum "into a single place."

538: qui quoniam nusquamst an adversitive sense is implied by the context "but since this doesn't exist anywhere...." Qui refers to locus (line 536).

540-543: si libeat ... fateare future less vivid condition.

541: dare in the sense of giving an opponent's argument some credence; to "grant" a point.

544: pereat and obbrutescat (line 545) are the verbs of an indirect (disjunctive) question coordinated by utrum (line 544). . . an (lin 545) that is subject of refert (line 544).

vocabulary

fulmen fulminis n.: lightening, thunderbolt

concidō concidere concidī: to fall down, fall faint, fall dead, fall victim, fall to earth, fall short, collapse; drop, subside; decline; perish, be slain/sacrificed; lose one's case, fail, give out, lose heart, decay

spūma –ae f.: froth, foam, spray; pl., spray

ingemō –ere –uī –itus: to sigh or groan; groan for (+ acc.); lament, bewail

tremō tremere tremuī: to tremble

artus artūs m.: limb, leg

490

dēsipiō dēsipere —: to be void of understanding, be silly, act foolishly

extentō -āre -āvī -ātum: to extend, to stretch out, to elongate

nervus –ī m.: muscle, tendon; cord, string

torqueō torquēre torsī tortum: to twist, torture

anhēlō anhēlāre anhēlāvī anhēlātus: to pant; of a furnace, to puff, roar

incōnstāns –antis: inconstant, changeable, fickle, capricious, inconsistent

iactō iactāre iactāvī iactātus: to throw away, throw out, throw, jerk about; disturb; boast, discuss

fatīgō fatīgāre fatīgāvī fatīgātus: to tire, wear out

nī: if ...not; unless; quid ni? = why not?

mīrus –a –um: wonderful, strange, remarkable, amazing, surprising, extraordinary

distrahō –trahere –traxī –tractum: to pull apart, tear to pieces

spūmō spūmāre spūmāvī spūmātus: to foam

salsus –a –um: made salty; salted; salt–, briny

fervescō fervescere –: to become hot, to boil up, to seethe

495

exprimō exprimere expressī expressum: to press, express

porrō: forward, of space, time, or of mental operations, far off; afterwards, in process of time, then; further

gemitus –ūs m.: a groaning; a groan; sigh; lamentation; cry; noise, roaring

omnīnō: entirely, altogether [after negatives/with numerals => at all/in all]; in general

quod: because, the fact that, which

sēmen sēmenis n.: seed

ēliciō ēlicere ēlicuī: to allure, entice out, elicit

forās: out of doors, out through the doors, forth, out

glomerō glomerāre glomerāvī glomerātus: to form into a ball; mass together

cōnsuō -ere -suī -sūtum: to sew, stich or join together

mūniō mūnīre mūnīvī mūnītus: to fortify; strengthen; protect, defend, safeguard; build (a road)

500

conturbō conturbāre conturbāvī conturbātus: to confuse, disturb, derange, disorder, confound

seorsum: separately, apart

dīsiciō –ere –iēcī –iectus: to throw, cast asunder; overthrow, demolish; scatter, disperse; cleave

eōdem: the same place

distrahō –ere –trahere –traxī –tractum: to pull apart, tear to pieces

venēnum venēnī n.: poison; drug

reflectō reflectere reflexī reflexus: to bend back, turn backwards, turn about, turn away

latebra –ae f.: hiding place, concealment

ūmor –oris m.: moisture

vacillō vacillāre vacillāvī vacillātum: to stagger, to sway to and fro, to reel, to hesitate, to vacillate

cōnsurgō –ere –surrēxī –surrēctus: to rise together, rise up; rise at once; rise; rise or spring to the oars, ply

505

paulātim: little by little, by degrees, gradually; a small amount at a time, bit by bit

receptō receptāre receptāvī receptātus: to take back or out; recover

dēgō –ere –dēgī: to pass, spend

510

sānō sānāre sānāvī sānātus: to heal

flectō flectere flēxī flexus: to bend, curve, bow; turn, curl; persuade, prevail on, soften

medicīna –ae f.: the healing art; medicine, remedy

praesāgiō praesāgīre —: to forbode, to have as a prognosis, to portend; predict

trāiciō –icere –iēcī –iectum: to transfer; transport; pierce, transfix

prorsum: at all, even a little bit

summa summae f.: peak, summit

dētrahō –ere –trāxī –tractum: to take away from

hīlum, -ī n.: a spot, a trifle; a spot on a seed; (in the negative) not in the least

515

commūtō commūtāre commūtāvī commūtātus: to change, alter

cumque: however, whenever, howsoever, whensoever,

adorior adorīrī adortus sum: to assail, assault, attack, rise against (military/political/plague); accost, address, improperly influence; undertake, try, attempt, come to grips; begin, set to work

īnfit: one begins; he begins to speak

trānsferō trānsferre trānstulī trānslātus: to transport/convey/transfer/shift; transpose; carry/bring across/over; transplant, copy out (writing); translate (language); postpone, transfer date; transform

tribuō tribuere tribuī tribūtus: to divide, assign; present; grant, allot, bestow, attribute

immortālis immortālis immortāle: immortal, not subject to death; eternal, everlasting, perpetual; imperishable

dēfluō –ere –fluxī –fluxus: to flow down; sail down; alight, descend; fall, descend

520

continuō: immediately, straightway

aegrēscō –ere: to become sick; grow worse

mortālia –ium n.: human affairs; fortunes, woes

videor vidērī vīsus sum: to seem; be seen

effugium –iī n.: a fleeing away; pl., flight, escape

praeclūdō praeclūdere praeclūsī praeclūsum: to shut off, shut, close

525

anceps: two headed/fold/edged/meanings; faces two/opposite directions/fronts; twofold; on two sides/fronts (war/attack); undecided, drawn, hanging in balance (battle); double; w/two meanings; uncertain; dangerous, perilous; ambiguous; unsettled; doubtful

refūtō refūtāre refūtāvī refūtātus: to repel; disprove, refute, falsify, disappoint

convincō convincere convīcī convīctus: to prove wrong, refute

falsum –ī n.: an untruth, falsehood, fraud, deceit

membrātim: piecemeal, singly, severally; by limbs or members

vītālis –e: pertaining to life; essential to life, vital

dēperdō –perdere –perdidī –perditum: to destroy, ruin

digitus digitī m.: finger

līvescō, livescere, livuī: to grow black and blow with bruises, to become livid

unguis –is m.: fingernail; claw, talon

pedes peditis m.: foot soldier, infantryman; pedestrian, who goes on foot; infantry (pl.)

crūs –ūris n.: shin, leg

530

tractim: at length, by degrees, in a drawn-out manner, slowly, little by little

gelidus –a –um: cold, icy

lētum letī n.: death

sincērus –a –um: clean, pure, sound, not spoiled, uninjured, whole, entire, real, natural, genuine, sincere

exstō or extō –āre –āvī –ātus: to stand forth or out; rise above

intrōrsum or intrōrsus: towards the inside, inwards, within

condūcō conducere condūxī conductus: to draw/bring together, collect, assemble; unite/join; cause to curdle/coagulate; employ, hire; rent; borrow; contract for, undertake; farm the taxes

535

dīdūcō –dūcere –dūxī –ductum: to draw apart, separate

nusquam: nowhere; on no occasion

dīlaniō, dīlaniāre, dīlaniāvī, dīlaniātum: to shred, to rip asunder

dispergō –ere –spersī –spersus: to sprinkle, shower around; disperse, scatter; diffuse, dissolve (> dis– and spargo)

intereō interīre interīvī/interiī interitūrus: to perish, die; be ruined; cease

540

linquō linquere līquī: to leave, relinquish

moribundus –a –um: in a dying condition; ready to die, dying; lifeless; mortal (> morior)

particulatim: little by little, gradually; piecemeal; singly, severally

545

contrahō contrahere contrāxī contractus: to collect, contract, reduce

obbrūtescō, obbrūtescere, –, –: to become brutish, to become dull

restō restāre restitī: to remain, resist