Q0231
“From the very fountain of delights rises something bitter that chokes among…” — Lucretius (De Rerum Natura IV.1133–1134)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: De Rerum Natura IV.1133–1134. Theme: desire.
English
From the very fountain of delights rises something bitter that chokes among the flowers themselves.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to De Rerum Natura IV.1133–1134 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.
How to read this passage
Ethics and moral psychology analyze appetite, love, ambition, and addiction. Stoic, Buddhist, and psychoanalytic traditions treat desire as trainable rather than merely given. This passage enters that discussion through desire, life.
Concepts in this quote
- Desire
- Desire drives action and suffering alike; philosophy asks which desires to educate, restrain, or affirm.
- Life
- Philosophy quotes about life ask what makes a life good, meaningful, or worth examining—questions that drive ethics, religion, and everyday decision.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Lucretius. (n.d.). From the very fountain of delights rises something bitter that chokes among the flowers themselves. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0231
MLA: Lucretius. “From the very fountain of delights rises something….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0231.
Chicago: Lucretius. “From the very fountain of delights rises something….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0231.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “From the very fountain of delights rises something…”?
The passage is attributed to Lucretius, De Rerum Natura IV.1133–1134. The archive attributes this English wording to De Rerum Natura IV.1133–1134 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 desire?
Ethics and moral psychology analyze appetite, love, ambition, and addiction. Stoic, Buddhist, and psychoanalytic traditions treat desire as trainable rather than merely given. This passage enters that discussion through desire, life.