A Masterpiece

As someone who is not fluent in Latin, I have always wished for a way to better understand the Roman way of thinking. I have been put off in the past from De Rerum Natura because the translation that is in the public domain and is all over the internet, by W.E. Leonard, is virtually unreadable to anyone not initiated into the details of Latin poetry. In contrast, the translation used here is eminently understandable by almost anyone.

But more brilliant even than the translation is the narration by Mr. Griffin. Lucretius himself would be smiling if he could hear what Mr. Griffin has done with his work. I dare say this production opens the ideas of Epicurus to a whole new generation that otherwise might never have taken the time to get to know this work of art. I have heard it said that the Romans intended their works to be read aloud rather than read silently. I do not know if that is true, but this audiobook should be exhibit one for anyone who wants to argue in support of that point. The tone, the inflection, the pacing... all combine to make a complicated subject come alive, as if Lucretius himself were patiently explaining his position to a listening pupil.

The ideas of Lucretius and Epicurus merit careful reexamination in the modern world. The fair-minded listener will easily separate Lucretius' errors of fact, which stemmed from the limited state of science, from his far more important method of thinking and approach to philosophy, which need no revision.

If Lucretius and Epicurus ever get the monumental credit they deserve for their contributions to philosophy, it will be in no small part to this production by Mr. Griffin. To any new student of Lucretius I would heartily recommend this oral presentation over ANY written translation.

Simply outstanding. I cannot recommend it highly enough. I have several other audiobooks by this narrator and they are all excellent, but of those I have heard clearly this is his masterwork.

68 people found this helpful

I didn't like the structure of the audiobook

I don't have much to add about the poem itself, which is truly marvelous; the translation here is the one by Rolfe Humphries, and it is indeed extremely good. However, there's another aspect of the audiobook which I didn't care for. In addition to the poem itself, the audiobook contains two short essays: a biographical sketch of Lucretius by William Young Sellar, and an overview of Epicureanism by William Wallace. I actually found the essays an interesting addition, but for some reason they are not include before or after the text, but interspersed with it. I normally like to read or listen to introductions after the text itself, and I found that the arrangement here broke the flow of the text. If you're like me, the following layout might be useful:

0h0m to 0h15m: Lucretius biography, part 1
0h15m to 1h29m: Book I of the poem
1h29m to 1h45m: Lucretius biography, part 2
1h45m to 3h04m: Book II
3h04m to 3h20m: Epicureanism, part 1
3h20m to 4h32m: Book III
4h32m to 4h46m: Epicureanism, part 2
4h46m to 6h13m: Book IV
6h13m to 7h54m: Book V
7h54m to 9h12m: Book VI

As for the narrator: I've bought quite a few of Charlton Griffin's audiobooks, and there's no denying he's an excellent narrator. He's not my personal favorite, because I find his booming voice a little too, well, booming. I sometimes felt like it was an irate Roman god reading the poem, and not an atheistic poet. Not a real problem, of course, just my personal taste.

In short: an excellent poem, beautifully translated, expertly read. I only wish the extra parts were concentrated in one place, either at the beginning or the end.

66 people found this helpful

Lucretius becomes immortal!

Where does On the Nature of Things rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Definitely one of the best.

Who was your favorite character and why?

If it were a character, I would say the poetry itself

What does Charlton Griffin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

If there were gods, and humans went to battle against them, win or lose, the story ought to be told by Charlton Griffin.

Lucretius' De Rerum Natura is a marvel of poetry and philosophy, but you have to already know your classical poetry and philosophy to really savor every drop. But with Charlton Griffin, even those unfamiliar with the materialism, empiricism, hedonism and atheism of epicureanism, will be inspired to seriously ponder these ideas and read further on.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I had read this book before, but this audio version sent chills down my spine!

Any additional comments?

Do yourself and your loved ones a favor, and listen to this audiobook as you sit in front of a nice chimney fire.

11 people found this helpful

A must "read" Great Translation and Narration

What made the experience of listening to On the Nature of Things the most enjoyable?

First of all, this translation is based on Rolfe Humphries, in case you wish to read along or follow the audio with the book. It is very readable and clear.

What does Charlton Griffin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Griffin is a great narrator; he makes it very easy to follow, especially if you do not have a copy of the book with you.

Any additional comments?

There's nothing to report that has not been stated by previous reviewers. This is a great production of a very important classic.

10 people found this helpful

Beautiful translation, masterful narration.

For novelty, beauty and insight into a great Roman mind, this is a worthy purchase. Charlton Griffin is awesome, especially for Roman literature. His bold and assertive style captures the Roman spirit.

Also, I hear this is the best translation. Lucretius' introduction, an invocation to Venus, is majestic.

18 people found this helpful

Read his own words. A+

I was in the midst of reading yet another book that referenced Lucretius' On the Nature of Things and thought I should stop and read Lucretius' words for myself. WOW. This is possibly THE best book ever written. I am amazed that someone who lived more than 2000 years ago could possess such a deep and complete understanding of our universe. If you change a few words here and there and maintain an understanding that Lucretius wrote this work long before many necessary scientific tools existed, it is relevant today. It boggles the mind that Lucretius, in his own way of describing things, was able to understand entropy, atoms, evolution, superstition, eliminative materialism, philosophy of mind, evaporation, the formation of stars and planets, metabolism, genetics, deletions, and so much more. I always thought of Newton and Einstein as the smartest men to ever live. Some people say it was Aristotle. I think, without question, Lucretius was the most brilliant man to ever live, especially given the tools available and the time period in which he lived. Lucretius, without tools, knew more than many people today, with tool, know.

Prior to reading this, I read a biography of Epicurus and Epicurean philosophy. I can see why Lucretius said that Epicurus' brilliance towered over all the other brilliant men. In the end, Lucretius towers over them all.

This is a MUST READ!

7 people found this helpful

Like Origin of the Species written by Shakespeare

There are a handful of books that seem to float above the rabble. They are certainly not scripture, but belong on a shelf above philosophy. Reading Lucretius is like reading the dreams of Darwin or Newton interpreted by the hand of Shakespeare. On the Nature of Things belongs on the shelf next to Bacon, Dante, Montaigne, Marcus Aurelius and the rest of my demi-Gods.

35 people found this helpful

Amazing!

I have a new friend, but he died 2,000 years ago. however, he still talks to us.

6 people found this helpful

top drawer

this book was well done in all aspects and easy to listen to , very interesting and compelling.

1 person found this helpful

Titus Lucretius Carus only work

Titus Lucretius Carus was a Roman poet and philosopher over 2050 years ago.  "De rerum natura" ("On the Nature of Things") is his only known work.  Lucretius covers concepts of Epicureanism.  This reading is from "The Way Things Are: The De Rerum Natura," 1968, translated by Rolfe Humphries.

1 person found this helpful