Lucretius and Memmius: De Rerum Natura 1.42

These lines (28-53) from Lucretius' first proem appeal to Venus to make the poem attractive and thus bring peace to the troubled state of Rome through its and her capacity to calm the spirit of war, here symbolised by her erotic domination of her lover Mavors (Mars). The poet calls on Venus to speak words via the poem which will bring peace to the Romans, words evidently parallel with the Epicurean message of tranquillity in the DRN itself . At this point in the text of Lucretius two problems emerge.---Original in English.