Titas Lucretius On The Nature Of Things Analysis

Rachel Lowery
College composition II
Timothy Little
17 February 2017 There are many things that have been assumed about sleep over thousands of years. There have been many changing ideas on the reasons that we sleep. There have also been many assumptions made about what happens during sleep. Titas Lucretius Carus had a very interesting view on sleep. Lucretius was a poet who wrote on ideas of science topics as well. To understand what Lucretius says in his writing “The Nature of Sleep”, one must understand the time that this was written. This selection came from a book called “On the Nature of Things”, which was written in 50 b.c. Lucretius had some similar viewpoints that people today find true and some that may seem very strange and hard
When Lucretius writes about spirits that leave the body some may think that it sounds odd. In the time this was written this may make more sense. Today many people do not believe in spirits and do not even give another thought as to why they sleep or what happens during sleep. There are most likely some people who believe in spirits and could believe that this is what happens when they sleep. It has not been proven that a spirit leave the body while asleep, but that does not mean that he is not correct. Although from modern tests it can be determined that there are chemicals released during sleep that cause the feeling of being limp and knees buckling when tired enough. He was seemingly on the right track when writing about atoms carrying something through the body, however, it was not air, but a chemical known by the name of melatonin. He was also correct that tough labor and a full stomach can make a person tired. He is also on the right track when he gets to what he believes happens during
Most importantly the fact that people dream about what has happened to them that very day. Every person who has ever remembered their dreams can recall that they have dreamt about some event that happened to them as well as event that they would like to happen to them. Lucretius is aware of the fact that when dreaming occurs that some dreams are about events that happen regularly or that are some event that one wholeheartedly enjoys. Many people who may own an animal have seen it sleep and have probably questioned if they have dreams. Many have concluded that animals have dreams as well and Lucretius believes this as well. They do the same movements and jerks that we do in our sleep as well as making small whimpering sounds just as we would talk in our sleep. Night terrors are also something that Lucretius explains that are something that most people have experienced. The sudden jerking in bed because of being chased in a dream and waking up in a pile of sweat or even screaming all are a part of a night terror. Finally, Lucretius writes about the all too common dream of needing to use the bathroom and dreaming of a toilet and wetting the bed. Many people have experienced this and of those who have not, know of a story form someone