Titus Lucretius Carus in Materialism and Epicureanism

¶ … Titus Lucretius Carus in Materialism and Epicureanism

Titus Lucretius Carus, or Titus, is a Roman poet who became renowned with his work entitled, "De Rerum Natura" (On the Nature of Things/Universe). One of the philosophies that are apparent in this famous philosophical and literary work is the presence of the Epicureanistic philosophy of the poet, particularly his belief in Materialism. Epicureanism is one of the many philosophies and 'cults' that have prevailed during the Classical Period of Roman Civilization, and whose founder is the famous Greek philosopher Epicurus. Epicureanism is a philosophy that primarily believes in the achievement of pleasure by means of intellectual pleasure or gratification, and Epicureanism also aims to rid people of their fear in death, afterlife, and the gods, entities that have strong influence on the lives of Romans and Greeks during Lucretius' time and society.

Lucretius' philosophy and belief in Epicureanism and Materialism is evident in the text of his work "On the Nature of the Universe." The initial text of his work illustrates how humankind have always relied on the supernatural powers of the gods in leading their lives, as shown in his example of how the Roman goddess Venus has saved and comforted the patron Memmius, who represents the suffering humankind. Although Lucretius gives his praise and reverence to the goddess, he introduces after the significant role that Epicurus did for humankind with the conception and emergence of Epicureanism and Materialism. Lucretius is thankful to Epicurus for bringing into mankind the philosophy and belief that fear of and belief in gods and goddesses, as well as death and afterlife, are things that humankind must conquer if he or she wants true happiness. Further, pleasure, specifically intellectual pleasure, is the main pursuit that man must have in order to have real happiness and abolish fear in life. Aside from the moralistic virtues that Epicureanism subsists to, Lucretius also explained in his work the importance of knowing that man and all things in this world are made up of matter, which are then made of atoms, particles that are indestructible. What materialism teaches its proponents and believers is that death, as stated by Lucretius, "is nothing to us," since we are all going to be unaware of what will happen after our deaths, particularly because we become matter when we die. Hence, as matter, we will not possess the spirit, mind, and feeling that we had when we were humans, and death, then, will be of "nothing to us."