Q0230
“When human life lay foully for all to see, crushed to the…” — Lucretius (De Rerum Natura I.62–63)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: De Rerum Natura I.62–63. Theme: god.
English
When human life lay foully for all to see, crushed to the earth under heavy religion…
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to De Rerum Natura I.62–63 and files it under Epicureanism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Lucretius
Titus Lucretius Carus (c. 99–c.
Interpretation
Lucretius is stating what he takes his poem to be for. The religion he names is not piety as such but the fear of divine punishment, which he says lay on human life like a weight; his claim is that understanding nature removes it. This is why he presents Epicurean physics as a therapeutic work rather than a treatise. The passage is programmatic — it tells the reader what the poem is meant to accomplish.
Why it matters
It treats explanation as a remedy, on the view that a large part of what afflicts people is a false account of why things happen.
Concepts in this quote
- God
- God appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat god as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Lucretius. (n.d.). When human life lay foully for all to see, crushed to the earth under heavy religion… In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0230
MLA: Lucretius. “When human life lay foully for all to….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0230.
Chicago: Lucretius. “When human life lay foully for all to….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0230.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “When human life lay foully for all to…”?
The passage is attributed to Lucretius, De Rerum Natura I.62–63. The archive attributes this English wording to De Rerum Natura I.62–63 and files it under Epicureanism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Lucretius mean by god?
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Maimonides and Saadia Gaon), god is framed through Jewish Rationalism and Islamic Philosophy. Some passages define god; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through god.