Term Paper on "Lucretius on Lust Love and or Women"

Term Paper 5 pages (1821 words) Sources: 1

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Lucretius and love, lust & women

Lucretius believes that lust, love, and women have negative and positive aspects. Though they can lead one in a stronger direction, they may also be ones down fall. He also expresses the coexistence that takes place between the three terms as well as how it almost appears impossible to have one without the other.

In the reading, the words of Lucretius are so bold and vivid that they create a picture of his mood, emotions, and opinions concerning lust, love, and women. On page 97, it is discussed that Lucretius combines the idea of lust with the same principles of greed and power. His opinion is represented in a way that states his true disdain for the characteristic of lust in this particular situation. He believes that not only is lust powerful enough to drive a man into the darkness of criminality it can also powerful enough to lead man to do unthinkable things to obtain a higher level of wealth (Lucretius Carus 97)

Lucretius goes further to state that "what is this deplorable lust of life that holds us trembling in bondage..." (Lucretius Carus 129). This quotation only further supports the negative connotation that Lucretius has associated with the term lust. He expresses further that regardless of how one chooses to live his or her lives everyone will meet the same end. Lucretius expresses that no matter how a person lives, be it well or poorly there is no difference in the eyes of death, and death waits for us all. Along with the negative connotations of lust through out the work are the ideas of lust also being a need. One does not eat because one enjoys it; one eats solely due to the need or the lusting of the body to replenish itself, to re-straighten (Lucretius Carus 157). Not only is lust depicted as a characteristic of every human being, Lucretius further connects lust to love. This comparison is made to state that one will do what ever is necessary to experience love and that lust leads and drives us to love. He further acknowledges that lust opens the body in a way to make it more susceptible to love as well as makes a person need and want the feeling of love. (Lucretius Carus 162) Love is also represented as hope, of some emotion being reaffirmed by the person that one's cares. "For in love there is the hope that the flame of passion may be quenched by the same body that kindled it." (Lucretius Carus 164). However, Lucretius continues to affirm that something bad comes from something good. It appears to be his belief that the emotion love is directly linked to the evil lust of having more. He expresses that though food and drink are necessary for the body, the emotions that are brought about through physical appearance of physical contact are useless.

At length, when the spate of lust is spent, there comes a slight intermission in the raging fever. But not for long. Soon the same frenzy returns. The fit is upon them once more. They ask themselves what it is they are craving for, but find no device that will master their malady. In aimless bewilderment, they waste away, stricken by an unseen wound. (Lucretius Carus 165)

Lust is recurring; there is no way to quench this need. Numerous comparisons are made to the quenching of the bodily needs through eating and drinking. Lucretius continues to reaffirm that food and drink quench and replenish the body, however lust cannot be quenched, and though the mood may pass every now and again, they will return with an insecurity in not knowing what the next want or need fuelled by lust is nor what it will take to satiate it.

The reading states that it is the belief of Lucretius that if a man is able to fight the emotions of pride, meanness, lust, self-indulgence, and boredom (Lucretius Carus 172) he then will truly be in the company of the "gods." That if a mere man can have the strength to surmount these obstacles then it is only befitting that he be held in the same likeness of the gods. In contrast, he reports that if it is not possible to surmount these obstacles success is not as likely. Lucretius explains that love begets reproduction and growth. Spellbound by your charm, they follow your lead with fierce desire. So throughout seas and uplands, rushing torrents, verdurous meadows and the leafy shelters of the birds, into the breasts of everyone you instill alluring love, so that with passionate longing they reproduce their several breeds (Lucretius Carus 27). An example of this reproduction and love relationship are evident on page 163. Lucretius reports that once a man's heart has been overwhelmed by Venus (woman), then he craves her. "....he strives towards the source of the wound and craves to be united with it and to transmit something of his own substance from body to body." (Lucretius Carus 163)

Love (Venus) also compared to the likeness of a women, which is a weakness that mars (man) is often wounded. However, man is though to be a strong being the emotion love is his kryptonite. It is within man's ability to bring peace and tranquility. The actions of man bring war and peace, the importance of this is to express that many things that occur are through humankind's actions. "For you alone have power to bestow on mortals the blessing of quiet peace (Lucretius Carus 28). Love is such a powerful driving force that it can make a man want to imitate the likeness of a person that he cares for. "It is from love alone that I long to imitate you, not from emulous ambition." (Lucretius Carus 96)

Love has already been expressed as a weakness and the ultimate downfall of man. Furthermore, Lucretius goes even further to correlate the terms love and Venus in his writing. He believes that Venus (woman) is the origin of love. And that one small taste of this emotion will lead you to an inevitable end of heartbreak and despair. The writings go further to express that love is a distraction and means you no good, which every effort should be made to stay away and that there is a strong need to focus on other things.

Do not think that by avoiding grand passions you are missing the delights of Venus. Rather, you are reaping such profits as carry with them no penalty. Rest assured that this pleasure is enjoyed in a purer form by the healthy than by the lovesick. Lovers' passion is storm-tossed, even in the moment of fruition, by waves of delusion and incertitude. (Lucretius Carus 163)

On the other hand, Lucretius explains that man should not think just because he avoids love and the temptations that come with it that he is missing the delights of women. Rather, he should take it all as a lesson learned and realize that there are better ways to spend ones time than being in love or lost in the thought of love. "And these are the evils inherent in love that prospers and fulfils its hopes. In starved and thwarted love, the evils you can see plainly without even opening your eyes are past all counting, how much better to be on your guard beforehand, as I have advised, and take care that you are not enmeshed! "(Lucretius Carus 166)

Love is easier to avoid in the first place rather than trying to escape once one has already been entangled in love's clutches. Lucretius expresses that though it may be harder once you are already entangled in the emotion it is not impossible unless you stand in your own way. We cause ourselves to suffer not another's actions. Lucretius believes that one of the best ways to keep from falling into the trap of love is firstly, to find faults in the woman that you feel this emotion for, this will allow man to secure himself from being vulnerable. He believes that too often women that do not deserve the love and admiration of a man receive it anyway, because too often men do not look ahead of time to find what faults were in front of them." Do not imagine that a woman is always sighing with feigned love when she clings to a man in a close embrace, body to body, and prolongs his kisses by the tension of moist lips. Often she is acting from the heart and in longing for a shared delight tempts him to run love's race to the end.... (Lucretius Carus 167)

Love is not solely an emotion expressed to the most beautiful women. Often an experience is shared because a woman has mastered the art of humoring a man. "....keeping herself fresh and smart, makes it easy for him to share his life...."(Lucretius Carus 170)

Lucretius believes that there is a perfect… READ MORE

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