Titus Lucretius Carus (ca. 99 55 B. C.) is known primarily as the Roman author of the long didactic poem "De Rerum Natura" (On the Nature of Things). In it, he set out to explicate the universe, embracing and refuting ideas of the great Greek philosophers. Now available in paperback, this annotated scholarly edition of the Latin text of "De Rerum Natura" has long been hailed as one of the finest editions of this monumental work. It features an introduction to Lucretius s life and work by William Ellery Leonard, an introduction to and commentary on the poem by Stanley Barney Smith, the complete Latin text with detailed annotations, and an index of ancient sources."