208 PiiiLosoPHT OF Botany. 



lanae " — Tusculan researches — he effected a complete over- 

 throw of the Olympian gods, exposing the unworthiness of 

 such conceptions of divine nature. Of his philosophic works, 

 " Hortensius," which did not come down to us, the celebrated 

 ecclesiastic writer, Augustine, confesses that the study of this 

 work was to him a powerful stimulus to the pursuit of wisdom. 

 EqiraHy aggressive against the ancient faith is the didactic 

 poem, " De Rerum Natura " — ^^on the nature of things — by 

 Titus Lucretius Carus. He was born in the year B.C. 99. 

 Very little is known about his private life, which he seems to 

 have passed remote from the tumults of the civil war. He 

 was an Epicurean, and his great poem, which he dedicated to 

 his friend, the poet Memmius, conferred, more than any other 

 writing, at the restoration of the sciences and toward the re- 

 vival, illustration, and rehabilitation of the doctrines of Epi- 

 curus. By this time all the old schools of Greek philosophy 

 were well represented in Rome, and we see that, as Alex- 

 andria had sapped Athens, thus Rome was now sapping Alex- 

 andria. Public patronage was divided between the Stoic and 

 Epicurean tenets, the latter becoming prevalent under the 

 rule of Augustus. All the gay and mirthful intellects of the 

 poetical circle attached to the person of Maecenas, and as- 

 sembling at the jovial Court of Augustus, were followers of 

 Epicurus. According to. Epicurus' doctrine, happiness is the 

 highest object and good of life. This happiness was referred 

 to the soul as an inseparable element of the body. As a natu- 

 ral consequence of this opinion, exploration and observation 

 were held to be the main object of philosophy. The vitality 

 of the scientific germ was thus preserved, although it remained 

 dormant for ages to come. 



The Stoics held purity of morals, self-control, and contempt 

 of sensual pleasure for the main object of life. In the times 

 of adversities the Stoics proved themselves true to their prin- 

 ciples. When under the reign of Tiberius and Nero, every 

 kind of abomination was practiced openly, and every enjoy- 

 ment of life became poisoned with fear and shame, the Epi- 

 cureans retired. The Stoics alone fought the battle against 

 vice and oppression, and fell victims with unshaken fortitude, 

 like Seneca and hundreds of Christians. 



