Author: CICERO.
Title: De Natura Deorum Libri Tres. Cum notis integris Paulli Manucii, Petri Victorii, Joachimi Camerarii, Dionys. Lambini, Fulv. Ursini, & Joannis Walkeri. Recensuit, suisque Animadversionibus Illustravit ac Emaculavit Joannes Davisius. Coll. Regin. Cantab. Praeses. Editio Tertia, Emendatior & Auctior.
Description: Cantabridiae: Typis Academicis. Sumptibus Cornelii Crownfield..., 1733. 8vo, 199 x 120 mms., pp. [xii], 434 [435 - 436 adverts], contemporary calf (rubbed), sometime rebackd with old spine, gilt in compartments, laid down; slight worming of title-page not affecting text, blank leaves at rear browned, corners worn, but a reasonable copy. The first edition of this text by John Davis, a scholar and follower of the famous classics scholar Richard Bentley, was first published in 1718, followed by an expanded and corrected second edition in 1723. "The dialogue is on the whole narrated by Cicero himself, though he does not play an active part in the discussion. Gaius Velleius represents the Epicurean school, Quintus Lucilius Balbus argues for the Stoics, and Gaius Cotta speaks for Cicero's own Academic skepticism. The first book of the dialogue contains Cicero's introduction, Velleius' case for the Epicurean theology and Cotta's criticism of Epicureanism. Book II focuses on Balbus' explanation and defense of Stoic theology. Book III lays out Cotta's criticism of Balbus' claims. Cicero's conclusions are ambivalent and muted, 'a strategy of civilized openness'; he does, however, conclude that Balbus' claims, in his mind, more nearly approximate the truth" (Wikipedia). David Hume's Dialogues concerning Natural Religion is modelled on De Natura Deorum.

Keywords: classics natural religion prose


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