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premiss shall take its beginning;
    “Never did will of gods bring anything forth out of nothing.”
    For, in good sooth, it is thus that fear restraineth all mortals,
    Since both in earth and sky they see that many things happen
    Whereof they cannot by any known law determine the causes;
    So their occurrence they ascribe to supernatural power.
    Therefore when we have seen that naught can be made out of nothing,
    Afterwards we shall more rightly discern the thing which we search for:—
    Both out of what it is that everything can be created,
    And in what way all came, without help of gods, into being.
    7
If out of nothing things sprang into life, then every species
    From all alike could be born, and none would need any seed-germ.
    First, mature men might rise from the sea, and scale-bearing fishes
    Out of the earth; or again, fledged birds burst full-grown from heaven.
    Cattle and other beasts, and the whole tribe of wild herds, ungoverned
    By any fixed law of birth, would of desert and tilth take possession.
    Nor would each fruit be wont to remain to its own tree peculiar,
    But all would change about, so that all could bear all kinds of produce.
    How, if for each distinct kind there were no producing corpuscles,
    Could any matrix for matter exist that is fixed and unchanging?
    But, as it is, since all from definite seeds are created,
    Therefore each is born and comes into regions of daylight
    From out the place where dwells its substance, the primary atoms.
    Thus each cannot spring from all in promiscuous fashion,
    Since a peculiar power indwells each fixed kind of matter.
    Secondly, why do we see spring flowers, see golden grain waving
    Ripe in the sun, see grape clusters swell at the urge of the autumn,
    If not because when, in their own time, the fixed seeds of matter
    Have coalesced, then each creation comes forth into full view
    When the recurrent seasons for each are propitious, and safely
    Quickening Earth brings forth to the light her delicate offspring?
    But if from nothing they came, then each would spring up unexpected
    At undetermined times and in unfavouring seasons,
    Seeing that there would then not be any primary atoms
    Which from untimely creative conjunction could be kept asunder.
    Nor, again, thirdly, would time be needed for growing of matter
    When the seeds unite, if things can grow out of nothing;
    For in a trice little children would reach the fulness of manhood:
    Trees, again, would spring up by surprise, from earth sheer outleaping.
    But ’tis apparent that none of this happens, since all things grow slowly,
    As is but normal when each from a fixed seed in a fixed season
    Grows, and growing, preserves its kind: thus telling us clearly
    That from appropriate atoms each creature grows great and is nourished.

    From Book II

    5
But do not think that the gods condescend to consider such matters,
    Or that they mark the careers of individual atoms
    So as to study the laws of Nature whereunto they conform.
    Nevertheless there are some, unaware of the fixed laws of matter,
    Who think that Nature cannot, without supernatural power,
    Thus nicely fit to manners of men the sequence of seasons,
    Bringing forth corn, yea, all earth’s fruits, which heavenly Pleasure,
    Pilot of life, prompts men to approach, herself them escorting,
    As by Venus’ wiles she beguiles them their race to continue
    So that humanity may not fail. When therefore they settle
    That for the sake of man the gods designed all things, most widely
    In all respects do they seem to have strayed from the path of true reason.
    For even if I knew nothing concerning the nature of atoms,
    Yet from heaven’s very lore and legend’s diversified story
    I would make bold to aver and maintain that the order of Nature
    Never by will of the gods for us mortals was ever created…

    From Book III

    15
Now then, in order that you may learn that the minds of live creatures
    And their imponderable souls are to birth and death alike subject,
    I will proceed to