As the oldest known example of Latin hexameter poetry, Lucretius' De rerum natura continues to be the subject of much scholarly debate. Entire journal articles focus on the translation of single excerpts, and an accepted "standard" translation is yet to be published. The challenge lies not only in translating the work, but also in preserving its rhythms and imagery in a way that is meaningful to contemporary readers while maintaining the integrity of the text. Scholars and students of classicism admire the text for its lyrical presentation of scientific models. It is also an important text because it is the best single presentation of Epicurean ideals and classical atomic theory that is available. Although the hard science behind Lucretius' assertions concerning the physical world is somewhat naive, there are many ideas that have either been proven or are related to later, more sophisticated theories. In a...