EleutherIA — Defined term

Clinamen / Parenklisis (Atomic Swerve)

παρέγκλισις

Hellenistic

The atomic swerve is an Epicurean doctrine attested chiefly by Lucretius, De Rerum Natura II.216–293, and Cicero, De Fato 21–25. Lucretius describes a minimal deviation at no fixed place or time and connects it with voluntas; Cicero polemically reports that Epicurus introduced declination to avoid necessity. Epicurus's surviving Letter to Menoeceus 133–134 distinguishes necessity, chance, and what depends on us, but does not mention the swerve. The swerve should therefore not be presented as Epicurus's surviving, sufficient, or complete explanation of free action.

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