26-05-17

Sunday May 17, 2026 - Zoom Discussion 12:30 PM EST - Lucretius Book Review - Lucretius Book 1 - 483 - “Bodies”

1. Welcome and news / requests for new topics. We’ll continue to deal with individual topics as they occur. Just message me and we will set up an agenda each week that allows for new topics.
2. Please help us stay on topic. Don’t be afraid to comment or ask questions about the implication of any section we are covering, but please remember that there are controversies outside the scope of our project that we don’t have time to cover.
3. Every session let’s try to cover questions like:
   1. What is the context of this section?
   2. Why included at this point in the presentation?
   3. What are the major points Lucretius is making?
   4. What are the implications of these points?
4. Notes on New Topics / Announcements: This week we will continue with Lucretius Book 1:483. with Bodies

• Discussion
• Citation from Plutarch -
• Discussion of “The Nature of Existence is _____________”
• Where death is we are not is another example of a black and white dichotomy .
• Sextus Empiricus says that Epicurus held all perceptibles are true because there is no distinction between saying something is true and that it exists.
• Sextus Empiricus (fl.c. 200 CE), Against the Logicians, 2.9

ὁ δὲ ᾿Επίκουρος τὰ μὲν αἰσθητὰ πάντα ἔλεγεν ἀληθῆ καὶ ὄντα – οὐ διήνεγκε γὰρ ἀληθὲς εἶναί τι λέγειν ἢ ὑπάρχον

Epicurus said that all perceptible things are true and real [i.e., existing] – for he made no distinction between saying that something is true or that it exists

ἔνθεν καὶ, ὑπογράφων τἀληθὲς καὶ ψεῦδος, “ἔστι” φησὶν “ἀληθὲς τὸ οὕτωςἔχον ὡς λέγεται ἔχειν” – καὶ “ψεῦδός ἐστι” φησί “τὸ οὐχ οὕτως ἔχον ὡς λέγεται ἔχειν”

and from there, while outlining what is true and false, [Epicurus] says “what is true is that which is in such a way as it is said to be” – he says “what is false is that which is not in such a way as it is said to be”