The Whole Enchilada: Epicureanism and Lucretius’ De Rerum Natura (Ad Navseam, Episode 51)

This week Jeff and Dave may have bitten off more than they can chew as the subject of the day is, well, everything. In the 1st century BC Lucretius sat down and attempted to, in dactylic hexameter mind you, explain the origin of all things without resorting to divine explanations. How would this have played amongst the smart set of his day? And why should we listen to someone who may have bought the farm by overdosing on Love Potion #9? We might better understand all of it with a better grasp of the philosophy Lucretius adhered to—Epicureanism. Hold the chariot, aren’t those the guys who just swan around at cocktail parties and sample overly fancy hors d’oeuvres? We’ll untangle it. Promise. Kinda.