In Lucretius's "On the Nature of Things," animals occupy a distinct position as complete subjects because the poet feels genuine interest for them, almost tenderness, and his reflections regarding animals go far beyond the curiosity of the simple amateur.

In recent years, studies related to this aspect of the monumental philosophical epic of Latin literature have increased, as it is now clear that there, animals play a qualitative role, which is not so much – and only – related to the number of verses that speak about non-human creatures, but rather because the poet's vivid inclination to observe them, the meticulous description, and the poetic processing of the animal world are functionally connected to the rest of the poem.

They serve specific needs of teaching, allowing us to better understand the "whole" and can not only not be reduced to fragments that lack coherence, but they also illuminate the multidimensional character of a work that remains an open field of reflections and issues.

The descriptions of animal scenes aim not only to show but also to prove and persuade, acquiring a demonstrative weight within the framework of argumentation.

Being a follower of a school, the Epicurean, which contrasted with the teleology of the Stoics the ideal of a world governed by internal and mechanistic laws, Lucretius shows a particular fierceness in rejecting the anthropocentric view, proposing on his side a completely horizontal and egalitarian example of the human-animal relationship.