EPICURUS: LETTER TO HERODOTUS. INTRODUCTION, TRANSLATION AND NOTES

Abstract

The Letter to Herodotus, written by Epicurus (4th c. B.C.) and recovered by Diogenes Laertius (3rd c. A.D.) in a book that collects the lives and opinions of eminent philosophers, is a mnemonic summary intended for advanced students in the field of physics. This text is mainly about the basic principles of nature understood wthin the atomist doctrine along with considerations on psychology, epistemology, and cosmology. We present an annotated translation of the Greek writing preceded by an introduction that anticipates some difficulties related to the theme.