[1]

Translation of Lucretius

(Natural selection)

Time changes the nature of the whole world, nor does anything remain like itself everything changes. Nature transmutes all things, and forces them to alteration. - - - And we see that a variety of concurrent circumstances is necessary in order that any race may be propagated, as food &c therefore

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it is evident that many races must have perished, unable to leave a posterity behind them. For either craft, or strength or agility preserves every animal which breathes, and many are preserved by us for the sake of their utility, as the dog etc. But as for those to which nature has granted nothing

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of all this, so that they can neither live on themselves, nor afford us any help for the sake of which we may protect them, it is evident that these were a prey to others, until at length that species was annihilated by Nature

Lucretius V 847-875.

[4]

Translation of Lucretius

[5]

Natural selection according to Lucretius

Mutat enim mundi naturam totius aetas,

Ex alioque alius status excipere omnia debet,

Nec manet ulla sui similis res: omnia migrant,

Omnia commutat natura et vertere cogit.

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Multa videmus enim rebus concurrere debet

Ut propagando possint procudere secla:

Pabula primum ut sint, genitalia deinde per artus

Semina, qua possint membris manare remissis.

&c

Multa tum interiisse animantum secla necesse est

Nec potuisse propagando procudere prolem.

Nam quae cumque vides vesci vitalibus auris,

Aut dolus aut virtus aut denique mobilitas, est

Ex ineunte aevo genus id tuta reservans:

Multa siut, nobis ex utilitate sua quae

Commendata manent, tutelae tradita nostrae.

(& gives examples).

At quis nil horum tribuit natura, neque ipsa

Sponte sua possent ut vivere nec dare nobis

Utilitatem aliquam, quare pateremur eorum

Praesidio nostro pasci genus, esseque tutum;

Scilicet haec aliis praedae lucroque jacebant

Indupedita suis fatalibus omnia vinclis,

Donec ad interitum genus id natura redegit.

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Lucretius