Conclusion

‘Also, men with understanding (συνειδότες‎), introducing certain things that were previously not understood (οὐ συνορώμενα‎), recommended certain utterances.’ So Epicurus describes one aspect of the second, rational stage of linguistic development at Ep. Hdt. 76. From the perspective of Lucretius, writing in the middle of the first century BC, the process of linguistic improvement and augmentation outlined here had not yet come to an end. This is demonstrated not only by his own creative eloquence and linguistic exuberance—which went on to leave a permanent mark on the style of Latin philosophical writing—but also by his three explicit invocations of the alleged problem of ...

Lucretian Etymologies

This chapter assesses the role of etymological thinking, both explicit and implicit, in De Rerum Natura. After establishing some fundamental distinctions in ancient etymology, it constructs an argument to demonstrate that strong ‘atomological’ readings of Lucretius’ etymological wordplay are not robustly supported by what we know of the Epicurean theory of language. It goes on to suggest that Lucretian etymological wordplay is primarily concerned with demonstrating diachronic relations between words (i.e. derivations). These derivations are the result of the long second stage of language development, on the Epicurean theory. The chapter demonstrates this thesis with the help of numerous examples, both explicit and implicit, taken from the text of DRN.

Nature and Culture in the Epicurean Theory of Language

This chapter provides an account of the Epicurean theory of language, focusing in particular on Epicurus’ account of the origins of language, as detailed at Ep. Hdt. 75–6. It identifies two forms of linguistic naturalism (‘functional’ and ‘referential’) in Epicurus’ account of the first stage of linguistic phylogeny. It goes on to describe the implications of the advent of the second, conventionalist stage for Epicurus’ linguistic naturalism. The chapter suggests that Lucretius (like Epicurus before him) may be considered a latter-day συνειδών‎, enlarging and improving the language via the introduction and development of new expressions for new philosophical concepts. Finally, it considers how, if at all, Epicurean linguistic norms may have been grounded in Epicurean linguistic naturalism.

Calques and Compounds

This chapter is about morphological calquing as a strategy for Lucretian vocabulary formation. The first section of the chapter seeks to enrich and complicate Sedley’s notion of the ‘Empedoclean fingerprint’ by (a) tracing the influence of early Latin diction on the compound-heavy style of DRN and (b) identifying some non-Empedoclean Greek influences on Lucretian compounding. The second section focuses on prefixed words, gathering a number of examples of morphological calques in the technical language of Lucretius that show the direct influence of Epicurus’ own philosophical lexicon. Lucretius’ use of calquing should be considered alongside Sedley’s notion of ‘diversification’ as a fundamental strategy by which Lucretius created for himself an Epicurean lexicon in Latin.

The Uses of Greek

This chapter focuses on Lucretius’ use of Greek. It starts by discussing tmesis as a Lucretian figure in which the influence of Greek may be discerned. It then moves on to a series of syntactical constructions in DRN which can be said to reflect Greek influence. It demonstrates that such constructions are drawn on by Lucretius especially in argumentative contexts where Greek is particularly relevant. The discussion of Greek words in DRN distinguishes between Greek words with Greek terminations and Greek words with Latin terminations; it outlines some ways in which this distinction may be significant for Lucretius. The chapter ends with an analysis of DRN 4.1160–9, on Greek as a language of endearment and delusion.

Lucretius and Epicurus on Metaphor

This chapter outlines what can be known of Epicurean and Lucretian attitudes to metaphor, metonymy, and synecdoche. After a discussion of ancient testimonia to Epicurus’ own style and stylistic preferences, it draws a distinction between two types of metaphor—necessary and unnecessary. Drawing on the fragments of Book 28 of Epicurus’ On Nature, it argues that these types of metaphor played different roles in Epicurean linguistic theory and practice. After seeking to identify Epicurean criteria for naming unseen entities, the chapter goes on to discuss several passages in DRN where Lucretius discusses figurative uses of language, both necessary and unnecessary. These include the discussion of harmonia in Book 3, and of the world as both ‘Mother’ and ‘Mother of the gods’ in Book 2.

Reading Lucretian Metaphor

This chapter presents an account of Lucretian metaphor as it relates to readerly experience. After discussing the inherent instability of Lucretian metaphor, and the challenges of control it poses, the chapter undertakes two brief case studies of metaphorical schemes in the poem: the first deals with Lucretius’ metaphorical presentation of philosophy as conquest, and connects it to the calqued metaphor of the animi iniectus; the second concerns Lucretius’ use of perceptual language to refer to non-perceptual cognitive processes. It then turns to questions of ethics and aesthetics, to argue for the importance of readerly pleasure in explaining the schemes of atomic personification in DRN. The rest of the chapter deals with the difficult question of control: how Lucretius seeks to exert control over the reception of his metaphors, and what happens when readers disobey him; this latter question is addressed via an account of Lucretian metaphor and misprision in a lyric poem of Boethius.

Introduction

After a brief introduction to the central themes of the book, this chapter focuses on the passage DRN 1.136–45, considering in turn the issues of egestas linguae and rerum novitas. It considers the rhetorical topos of egestas linguae in its first-century BC context, and suggest that its fairly prominent position in the linguistic discourse of DRN should be connected to the extraordinary linguistic creativity that is on show throughout the poem. On the topic of rerum novitas the chapter seeks to identify the proem to Meleager’s Garland (as well as the Garland itself) as a salient intertext behind Lucretius’ account of his own poetic ambitions.