Defining Atoms by Interpretation of Vision

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Defining Atoms by Interpretation of Vision

GN

Brooklyn College

City University of New York

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Abstract

When reading ancient Latin scholarly works, as a student of classical origins, one has to realize and carefully dissect the original and primary sources from which these written or retold priceless pieces of knowledge are deriving from. Who or what has inspired them? What are the restrains that might have effected their works? Let along forcing them to create cryptic form of writing to avoid speculation that inevitably would be followed by punishment resulting in possible death. What knowledge do we need to possess to precisely identify the detailed life period of the occurrences that are manipulating the trace about the discovery of such scriptures? How could we believe that any of these factual translated works ever existed? Since many works that predate common era were only passed down verbally and then put in text, we find that many current sources do not contain sufficient information even about the authors of such nearly divine works, mean while, having possession of their original texts including translations of unknown and unreliable authors.

To accurately extract the information intended by the author, we must take time looking into many different sources that might answer our questions about the origins of the primary texts or anything close to such origins. If we exemplify Titus Lucretius as one author who does not have much literary works that have a full digest of his life, yet we have many translations of his famous poem dedicated to Epicurus, we have to assume that what we are discovering is as valid as anything of legit authenticity.

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Searching for biography or summery of the life of Titus Lucretius brings scholars to the same finality. Not much has been written about Titus Lucretius. Some unauthenticated sources state that St.Jarome has read and written some history of his admirable author. Other sources state that Vergil has included citations of Titus Lucretius in one of his books. However, we find the most evident trace of Titus Lucretius in his own work called “De Rerum Natura” or “On The Nature Of Things”. This poetic encyclopedia was literary intended for the reader to comprehend the natural occurrence of life but only

from the author's perspective (R.E. Latham, 1968). Thus, we can conclude that Titus Lucretius seems like a very educated individual but what is more imperative to notice is his influence from spiritual experiences that were probably caused by psychoactive inhibitors or other mediums. Throughout these poetic books Titus Lucretius speaks of wormwood being consumed especially the distinct description of its bitter taste. Wormwood is the primary substance along with thujone that compose a sacred alcoholic drink called Absinthe consumed by many inspired artists, religious and acultist congregations (Figure 2). Yet banned in many parts of the world having a very infamous reputation for making people loose sanity ( Magnan, 1895).

Before exposing the interpretation of forth book in “De Rerum Natura” or “On The Nature Of Things” on the explanation of vision from an atomic point of view, we have to identify if Titus Lucretius is truly an antomist. In the literary translation of the six book poem, John Selby Watson (p.xii) translates with obvious miniscule skepticism, that Cicero knew of such facts that Titus Lucretius has adopted his ideology from Epicurus who was known to accept the notion of physics composed by Democritus. Notions such “nothing can proceed from nothing” and “ everything in the universe including us was formed from matter that previously existed”. Translation continues “ In its original state it was an infinitude of detached atoms, moving or falling through unlimited space; for that space is unlimited”. In the translation he also mentions that “ These atoms are infrangible and indestructible; for matter is not infinitely divisible; there must be a point at which division ends.” (p.xiii). What is

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interesting and surprising (if the sources are reliable) is that Titus Lucretius describes a detailed vision of atoms as follows “ The atoms are all different shapes, suited for the formation of various substances by combination. The number of their forms, however, is limited; while the number of each form is infinite” (Figure 3). We find that Titus Lucretius was indeed an atomist who not only believed in the theory but also visibly foresaw its images and functionality.

In the first twenty six verses of the “De Rerum Natura” or “On The Nature Of Things” Titus Lucretius accurately explains something that is not found in any references mentioned. If we compare two translations which are accurately similar we find that Titus Lucretius begins his verses by revealing his approach to such fascinating observations. Titus Lucretius rhymes that he is haunted by his lady by the name of Pierides who allegedly is the one responsible for providing the bitter liquor to Titus Lucretius, something that was never exposed to common men. Titus Lucretius says that he gets remarkable pleasure from his divine experience and repeats that he is the chosen one to receive this consumable inspiration no common man has ever experienced (Figure 1). Titus Lucretius defines the purpose for consuming the liquor: one, he is a teacher to his students; two, Titus Lucretius wants to rid his imagination of thought that might prevent him from achieving his spiritual connection; three, Titus Lucretius is able to enlighten people on such a dark subject that is forbidden to common men, only when intoxicated with the potent wormwood. To hint at the consumption of some intoxicant he describes a ritual when shaman give this intoxicating drink to children that are students to assist them in their progress of enlightenment, and in order for them to make the drink more enjoyable for the children they applied honey to the rip of the cup to hind the bitter taste of wormwood. Titus Lucretius also writes that even though it is forbidden to consume this intoxicant he will begin his depictions under the influence of the toxicity, and offers the reader to take this enhancer to accurately understand his poem “De Rerum Natura” or “On The Nature Of Things”(p.144 Cyril Bailey, 1924; p.143 John Selby Watson, 1904).

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Titus Lucretius begins with saying that since he already explained what the atoms that create forms are, he says there are idols (ἐιδόλα) that exist which disburse in a flying motion, defining the idols as images that the mind is constantly receiving like an infinite hard drive continuously copping data. Titus Lucretius also mentions that if atuned we could enter the realm of other dimensions where we could see the souls of the dead or their atomic beginning. Titus Lucretius writes that these images are like tiny visible layers or bursts of light rays as very defined if we observe intense rays of light coming from the sun or from a laser. In our current comprehension we would call this energy (p.144 Bailey, 1924; p.145 John Selby Watson, 1904). Titus Lucretius also depicts that this energy has different magnitude. Some visible energy is transparent without much density; other transparent but more compact and firm. The reasoning why the mind and the body interprets this energy is because the energy is reflecting off the object observed, therefore, we can define the object that we interpret through our mind and body. Titus Lucretius depicts this occurrence by comparing it to the effect intended by the awning in a theater, how the color effects the mood of the audience. So while atoms are forming different forms the energy is bouncing of their colored appearance just as a mirror or water reflects back exact coloration. Titus Lucretius describes, there exist other images that are made of other atoms that might not be invisible to the naked eye but tasteful on the tongue. If we speculate his ritualistic experience and compare it to a psychedelic experience we can factuate that he is describing a sensation when one while intoxicated can taste color. This part can only be taken into account if the reader is unbiased of this work. Titus Lucretius continues that this energy that is flying around will either bounce back into our eyes from some atomic forms, however, from others it will only diminish and will be absorbed. The texture or form of the atomic makeup will determine whether the energy will bounce back for us to see it or will not. As the sun must emit energy on to our world, the energy has the purpose to reflect back into our mind and body. He observes and concludes that the speed of the idols,

images or reflection of energy must be extremely fast. Titus Lucretius supports his view by explaining

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that when observing a tiny, rare critter or a thing; we see it pass by really quickly so as the energy from the sun passes by just as quickly considering its visible magnitude and having a rare form that its easy to pass through most formed bodies. To give further proof that visible images rush quickly to fulfill our interpretation when they are emitted by the energy’s powerful origins, just as reflection of the stars while the image of the dusk effect timely manifests into reflections in the water, or other bodies of rare magnitude that create images or energy that we imitatively see. Titus Lucretius describes that this energy is so powerful and divine that it forces us to possess vision (p.145-151 Cyril Bailey, 1910; p.146-152 John Selby Watson, 1904). While referring back to his love potion, the bitter liquor of wormwood, depicting his senses he tells us that touching and seeing are nearly identical mind and body interpretations. The energy reflecting into our eyes is infinite but has a finite form, and if this form is observed it seems as if air particles are brushes through the energies transparent fibers therefore, we are able to see how far this air connects to the images, or simply judging distance. Titus Lucretius defines distance visible through a medium of air particles by depicting that when observing this in the mirror we find that all things are behind it. Basically if we would slow down time, by observing the mirror we would receive a total image in layers, where each layer has a slight delay of its exposure; first we would see the mirror by utilizing the medium of air particles, then we would again sense the medium of air particles but with an image of another layer of visible energy. Since looking into the mirror distorts the accurate interpretation of any thing, if we reflect an image from one mirror to another, thus we will get a symmetrical distorted image into our eyes as each mirror has an opposite reflection of what is actually emitting visible energy. If we speculate the notion that all nature is reflecting all images together equally, Titus Lucretius constitutes that what we perceive is all the same thing of what a mirror receives while having a form of a mirror. So just as fast we see our reflection in the mirror, that fast we emit the visible energy or the images upon our observers. He also depicts that since light soothes the eye it is pleasant to see light out of darkness rather than having darkness rise out of light since darkness

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is unpleasant to the eye. As though Titus Lucretius is a divine foreseer, he describes accurately how images of a square tower would be interpreted round but our senses. Almost like zooming in and out of a digital picture; when zoomed in we see lots of grain and square pixels and when zoomed out perfectly smooth shapes. In such case Titus Lucretius writes that it is not that your sensation is false but the false is cause but the way it is interpreted. Thus far this work seem tremendously revolutionary for its time of origin, yet it is so natural for a philosopher to speculate human interpretation of the world. He continues his verses by identifying that the organs which are responsible for sight, if distorted will depict distorted images. In the finishing poetic verses about vision Titus Lucretius writes that our sense have to be trusted always. We may as well admit that reason has faled than to state that our senses have failed us, since its our senses that posses the fundamental beginning of all knowledge and a guide that we sensibly follow. He writes that if we deny the accuracy of sensation it would be equivalent to building a machine that makes cloth out of broken parts.

Conclusion

To deny that Titus Lucretius was an inspired atomist would be an inaccurate statement to make since some of our current date physics are literary depicted in the predated notions of time when people thought the earth is flat. However, we can not avoid the speculation of other authors editing and recreating this literary work in their own likeness or benefit. We cannot eliminate the idea that this ancient poet and a scientist was influenced not only by famous and resourceful writings of Plato's followers but also affected by a strong toxin that over time destroys a man not only physically but in fact psychologically. Such speculation is related to the reference of Titus Lucretius consuming wormwood but later experiencing an early death of forty four, written and claimed by Cicero and St. Jerome (R.E. Latham., 1968; Cyril Bailey., 1924). Whats mostly important to extract from this text is that Titus Lucretius spoke of Gods that he interacted with and was going to explain this later on, but never does. Do we assume that there is a seventh or eighth book that Titus Lucretius intended to write

but never had the chance? Could there be a possible conspiracy about his early death? Has his grasp of nature inspired our current physicists to develop and comprehend the origins of natural processes and have the right means to define them in the universal language of mathematics? How will this literary work will be interpreted in the future when human kind if survives advances in their intellectual evolution?

References

1. Cyril Bailey., 1924. “Lucretius on the Nature of Things” (literal translation), London: Oxford University Press, p. 144-161

2. John Selby Watson., 1904 (remastered 1997). “On The Nature Of Things by Titus Lucretius Carus”., London: Prometheus Books. p.xii-xvi; p.144-166

3. Magnan., 1895. “The degenerate. American Journal of insanity., 52:193-198

4. Purinton, Jeffrey S., 1999. “Epicurus on ‘Free Volition’ and the Atomic Swerve,”

Phronesis, 44: 253–299

5. R.E. Latham, 1968. “Lucretius on the Nature of Things”, Baltimore: Penguin Books.