"De Rerum Natura," or "On the Nature of Things," is a philosophical poem written by the Roman poet Lucretius in the 1st century BCE. The work is composed in six books and explores the nature of the universe, emphasizing Epicurean philosophy, which advocates for understanding the natural world through reason and observation rather than superstition. The poem discusses topics such as the nature of matter, the soul, and the development of the universe. It aims to explain the principles of atomism, the idea that everything is composed of small, indivisible particles, and encourages readers to seek knowledge and tranquility through understanding the world around them.