Mirabilia et philosophie. Quelques remarques sur le chant VI du De rerum natura

Abstract

This paper concerns book 6 of De rerum natura, whose epicurean content and scope were challenged in a recent monograph. In this context, the connection between Lucretian meteorology and the Epicurean doctrine is examined to provide answers to two questions: what is the status of Epicurean philosophy for Lucretian meteorology? And what role does meteorology play within the poem as a whole? The aim of the paper is to prove that the understanding of the philosophical sense and unity of the various phenomena exhibited in book 6 depends on principles grounded on the Epicurean doctrine, which, therefore, cannot be considered a means for Lucretius to exhibit pieces of knowledge. To make this point, the paper examines in that order the philosophical issues raised by meteorology, the structure of book 6 and the status of mirabilia in the DRN.

Keywords

• Lucretius
• Epicureanism
• philosophy
• meteorology
• etiology
• mirabilia