A Reading List For New Epicureans

One project that has been percolating in the background here at NewEpicurean.com is a reading list for new students of Epicureanism.

Note:  This post is very much in need of updating. Until it is revised, please check the FAQ/Discussion at Epicureanfriends.com here.

The original source material left to us today includes texts that are very clear and understandable, but often wrapped under so many layers of historical context that readers today find the core principles difficult to ferret out.

And so, as a modest proposal, think about this:  What would an Epicurean of 250 AD, knowing that he had available as texts only copies of Diogenes Laertius’ biography, Lucretius’ De Rerum Natura, and the letters of Cicero, recommend for new students to explain the basic principles of Epicureanism?

For starters here’s a proposed list, which is being posted as a separate Core Texts page on this site.   A PDF version is also available via Scribd.

Each bullet is an excerpt from the original text.

Previous Article
Next Article