Lucretius Earth Quotations

What came from the earth returns back to the earth, and the spirit that was sent from heaven, again carried back, is received into the temple of heaven. [Lat., Cedit item retro, de terra quod fuit ante, In terras; et, quod missum est ex aetheris oreis, Id rursum caeli relatum templa receptant.]

...Thus it comes That earth, without her seasons of fixed rains, Could bear no produce such as makes us glad, And whatsoever lives, if shut from food, Prolongs its kind and guards its life no more.

Fear was the first thing on Earth to create gods.

What once sprung from the earth sinks back into the earth.

For thee the wonder-working earth puts forth sweet flowers.